Nicotine is a key component of cigarettes, snus, and nicotine pouches. People primarily seek it out because it can create a temporary sense of well-being and cause a rise in endorphins, leading to an improved mood. However, not everyone knows that aside from smokable and smokeless tobacco products, nicotine is also present in tomatoes and many other foods. Which foods are these and how much nicotine do they contain? 

What Is Nicotine?

First and foremost, it is important to explain what nicotine is and how it affects your body. 

Nicotine is a stimulant that accelerates the transmission of messages between the brain and other parts of the body. It is a psychoactive component of smokable and smokeless tobacco products such as cigarettes, vapes, or snus.

When using snus or another product, nicotine gradually releases into the bloodstream. Through it, it reaches the brain, where it binds to so-called acetylcholine receptors. It stimulates these, creating molecules of happiness that are responsible for a good mood.

Nicotine is addictive but not carcinogenic. No research has confirmed that it causes cancer or cardiovascular diseases. 

The effects you feel when using nicotine vary depending on your weight, age, health status, and experience. Generally, they are divided into short-term and long-term effects.   

Short-term effects mainly include feelings of happiness, mild stimulation, and relaxation. In some cases (for example, if you choose a product that is too strong), you may also experience dizziness, headaches, or nausea. 

Frequent and regular use of nicotine leads to long-term effects such as reduced self-control, poorer concentration, decreased cognitive abilities, or an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. 

Where Does Nicotine Come From?

Nicotine is not an artificial substance; it comes directly from nature. It is extracted from the leaves of the Nicotiana tabacum plant, which belongs to the Solanaceae family. 

The exception is synthetic nicotine, which is created in laboratories, does not contain tobacco, and is used in the production of nicotine pouches. 

Besides Nicotiana tabacum, the Solanaceae family also includes:

  • Wild Plants – for example, black nightshade, jimsonweed, henbane, deadly nightshade, and scopolia. Many of these are characterized by their toxicity. 
  • Economically Important Plants – the Solanaceae family also includes plants crucial for the food industry, such as bell pepper, tomato, potato, and eggplant.

In simple terms, many crops that we regularly eat belong to the same family as the plant that is a significant component in the production of snus or vape.

Do Tomato Contain Nicotine?

Tomatoes are one of the crops that belong to the Solanaceae family and contain nicotine. However, it is important to note that the amount of nicotine is much smaller compared to traditional cigarettes or snus pouches. This is why it is not measured in milligrams (mg) as commonly indicated for tobacco products, but in micrograms (μg).

A regular red tomato contains nicotine ranging from 7.1 to 7.3 μg/g. This means that in one gram of the vegetable, there is approximately 7.1 micrograms of nicotine, which is 0.0071 milligrams.

Interestingly, the nicotine content in tomatoes decreases significantly as they ripen. Green, unripe tomatoes contain almost five times more nicotine than ripe red ones.

Tomatoes and Nicotine – How Many Do You Have to Eat to Feel a Nicotine Rush?

To answer this question, we need to determine how much nicotine a regular smoker or snus user inhales or consumes. 

One cigarette contains approximately 10 to 12 mg of nicotine, of which 1.1 to 1.8 mg reaches the body. If you smoke a pack a day, you inhale approximately 22 to 36 mg of nicotine. 

With snus, the process is slightly different. It depends on the strength of the product you choose and how many pouches you use. The weakest ones have 8 to 10 mg of nicotine, while the strongest have over 45 mg. 

Let’s assume you consume approximately 35 mg of nicotine per day from cigarettes or snus. If you wanted to replace these products with tomatoes, you would need to eat nearly 493 kg of them daily. 

Other Foods That Contain Nicotine

Now that you know how much nicotine tomatoes contain, what about other foods? 

Potatoes

Potatoes have a slightly higher nicotine content than tomatoes. According to experts, they contain approximately 15 micrograms of nicotine per gram. To replace 35 mg of nicotine from cigarettes or snus with potatoes, you would need to eat “only” around 2,333 potatoes (assuming each potato weighs 150 to 200 grams).

The nicotine content in potatoes can slightly increase when they are mashed or grated, potentially reaching over 50 μg of nicotine per gram.

Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are similar to tomatoes in terms of nicotine content. Green, unripe peppers contain much more nicotine than ripe ones, with a nicotine content ranging from 7.7 to 9.2 μg per gram.

In addition to regular bell peppers, chilli peppers also contain nicotine. The content is similar, ranging from 7.7 to 9.2 μg per gram.

Eggplants

The popular purple vegetable, eggplant, contains not only vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants but also nicotine. Its nicotine content is 100 μg per gram, which is significantly higher compared to bell peppers, tomatoes, or potatoes.

However, even 100 μg/g is still not enough to replace cigarettes, vape, or snus. To achieve 35 mg of nicotine, you would need to eat approximately 350 eggplants daily, assuming each weighs 300 grams. 

Cauliflower and Cabbage

Nicotine is also present in cauliflower. The amount depends primarily on the variety. Research shows it can contain between 7 and 16 μg of nicotine per gram.

Nicotine is also found in cabbage, though in even smaller amounts than in cauliflower. Most cabbage varieties contain only 1 to 2 μg of nicotine per gram.

Tea

Some tea blends that include plants from the Solanaceae family, such as sage or thistle, contain nicotine. The amount depends on the product’s composition but usually does not exceed150 μg/g.

Spinach

Spinach is rich in many health-promoting substances. It also includes nicotine, which ranges from 1 to 2 μg per gram.

Nuts

Nuts do not contain nicotine but deserve mention. They contain the parasympathomimetic stimulant alkaloid arecoline, which functions similarly to nicotinic acid and has effects similar to nicotine. Arecoline is primarily found in areca nuts, which are chewed for their psychoactive effects. 

Do Foods Containing Nicotine Affect Health?

The nicotine content in these foods is minimal and has no significant effects on the body. You might only notice it if you have a severe allergy to nicotine. 

Despite the low amounts, nicotine plays a crucial role in plants. It helps them fight off various diseases and protects them from insects, reducing the need for aggressive chemical pesticides.