Diet is referred to the balanced proportion of food items with the right nutritious value that help to reach some certain goal. While most people think that diet is for only reducing weight or cutting down fat; diet can be a part of weight gain plan as well. It is mainly related with healthy eating and without eating healthy you cannot gain weight in mass. Fried food and only products can increase your volume and lead to obesity but when it comes to gaining healthy weight according to the right body type and proportion; it requires a balanced meal on a regular basis to fulfill the needs of your growing body. If you are no sure where to start and looking forward to building body, here are some food items that cab help everyone.
18 Best Foods to Gain Healthy Weight
- Homemade Protein Shakes/Smoothies
Smoothies and homemade protein shakes come with a healthy and tasty combination that is perfect for weight gain regime. They are tasty and it takes only a few minutes to make. When you create the smoothie on your own, you have complete control over the ingredients and you can selectively use the elements that can help to gain weight. The idea here is to add 2 cups of milk with everything to make it healthy with a smooth consistency. If you are lactose intolerant, then you can also use soya milk. The smoothie can be made based on fruits or veggie as well. You can try from different options like chocolate banana nut shake, vanilla blueberry shake or even a green shake that is made from spinach and avocado. One glass of smoothie can offer you up to 400–600 calories along with a lot of protein, vitamins and minerals.
- Dairy Milk and Milk based Products
Dairy milk is one of the greatest weight gainers which help in muscle development. That is why all the kids are required to drink enough milk in their growth phase. Milk and dairy based products can offer good calories that make your healthy and stronger. Milk also offers calcium along with protein which makes it perfect for muscle and bone growth. It also consists of carbs, vitamins and minerals which are good for health. Milk can provide both casein and whey proteins. As a result, consumption of cow milk can greatly increase your combined body weight with more mass and less fat. One cup of cow milk which is nearly 250 ml can offer up to 149 calories and 8 grams of protein with each serving.
- Rice (both Brown and White)
Rice is one of the greatest source for carbohydrates in form of good glucose and starch. This low cost carb can easily become the base for your meal preparation. You would be surprised to know that one cup of cooked rice can offer up to 204 calories and 44 g of carbs along with a minute amount of fat. Rice is a calorie dense food and it can be easily eaten anything whether veggies, meat, eggs or beans. You can create a many variants of rice and curry dishes and occasionally add other elements to improve its nutritious value and total offered calories.
- Nut, Nut Milk and Nut Butter
Nuts are considered to the best source of calories and protein that stays with a long lasting impact. Just like you cannot get over pea-nut butter sandwiches, eating a handful of peanuts every day can also help to improve your weight greatly. Think of having one small handful of raw almonds and that can offer you 170 calories along with 8 grams of protein and 15 grams of fat. Nuts are highly calories dense and even having small portions can keep you filled for a long time now. Nuts can be eaten directly or can be added to other dishes to compliment it. It goes pretty well with deserts and salads.
- All Kinds of Red Meat
Red meat is considered as the most effective for muscle-building that includes pork, beef, lamb, mutton and many others. Only 3 ounces of a steak can offer 228 calories along with 24 g of protein along with 2.5 g of leucine, a special kind of amino acid which helps to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and add new muscle tissue. Red meat is also considered as a natural source of dietary creatine which is highly important for tissue and muscle growth. There are also different kinds of cuts based on fatty pieces, tenderloin, meaty parts and many others. Red meat helps to prevent muscle loss and highly recommended for strength training.
- Potatoes and Complex Carbohydrates
Potatoes are considered as the kind of veggies which is common ingredient for food in every country and for all kinds of people. This carbohydrate rich veggie offers a cost-effective way to gain more calories which leads to a steady release of energy. Potatoes can also provide potassium, fiber, and other ingredients which make it nutritious. You can also find many different sources for complex carbohydrates such as oats, corns, quiona, squash, buckwheat, beans and lentils, etc to name some. These elements can also help to improve the storage for complex sugar compounds as glycogen. You can cook a wide array of dishes with potatoes and even eating boiled potatoes is good for health.
- Oily Fishes like Salmon
Just like red meat, fishes are a good source of animal protein that also offer fats like omega-3 fatty acids. Oily fishes like Salmon consists of huge amount of Omega-3 fatty acids which is crucial for good heart health. Good heart health is the result of good cardio so eating fresh fishes can also improve your stamina and blood circulation which is important for any workout regime. You will be surprised to know that one fillet of Atlantic salmon can provide 155 calories, 7 g of fats, and 22 g of high quality protein. There are many ways to eat a fish and you can have it steamed, sautéed, smoked, grilled, baked, or poached.
- Natural Protein Supplements
Consuming protein supplements is the common strategy for most athletes and bodybuilders who are looking forward to get a body like a Greek God. Natural protein supplements can help to improve weight drastically within a short span of time but you would require ample amount of workout and plenty of rest to see the results. Some of the top sources for natural protein supplements are eggs, Soy, whey, peas, etc to name some. It is mainly based on veg protein which is the prime reason why most mass gainers or muscle builders are vegetarian. Research shows that daily consumption of natural supplements along with milk and a balanced diet can improve the growth for lean muscles.
- Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are the healthiest snacks that you can ever have. There are always many different kinds of dry fruits that you can easily get in the commercial market. In mainly includes almonds, dates, raisins, pistachios, prunes and many others. Dried fruits have naturally high sugar content and they can offer a good amount of calories on the go. That is why hikers, trekkers, campers and outdoorsy people always carry dry fruits as a quick and filling snack. These dried fruits can be easily eaten with any kind of food and at any time of the day whether it is breakfast or the dinner. Dry fruits are rich in antioxidants and also full of fiber which helps to improve immunity and digestive system.
- Whole Grain Breads
While grain breads are the greatest sources for a healthy carb base that can be eater with other food items whether you are having a soup or a meaty curry. You can also make some delicious sandwiches by utilizing this bread that is also filled with nutritious values. In order to maximize the calories, you can use grilled cheese, avocado, butter spreads, salad spreads and what not. The sourdough bread is also a healthy alternative which is good for health.
- Avocados
Avocados are the epitome nutritious value as this fruit cum veggie can greatly help to rejuvenate your body and its growth. Loaded with the high nutritious values, this food item is fairly calorie-dense. Can you imagine the fact that only one big avocado can provide up to 365 calories including 30 grams of fat and 17 grams of fiber. It is also filled with an ample amount of minerals, vitamins and highly beneficial plant components which make it the kind of nutritious veggies. It can easily used for making various kinds of dishes such as guacamole, wraps, chipotle, pickle, salads, burritos and many others.
- Cereals
Cereals can be a great source of nutrition as well but not if you just have the colored cereals with water. The proper way to eat it would adding some lukewarm milk and honey to it along with dry fruits and seeds and that make it more fibrous and rich in nutrition. It is better if you consume non-flavored corn flakes and oatmeals which are not that fancy looking and does not come with a candy taste. You can add flax seeds, chia seeds, nuts, maple syrup, fresh berries and many other ingredients to it but make sure to avoid all kinds of sugar. It also offers a lot of anti-oxidants. ½ cup of granola can offer you 200–300 calories.
- Cereal Bars and Protein Bars
Instead of gorging on junk food, you can have healthier cereal bars which are perfect for a quick snack and offers a lot of calories. Athletes and people who are into fitness are more likely to have cereal and protein bars on a daily basis. It is also easy to eat and you can have it anywhere you want even while going to somewhere. It is a perfect on the go meal which can offer up to 150–200 calories. Obviously, the calories will increase if you have multiple bars but having only one is sufficient to keep you filled and not feel hungry or angry due to hunger. It is easy to find and eat.
- Dark Chocolate
Cocoa is one of the most important ingredients for human body and craving for chocolate can be also good for the body. But consuming milk based chocolates with a lot of sugar in it could be reason for fatty liver and cholesterols. Doctors recommend to eat 70% dark chocolates that are free of sugar and offers bitterly sweet aftertaste which is quite enjoyable. Dark chocolate can be easily incorporate with any kind of desert or even just fruits and sweet salads. A dark chocolate bar with 60–75% cacao solids has around 600 calories which you can get from only 100 grams of chocolate.
- Cheese
Cheese is not a staple food for Italy but is heavily consumed in all over the world. Cheese based food items are very tasty and rich in calories. And the best part is that, cheese can be easily added to any other dish other than just pizza and pasta. Only 1 ounce of cheddar cheese can provide up to 110 calories and 7 g of protein. Therefore, having a complete cheesy meal can offer you a lot of calories. There are many kinds of cheese that you can try but the amount of calories remains almost the same. You can get up to 314 calories from just one cup of cheese.
- Whole Eggs
Eggs are something that you can eat everyday and still, it would not put any harm in your body. Bodybuilders have a lot of eggs everyday and it is one of the easily digestible sources for protein. Only a single big egg can provide you up to 74 calories and 6 grams of protein. If you do not have an allergy with egg then make sure to spam it in your regular meals starting from the breakfast to the dinner. It is recommended to have a two to three eggs every day which crucial for weight gaining.
- Yogurt and Whole Milk Products
Greek yogurt is a commercially healthy product that is recommended by most dieticians. It is a delicious snack and offers a good amount of protein and calories without any added sugar. Yogurt has a distinctive taste that you can utilize as both, a savory product or sweet product. Those who are trying to stop eating ice-creams that are made from plum oil can also have yogurt which offers a similar consistency and texture of an ice-cream.
- Natural Fats and Oils
While it is very important to reduce oily and fatty food from your diet to lead a healthy lifestyle, natural fats and oils are also required to nourish your body. Try to consume olive oil which greatly beneficial for health. Only 1 tablespoon of olive oil can offer up to 120 calories. Similarly, there are many other natural oils that you can use such sunflower oil, walnut oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, etc to name some.
All of the aforementioned ingredients can help you get into a healthy dietary routine that is beneficial for healthy weight gain regime. Start eating to see the change.
