Gain Weight Foods: The best foods for weight gain usually contain plant and animal protein, fats and oils, complex carbohydrates, and dairy products made with whole milk.
What you should eat, however, depends on your specific weight and health goals.
For some people, gaining weight or adding muscle can feel as difficult as losing weight is for others.
Gain Weight Foods, For weight gain, you need to try to take in more calories than you burn throughout the day by eating many frequent, smaller meals.
Adding certain foods to your diet can provide extra calories and nutrients, like protein, to make weight gain efforts both safe and effective.
Gain Weight Foods, Here are 10 of the best foods to help you gain weight or add muscle in a way that works for you.
1. Homemade Protein Smoothies
Gain Weight Foods, Homemade protein smoothies can be a highly nutritious and effective way to gain weight.
Making your own smoothies gives you full control over the ingredients and can help you boost calories.
Here are a few tasty variations you can try. You can combine each with 2 cups or 470 milliliters (mL) of dairy milk or soy milk if you have lactose intolerance. Both have more nutrients and calories than other milk alternatives.
Gain Weight Foods, Chocolate banana nut shake: Combine 1 banana, 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein, and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of peanut or another nut butter.
Vanilla berry shake: Combine 1 cup (237 mL) of fresh or frozen mixed berries, ice, 1 cup (237 mL) of high protein, whole milk Greek yogurt, and 1 scoop of vanilla whey protein.
Gain Weight Foods, Super green shake: Combine 1 cup (237 mL) of spinach, 1 avocado, 1 banana, 1 cup (237 mL) of pineapple, and 1 scoop of unflavored or vanilla whey protein.
Gain Weight Foods, All of these smoothies provide around 400–600 calories, along with a high amount of protein, and other important vitamins and minerals.
2. Dairy Milk
Gain Weight Foods, Dairy milk has been used as a weight gainer or muscle builder for decades.
It provides a balance of proteins, carbs, and fats and is a good source of calcium, as well as other vitamins and minerals.
Gain Weight Foods, If you’re trying to build muscle, milk is an excellent protein source that provides both casein and whey proteins. A 2018 review of research has shown cow’s milk can help you add muscle when combined with weightlifting.
Additionally, studies have found that milk, or whey and casein protein combined, can lead to greater mass gain than other protein sources.
Gain Weight Foods, Try drinking 1 cup of whole milk (237 mL) as a snack, with a meal, or before and after a workout if you’re training for a quick 149 calories and 8 grams (g) of protein per serving.
3. Rice
Gain Weight Foods, Rice is a convenient, low cost carb source that can be part of a weight gain eating plan. Just 1 cup (158 g) of cooked white rice provides 204 calories, 44 g of carbs, and very little fat.
Rice is also fairly calorie-dense, meaning you can obtain a high amount of carbs and calories from a single serving. This helps you eat more food, especially if you don’t feel that hungry or get full quickly.
Gain Weight Foods, When you’re on the go or in a rush, you can add 2-minute packs of microwavable rice to other protein sources.
Another popular method is to prepare a large pot of rice, refrigerate it or freeze individual portions, and then combine it with different proteins and fats for varied meals throughout the week. Rice can be a staple food for supporting frequent, smaller meals throughout the day.
Gain Weight Foods, The easiest way to add taste, calories, and a protein boost is to stir some of these ingredients into cooked rice:
Butter and Parmesan cheese
Broccoli and cheese
Scrambled eggs
Toasted sesame seeds, peanuts, or cashews
You can also top rice with a sauce, such as:
Curry
Pesto
alfredo
Gain Weight Foods, A rice dish can easily become a whole meal. Try this wild rice and chicken kale for a balanced lunch (400 calories per serving).
4. Nuts and nut butter
Gain Weight Foods, Nuts and nut butter can support an eating plan focused on weight gain.
Just one small handful of raw almonds (1/4 cup or about 32 g) contains 170 calories, 6 g of protein, and 15 g of fats.
Gain Weight Foods, Since nuts are calorie-dense, just two handfuls per day with a meal or as a snack can quickly add hundreds of calories.
You can add nut butter to a variety of snacks or dishes, such as smoothies, yogurts, and crackers, to turn them into a high calorie snack in no time.
Gain Weight Foods, For a quick pick-me-up, try this peanut butter banana smoothie, with only three ingredients (270 calories, using whole milk). If you have a peanut or other nut allergy, substitute another well-tolerated, safe nut or seed butter.
However, make sure you pick 100% nut butter with no added sugar or extra oils. Or better yet, make your own from this homemade almond butter recipe. It’s easy to make and easy on your wallet, too.
5. Red Meats
Gain Weight Foods, Red meats, including beef or pork, are probably one of the most effective muscle-building foods available.
For example, 3 oz (85 g) of steak contains 228 calories, 24 g of protein, and around 2.5 g of leucine.
Leucine is the key amino acid your body needs to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and add new muscle tissue.
Gain Weight Foods, In addition to this, red meats are a natural source of dietary creatine, which is a critical compound for supporting overall muscle growth, size, strength, and health.
While lean cuts, like pork tenderloin, can be a nutrient-dense and protein-rich part of a balanced eating plan, consider choosing fattier cuts, which provide more calories than leaner meats to help you take in extra calories.
Gain Weight Foods, One 2022 research review found that eating meat, specifically red meat, plays a major role in improving muscle mass when paired with strength training and can prevent muscle loss linked with aging.
The same review also highlights the link between eating large amounts of red meat and colorectal cancer. The authors note the current guidance to eat no more than 50 g of red meat per day.
Gain Weight Foods, This brisket recipe is a good example of a fattier red meat dish that you can try starting in the morning for a nutritious dinner in the evening. It provides approximately 300 calories per every 3 oz (85 g) serving.
6. Potatoes And Complex Carbohydrates
Gain Weight Foods, Potatoes and other complex carbohydrates are a cost-effective way to add extra calories.
Complex carbohydrates can lead to a steady release of energy. They also provide other nutrients and food groups, such as potassium, fiber, vegetables, or whole grains.
Gain Weight Foods, Try to choose one of these sources of complex carbs:
Quinoa
Oats
Corn
Buckwheat
Potatoes and sweet potatoes
Squash
Winter root vegetables
Beans and legumes
Gain Weight Foods, Not only do potatoes and other complex carbohydrates add calories, but they also increase the storage of complex sugar compounds in muscle called glycogen. Glycogen is the predominant fuel source for most sports and activities.
Many of these carb sources also provide resistant starch, which may help nourish your gut bacteria.
You can eat both sweet potatoes and quinoa in this hearty lunch recipe for quinoa and roasted sweet potato bowls (336 calories per serving).
Gain Weight Foods, Other ways to add calories to complex carbs include:
Adding sour cream to potatoes
Adding grated cheese to quinoa or mashed potatoes
Adding fats like olive or avocado oil to roast your vegetables
Adding hummus to whole grain bread, crackers, or baked potato
Using dairy or soy milk instead of water in your oatmeal or other hot grains
7. Salmon and oily fish
Gain Weight Foods, Like red meat, salmon and oily fish are excellent sources of protein and important fats, including omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids offer numerous benefits and may be linked to less likelihood of several diseases, such as heart disease.
Gain Weight Foods, Just one fillet of deboned wild Atlantic salmon (3 oz or 85 g serving) provides around 155 calories, 7 g of fats, and 22 g of high quality protein that may help you build muscle or gain weight.
You can prepare salmon in a variety of ways: steamed, sautéed, smoked, grilled, baked, or poached. You could also try smoked salmon or even eat raw salmon in sushi and sashimi. Fresh or frozen salmon often has a slightly higher price tag, but canned salmon is a quick and inexpensive option.
Gain Weight Foods, Consider these convenient, tasty ways of adding salmon to your diet:
Tuna salad: Try giving your usual “tuna” salad a new spin by using canned salmon instead, and add olive oil or mayonnaise for extra calories.
Cobb salad: Make a Cobb salad substituting canned salmon for the traditional chicken, then add bacon, hard-boiled egg, avocado, lettuce, and tomatoes.
Gain Weight Foods, Give smoked salmon a try: Spread cream cheese on whole grain bread or crackers, add smoked salmon, and top with cucumber, tomato slices, or capers.
Salmon salad: Make a salmon salad with leafy greens, asparagus, and some whole milk plain Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, or sour cream.
8. Protein supplements
Gain Weight Foods, Taking a protein supplement is a common strategy for athletes and bodybuilders who want to gain weight and build muscle. There are many types of protein supplements available, including:
Whey
Soy
Egg
Pea
Gain Weight Foods, Whey protein supplements and mass gainers (supplements that might help you gain muscle mass) can be effective strategies to gain weight, especially when combined with strength training.
A 2022 review of 74 research studies done in otherwise healthy people found that when combined with resistance exercise, protein supplementation at or above 1.6 g of protein per kilogram (or per 2.2 pounds) of body weight per day improved lean body mass and lower body strength.
Gain Weight Foods, Whey protein is often made from dairy milk and can help improve markers of athletic performance and recovery.
Protein supplements may be even more important if you’re also lifting weights since your daily protein requirements increase.
Gain Weight Foods, Whey protein, along with other plant-based protein isolates such as soy, contains all the essential amino acids required for muscle growth.
You could use a protein supplement before or after your workout and at any other point during the day.
The easiest way to add protein powder and extra calories into your eating plan is with a protein smoothie, especially for breakfast. You can have the rest of the day to add in nutritious meals and snacks to make sure you get a balanced nutrient intake.
Gain Weight Foods, Try this basic whey protein shake recipe to start your day off with a high-energy breakfast. For even more protein and calories, try adding in peanut butter, almond butter, flaxseeds, or chia seeds.
You can add unflavored whey protein to dishes such as soups, mashed potatoes, and oatmeal to increase protein content. There are also ready-to-drink “clear” protein supplement beverages that use easily dissolved and digested protein isolates.
9. Dried Fruit
Gain Weight Foods, Dried fruit provides calories, antioxidants, and micronutrients.
You can get many different types of dried fruit, and they all have naturally high sugar content. Since they’re convenient to eat and taste great, they can be combined with a protein source, such as cuts of meat, cheese, or a whey protein shake.
Gain Weight Foods, They also mix well with nuts and whole plain Greek yogurt, providing a blend of fats, protein, and other key nutrients.
Dried fruit contains lots of fiber and most of its vitamins and minerals remain intact when dried.
Gain Weight Foods, Dates are nutritious, full of fiber, and high in antioxidants. They’re also versatile and simple to prepare as a high calorie snack. Just two Medjool dates provide about 130 calories.
Try filling dates with nut butter, cream cheese, or cooked grains like rice or quinoa. Add one or two dates to smoothies, sauces, and dressings for a touch of sweetness.
10. Whole Grain Bread
Gain Weight Foods, Whole grain breads are another carb source that fits into an eating plan for weight gain.
You can make some high calorie and well-balanced meals by combining bread with protein sources such as eggs, meat, and cheese.
Gain Weight Foods, When purchasing bread, aim for natural whole grain and seeded bread.
Sandwiches are one of the easiest, most versatile, and most portable meals for increasing your daily calorie intake. To maximize the calories, add nut butter spreads or avocado.
Gain Weight Foods, Try one of these sandwich recipes. You’ll find everything from the basic Reuben to wraps to several imaginative takes on the timeless grilled cheese.
You might even try sourdough bread made with whole-grain flour. For an added health benefit, the live good bacteria in sourdough bread may have health benefits, but additional research is needed in humans to confirm such an effect.
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