For some people gaining weight or adding muscle can be just as difficult as losing weight for others. However, simply adding certain foods to your diet can make your weight gain efforts, both healthy and more effective!
Here are the top 10 of the best foods to help you gain weight or add muscle in a healthy way:
- Milk
Milk has been used as a weight gainer/muscle builder for decades. It provides a good balance of proteins, carbs, and fat, and is a good source of calcium as well as other vitamins and minerals.
- Rice
Rice is a convenient, low-cost carb source to help you gain weight. Just one cup, 165 grams of cooked rice, provides 190 calories, 43 grams of carbs, and very little fat.
It 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.
- Nuts
Nuts are a perfect choice if you’re looking to gain weight. Just one small handful of almonds contains over 7 grams of protein and 18 grams of healthy fats.
Since they’re very calorie-dense, just two handfuls per day with a meal or as a snack can quickly add hundreds of calories.
- Potatoes
Potatoes, starches, and other starchy foods are a very easy and cost-effective way to add in extra calories.
Try to choose one of these healthy sources of starchy carbs, like quinoa, oats, corn, buckwheat, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, winter root vegetables, beans, and legumes. Not only do potatoes and other starches add carbs and calories to help you gain weight, they also increase your muscle glycogen storage.
- Protein Supplements
Taking protein supplements is a common strategy for athletes and bodybuilders who want to gain weight. Whey protein supplements and mass gainers can be a very easy and cost-effective strategy to gain weight, especially when combined with strength training.
- Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is a high-calorie snack that also provides antioxidants and micronutrients.
You can get many different types of dried fruit. However, they have a very high sugar content, which makes them great for gaining weight, especially since they’re convenient to eat and taste great.
- Whole Grain Bread
Whole grain bread is another good carb source to help you gain weight. You can make some very simple high calorie and well-balanced meals by combining bread with protein sources, such as eggs, meat, and cheese.
- Avocados
Avocados are loaded with healthy fats. Unlike other whole fruits, avocados are fairly calorie dense and therefore a great food to help you gain weight.
One large avocado provides around 322 calories, 29 grams of fat, and 17 grams of fiber. They are also high in vitamins, minerals, and various beneficial plant compounds.
- Healthy Cereals
Healthy cereals can be an excellent source of carbs, calories, and nutrients. While you should avoid processed high sugar cereals, healthier forms like oatmeal can be a great carb source to add to your diet.
- Dark Chocolate
High-quality dark chocolate provides a ton of antioxidants and health benefits. Most people recommend getting dark chocolate with a cocoa content of at least 70%. Like other high-fat foods, dark chocolate has a very high-calorie density, meaning it’s very easy to get many calories from it.