Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight
By Madhusudhan Tammisetti
There are various reasons one wants to gain weight. The reasons may include being underweight, an athlete preparing for a tournament, or a bodybuilder who wants to gain weight. Let's look at some healthy food that may help in gaining weight.
Milk
For decades, milk has been used as a muscle builder or weight gainer. It has the right balance of carbs, fats, and proteins. Milk also contains calcium and is a good source of vitamins and minerals. Milk is rich in casein and whey protein that aids in muscle building. Whey and casein proteins in milk may help in greater mass gain compared to other protein sources.
Some people are averse to drinking milk; make it interesting to them by making milk smoothies. Milk smoothies are a delicious way of adding milk to your diet. You can take it with a meal, as a snack, or when you're on a workout. Blend a cup of whole milk with frozen berries, honey, and vanilla for a daily morning protein boost.
Rice
Rice is a low-cost carb source to gain weight. A cup of cooked white rice, which is approximately 158 grams, contains very little fat, 44 grams of carbs, and 204 calories. Since rice is calorie-dense, you can obtain a fair amount of calories and carbs from a single serving. This is helpful to those who get full quickly or have a poor appetite. You get enough carbs and calories that may help you gain weight.
If you're in a rush, get two-minute microwavable rice packs, which you can add to premade meals or other protein sources.
Another method is to cook plenty of rice, freeze it in the refrigerator in individual packs, eat it as is, combine with other protein sources and healthy fats, and eat it throughout the week.
Adding ingredients such as butter and Parmesan cheese, scrambled eggs, broccoli and cheese, roasted peanuts, cashews, or sesame seeds adds taste to the bland rice and gives a protein and calorie boost that may help in gaining weight.
You can add other protein sources to the rice as toppings such as alfredo, pesto, or curry.
Nuts and Nut Butters
Nuts and nut butters are rich in nutrients and a perfect choice for people looking to gain weight. A quarter cup of raw almonds contains 170 calories, 4 grams of fiber, 15 grams of healthy fats, and 6 grams of protein. You can quickly add hundreds of calories by eating a few nuts per day as a snack or with a meal.
You can turn the snack into a high-calorie food when you mix nut butters with smoothies or yogurts.
The secret to weight gain is to eat more calories than you burn with activity. Along with eating calorie-dense food, you can lift weights to build muscle.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Sacramento, Calif.