Healthy foods to help you gain weight

Nov 13, 2022 News

By Davina Bagot

Kaieteur News – Recognizing that weight gain is often times equally hard as weight loss, it is important that we teach ourselves the healthy way of hitting whatever number we are aiming for on the scale.

Continuing from last week where I shared some simple exercises, we can try to help you gain weight, we are going to look at a few foods you can complement those with.

As we know, exercise works best with a good diet in weight loss. Similarly, the same principle applies when trying to gain weight. Below is a list of healthy foods I found that can help you put on those extra pounds.

Milk

Research shows that this dairy product has been popular over the years for its ability to help build muscle mass or add weight. Though it can be expensive, milk is an excellent source of protein, carbohydrates, fats and calcium. Some believe that it is even rich in other vitamins and minerals.

If you’re not fond of the regular taste of milk, feel free to whip yourself a milkshake or milk smoothie. For those who prefer to enjoy the bare taste of milk, it is recommended that you try consuming about one or two glasses of whole milk that contains 149 calories per cup as a snack or with a meal if you are trying to put on some weight. You may even use this before or after your workout if you are training.

Rice

I’m sure many of you would be glad to know that there is actually an affordable way to help you gain weight! If you’re like me and you’re already a rice lover, you’d be pleased to know that this rich carbohydrate source can help you pack on 204 calories in just one cup (158 grams) – that is white rice.

‘Healthline’, a credible online source explains that rice is also “fairly calorie-dense, meaning you can easily obtain a high amount of carbs and calories from a single serving. This helps you eat more food, especially if you have a poor appetite or get full quickly.”

Red meats

Another food that has been known as one of the best options for persons looking to build muscle is red meats. According to ‘Healthline’, six ounces of steak (170 grams) contains five grams of leucine, which is a key amino acid your body needs to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and add new muscle tissue. It also contains 456 calories and nearly 49 grams of protein. In addition to those, red meats are one of the best natural sources of dietary creatine, which is possibly the world’s best muscle-building supplement. In one study, 100 older women added 6 ounces (170 grams) of red meat to their diets and performed resistance training 6 days a week for 6 weeks.

The women gained lean mass, had an 18 percent increase in strength, and had an increase in the important muscle-building hormone IGF-1.

Potatoes and other starches

Some starchy foods you can use

I recently visited a Caribbean Island that I have been dying to visit and one of the things I observed there is that the people consume loads of starch in one meal! In fact, their plate usually contains about two sources of starch along with a protein and some vegetables perhaps! I won’t tell you the name of the country, but if you travel often, you may have an idea! Now, of course the outcome of that much starch was added weight. If you are trying to gain weight, be sure to consume starchy foods to help you reach your objective. Some healthy ones you should reach for in the supermarkets include quinoa, oats, corn, Irish potatoes and sweet potatoes, beans and legumes.

Many of these carbohydrate sources listed above provide important nutrients and fiber, as well as resistant starch, which can help nourish your gut bacteria, Healthline says.

Cheese

Cheese is high in calories and fat and is no doubt quite easy to pair with almost anything. In fact, I know of people who particularly enjoy using cheese with their rice if the house is without stew!

Research shows that one ounce of cheddar cheese (28 grams) has 110 calories along with seven grams of protein.

“Many cheeses are high in cholesterol and saturated fat. Like most high calorie foods, cheeses of all kinds are best consumed in moderation,” ‘Healthline’ points out.