If you want to gain weight, you can eat various high calorie foods.
For those unfamiliar, calories are energy obtained from food and drinks consumed daily and the energy used in physical activity.
The average man needs 2,700 calories daily, while the average woman needs 2,200 calories daily.
However, everyone’s caloric needs are not the same because the body’s metabolic rate is different.
To gain weight, you can choose a type of high calorie food that is healthy and filled with various other essential nutrients.
List of high calorie weight-gaining foods
From rice to legumes, here are high calorie foods to gain weight that you can consume.
1. Rice
Rice is a source of carbohydrates and is calorie-dense which can help you to increase your weight.
One cup, or 158 grams, of cooked white rice, contains 204 calories, 44 grams of carbohydrates, and a small amount of fat.
To add flavour, calories and protein to this high calorie food, you can mix it with butter, cheese or scrambled eggs.
2. Eggs
You can eat eggs if you want to eat high calorie foods to gain weight and have high protein. A 50-gram raw egg contains about 74 calories.
The protein content in it is also beneficial in muscle building. Make sure you eat whole eggs, both white and yolk.
You can consume eggs by boiling, frying, or making them into other delicious dishes.
3. Nuts
Beans are a healthy source of protein, fat, and calories. That is a good type of food to gain weight.
One of the recommended types of beans is walnuts. In a serving (about 28 grams) of walnuts, you can get 185 calories and 4 grams of protein.
Eating a portion or two of various types of nuts every day, such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts, can increase your caloric intake to increase your weight healthily.
4. Milk
you can use milk to gain weight and build muscle mass.
This intake provides a good balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats while being a source of calcium.
Research has found that milk can produce greater muscle mass gain than other protein sources.
One cup of whole milk contains about 149 calories. Try to consume one or two glasses of full cream or whole milk as a snack or before/after exercise.
5. Olive oil
A tablespoon of olive oil contains 119 calories and 13.5 grams of fat.
Thanks to this content, olive oil can be utilized as a healthy way to add calories to food.
You can add olive oil to cooked vegetables or mixed with salads.
6. Avocado
Avocados are famous for their delicate texture and delicious taste. This fruit also has a good content of nutrients.
One avocado contains 322 calories, 13.5 grams of fibre, and 30 grams of total fat. In addition, this high calorie food is rich in vitamin C, folate, pantothenic acid and potassium.
Avocado consumption is considered to help increase weight because it contains high calories and healthy fats.
7. Red meat
Red meat is a high-calorie food you can consume to gain weight and build muscle.
One hundred seventy grams of red online in the form of steak are estimated to contain about 256 calories and 49 grams of protein.
There is also leucine, the main amino acid that the body needs to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and add new muscle tissue.
Opt for the fatter red meat cuts as they provide more calories than lean meats.
However, it would be best not to overdo eating these high calorie foods.
8. Potatoes
Potatoes can help you in getting extra calories and carbohydrates to gain weight.
This example of a high calorie food can also increase muscle glycogen stores.
Glycogen is a glucose reserve that the body uses as energy. In addition, it contains resistant starch that is beneficial in nourishing bacteria in the intestines.
To add calories to these complex carbohydrates, you can add cheese to mashed potatoes.
9. Dried fruit
Dried fruit is the best option for additional calories, minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins.
The caloric content of each fruit is certainly different. For example, plums contain 209 calories, and raisins contain 247 calories.
Mixing dried fruit into yoghurt or oatmeal can help increase your calorie intake, making it suitable for increasing weight.
10. Salmon
Salmon is a good source of protein and healthy fats.
One salmon fillet weighing 170 grams contains about 250 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 37 grams of protein, which is beneficial in building muscle mass and gaining weight.
There is also a content of omega-3 fatty acids that are good for health and help fight disease.
You can eat these calorie-heavy foods by steaming, sautéing, baking, or boiling.
11. Whole wheat bread
Whole wheat bread is a good source of carbohydrates to help gain weight.
You can make it a high calorie food by combining it with protein sources, such as eggs, meat, and cheese.
However, you need to add vegetables to it to make it healthier.
12. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are widely loved for their bright colour, delicious taste, and rich in nutrients.
It contains high calories, fibre, and several important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
About 200 grams of cooked sweet potatoes are estimated to contain 180 calories and 6.5 grams of fibre. These high calorie foods are also alleged to help you gain weight.
13. Dark chocolate
Another high calorie food that can help gain weight is dark chocolate.
A bar of dark chocolate measuring 100 grams with 60-75 per cent cocoa contains about 600 calories.
This high calorie food also contains fibre, magnesium, and antioxidants that are beneficial for health.
In addition to consuming it directly, you can add dark chocolate to cereals.
14. Cheese
As with dark chocolate, cheese is also high in calories and fat. About 28 grams of cheddar cheese contains 110 calories and 7 grams protein.
You can add cheese to various dishes to get extra calories.
However, you should consume these foods with high calories in reasonable quantities.
15. Legumes
Legumes contain many calories, fibre, and protein, such as kidney beans, lentils, black beans, and chickpeas.
About 1 cup of black beans contains about 227 calories and 15 grams of protein.
You can increase your caloric intake by including these leguminous foods in salads or other dishes.
You can also get various other important nutrients, such as iron, magnesium, folate, potassium, and zinc.
16. Full-fat yoghurt
Full-fat yoghurt is a healthy snack that contains balanced proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
In a serving of plain yoghurt (160 grams) without toppings, there are about 165 calories and 15 grams of protein.
Choose the whole milk variant of Greek yoghurt to get more calories, protein, and less sugar than regular yoghurt.
You can also add fruits to this high calorie diet.
17. Cereal bar
A cereal bar is another high calorie snack that you can consume. This intake generally contains about 150-200 calories.
You can eat cereal bars before or after a workout because these foods contain a slow and fast digestible mixture of carbohydrates.
You can combine cereal bars with other protein sources, such as Greek yoghurt, hard-boiled eggs, or protein shakes.
Those are some high calorie foods that you can consume. Remember, you should not consume these various foods excessively.
That is because excess calories can bring various health problems, such as obesity, heart disease, and stroke.
Although eating high calorie foods is one way to gain weight quickly and easily, it is important to accompany it with other nutritious intakes to create a healthy and balanced diet.
