Healthy Foods That Can Help You To Gain Weight

Being underweight means having less body weight than the medically prescribed weight. As per Body Mass Index Calculator (BMI), people who fall under the measure of 16 BMI are considered severely underweight. However, if they are between 18.5 to 24.9 BMI, then they are of average body weight.

There are several reasons a person can be underweight, which will be discussed in the following section.

Causes of Being Underweight

• Family Genetics: Some people are naturally lean and have thin body structures because this trait runs in their family.

• Physical Activities: People who are involved in any kind of regular physical activity, like sports, running, and athletics, can have lean body mass because they tend to burn calories faster.

• Chronic Diseases: People who have a history of some serious physical illness or suffer from chronic illness might be underweight.

• Mental Illness: If anyone has a mental illness like depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD) and also has eating disorders or anorexia, will face appetite issues and be underweight.

Different food groups include food items that help provide specific nutrients to the body when consumed. Some of these food groups are great if you want to gain weight by eating healthy. These food groups are:

• Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. This food group is known to be the primary source of energy for the body.

  The complex carbohydrates that are found in food items like grains, potatoes, brown rice, etc., are used by the body to provide energy, and excess sugar and energy are stored in muscles for further needs. This food group contains a healthy amount of calories and can help you gain healthy wealth.

• Protein: Proteins are large complex molecules made up of amino acids; these are the building blocks of the body. Including protein-rich food in your diet can help you gain lean muscles and healthy body mass.

• Healthy Fats: Healthy fats, also known as “polyunsaturated fats”, are types of fats that help the body maintain its body temperature, keep hormone levels stable, and generate energy.

• **Adding these healthy fats is necessary to gain a healthy weight; you can include items like sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, avocados, etc, in your diet.

• Dairy Products: Dairy foods are enriched with healthy fats and lots of calories, which are great for adding body mass. You can choose from various dairy products to include the preferred one in your balanced diet. Some of the weight-gaining dairy products are butter, cheese, cream, and condensed milk.

Let us know about the foods to gain weight and muscle that you can include in your daily meals.

Rice

Rice is an excellent and cost-effective source of carbohydrates that helps in healthily gaining weight. With each 100g serving of white cooked rice, you get 28g of carbohydrates, and with 100g serving of brown cooked rice, you get 23g of carbohydrates.

You can include rice in your daily meals and eat it with cooked vegetables and pulses for a complete meal. Eating rice keeps you full, and if you feel you are well-fed, you can take multiple small meals of rice throughout the day.

Nuts and Seeds

It is seen several times that people munch on unhealthy packaged and processed food in quest of gaining weight. But eating packaged food will not help you gain a healthy weight; on the contrary, you might develop long-term health issues.

Instead, choose to munch on nuts and seeds for healthy weight gain. Nuts and seeds like sunflower seeds, almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, etc., contain healthy fats, which are necessary for the body.

You can keep a box of nuts and seeds with you and eat them as snacks, or you can add them to your smoothies, dishes or home-baked cookies and sweets. This way, you can get the benefits of healthy fats and delicious food together.

Homemade Protein Smoothies

Homemade protein smoothies are a great source of protein that helps you build muscle and provides energy. These are easy to make and can be drunk on the go, but mind you; you must use only clean ingredients to make a homemade smoothie. Avoid using sachet packets for ready-made smoothies.

You can buy any fruits and vegetables of your choice, like bananas, oranges, avocados, and carrots, and blend them with plant-based or dairy milk. You can also add clean protein powder if you want, and to sweeten the smoothie, add honey or brown sugar.

Fatty Fish

If you are comfortable to consider non-vegetarian options to gain weight then fatty fish is a great choice. Fishes like salmon, mackerel, and halibut are rich in proteins and healthy fats; additionally, they also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are suitable for your brain and eyes.

The healthy fats to gain weight and protein in these fish help you build lean muscles and increase your body mass. You can consume home-cooked fish one to two times a week; either eat it as the main dish or add side dishes like potatoes or rice to make a complete meal.

Cheese

Cheese is a dairy product and is loved by people of all ages. Organically made cheese contains both calories and good fats that must be used for gaining healthy body weight. You can incorporate cheese in any of your meals, be it in breakfast sandwiches or portions of pasta or to make classic mac and cheese.

Eating cheese also provides your body with nutrients like Vitamin K12 and calcium and improves your bone density and heart health.

Dark Chocolate

People love to eat chocolates but try switching your regular chocolate bar to a dark chocolate one if you want to gain healthy weight. High-grade dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants and contains healthy fats, and it is excellent food rich in calories to gain weight. These nutrients not only help in gaining body mass but are also good for the heart, skin and hair.

You can add dark chocolate with your smoothies, in your home baked cookies or take a bite of the chocolate bar as it is. But remember to buy only high-quality dark chocolate with at least 70% cacao in it.

Potatoes

Potatoes and starchy food are on the list of high-calorie foods to gain weight, as they are high on calories and carbohydrates. They provide energy to the body and help you gain body mass.

You can eat potatoes, corn, and legumes in your meals as the main dish or pair them with rice, bread or chapatis. Eating potatoes on a daily basis can help you gain weight naturally.

Whole Eggs

Whole eggs are excellent sources of healthy fats to gain weight; along with this, they are also rich in protein and calcium, which helps in building muscles and keeping your bone health intact.

You can quickly eat 2 to 3 eggs in a day but remember to eat whole eggs, including the yolk, as that is part of the egg which contains the best nutrients. You can bring a variety in the way you add eggs to your meal by having boiled, poached, scrambled, fried or baked eggs.

Whole Milk Yogurt

Yoghourts, which are made from whole milk, are a great source of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats to gain weight. Yoghurt is thick in consistency and is delicious to consume on its own. You can have it as a snack, include it with your meals, make smoothies with it or top it off with fruits and berries.

Have yoghurt every day in the morning with breakfast or on an empty stomach, and see your weight increase at a healthy rate.

Avocados

Avocado and avocado oil are both great foods rich in calories to gain weight. Along with calories, eating avocados also provides you with nutrients like fat, fibre, magnesium and potassium. All these nutrients not only keep you healthy but provide you with energy to stay active throughout the day.

You can eat avocados for breakfast by adding them to your smoothies, having them along with pancakes, eating mashed avocado with toast or cooking your meals in avocado oil to get its benefits.

Granola

Did you know that you can make granola bars at home? This is another great way of consuming food rich in calories to gain weight. You can use cereals like oats, rye, and maslin to make it. Cereals are good sources of carbohydrates, protein and calories, and all of these are good to keep your body energised and at a healthy weight mass.

You can make cereal granola by mixing cereal of your choice with nuts, seeds, vanilla essence and honey if you want to sweeten it. Bake this mixture in the oven for a few minutes, and it will be crispy and crunchy. Keep this granola in an airtight container and eat it for breakfast or anytime you want.

Eating healthy, exercising and staying fit; a lot of us work on these things to make sure that we do not fall ill or develop an illness. While these are great habits for your overall well-being, they may not be able to protect you from severe health conditions and the expenses they bring.

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As you have seen, foods like potatoes, yoghurt, granola, fish, nuts and seeds are great ways to incorporate healthy fats and calories into your daily diet.

Maintaining a healthy body weight is essential not only for a healthy body but also for a healthy mind. By eating food rich in calories and consuming food with healthy fats, you can gain weight in a healthy way.

What is the food to gain weight for females?

Females with lean bodies can incorporate avocado, eggs, seeds, nuts, fish and dairy products in their diet to gain weight healthily.

Is rapid weight loss a concerning issue?

Losing more than 5% of body weight in six to twelve months can be an issue to worry about. Drastic weight loss is a sign of some underlying health issues. In such cases, you must get a consultation from some medical professional.

Can I gain 2 kg per month?

You might gain healthy body mass if you eat food which is rich in protein, healthy fats, calories and carbohydrates. Along with diet, doing the right kind of exercises also helps in gaining weight.

Disclaimer: This is a general guide on Healthy Foods That Can Help You To Gain Weight. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice. It is advisable to consult a qualified health professional for treatment in severe cases.