Nutrition in Addiction Recovery: What to Eat

The recovery process for substance use disorders can be long and winding.

Amidst an array of challenges (both mental and physical), people recovering from substance abuse need to rid the body of varying degrees of substances and toxins, often through a vigorous detox program; sometimes they even need to shut themselves out from their lives and loved ones while they recover in an unfamiliar setting.

What is much less publicized for people in addiction recovery is the need for nutrition and the development of a healthy eating regimen, which is an often-overlooked yet crucial step in the process. Nutrition in addiction recovery can help reverse malnutrition, support your well-being, and improve your chances of long-term recovery.¹

The Weight of Drug Use

Substance use disorders (SUD) can affect your nutrition in several ways. They may reduce how much you eat, how well your body absorbs nutrients, and how well your hormones regulate hunger and fullness.² Substance use can also disrupt eating habits, which can mean eating irregular meals and choosing food lacking necessary nutrients.²

Which processes are behind this?

Opioids such as heroin can slow digestion and reduce appetite, which can result in malnutrition.^1,2 Opioid use is also linked to a stronger preference for sweets, higher blood sugar, and weight gain.³ This is especially common in people taking methadone, a medication used to treat opioid addiction.³

Stimulants such as cocaine tend to suppress appetite and lower body weight, though weight often returns once use stops.²

Some research on drug use and body weight has found surprising results. In one study of people who inject drugs, people who use amphetamine had almost twice the odds of obesity compared with a group of people who use morphine, even though amphetamines have been used for weight loss since the 1950s.^1,4

The same study found that people who use heroin were 3.4 times more likely to be underweight than people who use amphetamines.⁴

Diet-Related Symptoms of Substance Use

The Effects of Opioids

If you use heroin or other opioids such as codeine, oxycodone, or morphine, side effects can include constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting.¹ These symptoms can make it harder for your body to absorb nutrients.¹ Nausea during detox can also make eating difficult, raising your risk of malnutrition.²

Alcohol and Nutrition

People with alcohol use disorder are often malnourished.¹ Over time, heavy drinking damages the lining of the digestive tract and makes it harder for your body to absorb nutrients.¹

People with alcohol use disorder who enter treatment often get 35-50% of their daily calories from alcohol.⁵ Alcohol provides calories but few nutrients, so you can take in plenty of calories and still be nutrient deficient.⁵

People with alcohol use disorder are commonly deficient in thiamine (vitamin B1), vitamin B6, folate, zinc, and magnesium.¹ Thiamine deficiency can lead to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a serious brain disorder that affects coordination, eye movement, and memory.¹

Systemic Effects of Stimulants

Like opioids and alcohol, stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine can lead to poor nutrition. People who use cocaine often eat irregular and incomplete meals.² Methamphetamine use is linked to malnutrition and lower body weight.²

General Nutrition in Recovery

Good nutrition can be a strong ally on the road to recovery from drug addiction. The right food can not only mitigate drug damage but also help you feel stronger. It can set off a positive feedback loop to show how ingesting healthy foods – instead of deadly or harmful drugs – will make people in recovery feel their best.

Proper nutrition can help your body recover from the physical and psychological effects of substance use.¹ Signals from your digestive system and the nutrients you eat can directly affect brain function, including mood and memory.⁶

Nutrients play an important role in regulating mood, and nutrient deficiencies are linked to poor mental health, including depression.² This matters in recovery because mood disorders can increase the risk of relapse.²

For example, your brain makes serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood, from the amino acid tryptophan, and vitamin D helps activate this process.⁷

Recovery Needs: Necessary Nutrients

Each nutrient offers a unique benefit to someone recovering from substance abuse.

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon and flaxseed, support cognitive function and have been studied as a treatment for mood disorders.⁶

B vitamins, including B6, B12, and folate, may help improve memory.⁶

Low levels of folate and vitamin B12 are linked to depression, and folate may help protect against cognitive decline and dementia.^1,6

Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron from plant foods, which matters because iron deficiency and anemia are common among people who use drugs.^2,8

Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables help protect brain cells from damage.⁶ Levels of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E are often low in people with SUD.¹

Rather than shopping for each vitamin, it’s best to understand the components of a healthy diet.

A variety of whole, unprocessed foods with protein, healthy carbs, and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats – along with a low sugar and saturated fat intake – will keep the body and brain balanced for recovery.

A registered dietitian or nutritionist can also create personalized nutrition plans based on your needs.

Fatty fish such as salmon is a major source of omega-3 fatty acids.⁶ Studies have linked eating more fish to lower rates of depression, though researchers are still debating whether omega-3s or other nutrients in fish are responsible.⁹

What to Eat and What to Avoid While in Recovery

Avoid

People in recovery may benefit from staying away from certain foods because of their ability to crash a good mood or reinforce pathways to addiction.

• A healthy diet is low in added sugars, with most of your sugar coming from fruit.  People in recovery can develop strong cravings for sugar and sweets, especially in the first months after stopping substance use.² Animal studies show that bingeing on sugar changes the brain’s reward pathways in ways similar to addictive drugs.¹
• Eating red meat daily, especially processed meats like hot dogs and bacon, is linked to a higher risk of death from heart disease and cancer.¹⁰

Eat

In recovery, it can be hard to tell the difference between hunger and cravingsfor drugs or alcohol.¹ Eating regular, balanced meals can help.¹

Some of the best foods for people recovering from substance use include whole grains, vegetables, eggs, beans, and fish.

• Whole grains and other complex carbohydrates add fiber to your diet.
• Vegetables provide vitamins and minerals that people with SUD often lack.²
• Eggs, fish, beans, and other legumes are good sources of protein. Fish also provides omega-3 fatty acids, which show promise for improving mental health during addiction treatment.²

Caring for Your Health During Recovery

Recovering from a drug addiction requires a strong body and mind. For both to work together, a healthy, well-planned diet will give a former substance user the tools – both mental and physical – needed to repair your body and willpower. But nutrition is just one aspect of the self-care that those in recovery need.

Beyond eating well, it is also important to exercise, get plenty of sleep, schedule time to relax, and rebuild strong social support systems – including family members, friends, and therapists. Exercise, for example, can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression during recovery.²

Self-care is far from being selfish; it’s a powerful strategy for people recovering from substance abuse to nourish the body and spirit.

If you or a loved one is recovering from substance dependence, it is worth pay special attention to nutrition and proper nourishment.

Recovery.com offers resources to guide you through nutrition considerations and can also help connect you to treatment centers that provide holistic programs that integrate wellness and nutrition support for recovery.

Get Help For Yourself or A Loved One Today

Recovery may seem daunting, but effective help is available. Explore residential drug rehabs or specialized alcohol addiction treatment programs to find the right environment for healing. Use our free tool to search for addiction treatment by insurance, location, and amenities now.