7 Foods to Gain Weight in a Healthy Way
If we want to gain weight we must choose healthy fats that provide us with nutrients that allow us to develop muscle and that do not endanger our health. For some people, gaining weight or gaining muscle can be just as difficult as losing it for others. However, adding certain foods to your diet can be very effective in gaining weight in a healthy way. So, here are the 7 foods to gain weight healthily and fast.
Best Foods to Help You Gain Weight or Add Muscle
1. Homemade protein shakes to gain weight
Drinking homemade protein shakes can be a very nutritious and fast way to gain weight. Ideally, you should make your own shakes, as commercial versions often contain added sugar and are devoid of nutrients. Making your own shake will also allow you to vary the flavor and nutrient content.
Here are some tasty variations that you can try. You can combine each with 2 cups (470 ml) of milk or an alternative like almond milk.
Walnut, Banana and Chocolate Smoothie
A combination of nuts, banana and chocolate provides the body with important nutrients such as fatty acids, proteins and antioxidants. This, together, improves health and promotes healthy weight gain.
Ingredients
- 1 banana
- 2 scoops of chocolate whey protein (50 g)
- 1 tablespoon of peanut butter (20 g)
- 1 glass of skimmed milk (200 ml)
Preparation
Combine the ingredients until you get a homogeneous mixture and consume it after making a physical effort.
Avocado, chocolate and Hazelnut Smoothie
Avocado is a food rich in healthy fats and proteins of high biological value. For their part, chocolate and hazelnuts are a source of energy and provide important antioxidants.
Ingredients
- Glass of milk with chocolate (400 ml)
- Glass of skimmed milk (200 ml)
- 1 tablespoon of hazelnut butter (20 g)
- 1 avocado
Preparation
Mix all the ingredients for a few minutes and consume the shake after your training session.
Super Green Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup of spinach (60 g)
- 1 avocado
- 2 scoops plain or vanilla whey protein (50 g)
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of pineapple (150 g)
Preparation
Mix the ingredients well and then consume.
All of these shakes provide around 400-600 calories, along with plenty of protein and other important vitamins and minerals.
2. Milk
For decades milk has been used to gain weight or build muscle. Provides a good balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. It is also a good source of calcium, as well as other vitamins and minerals.
For those trying to put on more muscle, milk is an excellent source of protein, providing both casein and whey proteins.
Additionally, studies have shown that milk and whey or casein combined can lead to greater mass gains than other protein sources.
Try drinking about a glass or two as a snack, with a meal, or before or after a workout.
3. Red meat
Red meat is probably one of the best muscle-building foods available.
A steak, for example, contains about 3 grams of leucine per 6 ounces (170 g). Leucine is your body’s key amino acid to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and add new muscle tissue.
In addition to this, red meat is one of the best sources of creatine in the diet . This is possibly the best muscle building supplement.
They also have more calories and fat than lean meats, so they help you eat more calories and gain weight.
4. Potatoes and starches
Potatoes and other starchy foods are a very easy and inexpensive way to add extra calories . So try to choose one of these healthy sources of starchy carbohydrates:
- Oatmeal
- Corn
- potatoes and sweet potatoes
- winter root vegetables
- Beans and legumes
Potatoes and other starches not only add carbohydrates and calories to help you gain weight, they also increase your muscle glycogen stores. Glycogen is the predominant fuel source for most sports and activities.
Many of these carbohydrate sources also provide important nutrients and fiber as well as resistant starch, which can help nourish gut bacteria.
5. Salmon
Like red meat, salmon and oily fish are excellent sources of protein and important healthy fats.
Of all the nutrients that salmon and oily fish provide, omega 3 fatty acids are among the most important and well known.
Omega 3 fatty acids are very important and provide numerous benefits for health and also to fight disease.
Just a 6-ounce (170 g) salmon fillet provides around 350 calories and 4 grams of omega-3s.
It also provides 34 grams of high-quality protein, which helps build muscle or gain weight.
6. Avocados
Avocados are also loaded with healthy fats. Unlike other whole fruits, avocados are quite calorie-dense and therefore an excellent food to help you gain weight.
Just one large avocado (200 grams) provides about 322 calories, 29 grams of fat, and 17 grams of fiber.
Avocados are also rich in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
Try adding avocado to your main meals and other dishes like omelettes or sandwiches .
7. Dark Chocolate
Lastly, high-quality dark chocolate provides high amounts of antioxidants and health benefits . It is recommended to consume dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70% or more.
Like other high-fat foods, dark chocolate has a very high caloric density . This means that it is very easy to get a lot of calories from it.
Each 100-gram (3.5-ounce) bar has around 600 calories.
It’s also packed with micronutrients and health-promoting compounds like fiber, magnesium, and antioxidants.
Therefore, the secret behind gaining weight is to consume more calories than your body needs .
Weight lifting is also important so that the extra calories can be used to build muscle rather than just add fat. Incorporate the foods on this list into your meal plans and stick with them for the long haul.
