Healthy Foods To Gain Weight At Home- healthy health blog

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.

For weight gain, you need to try to take in more calories than you burn throughout the day by eating many frequent, smaller meals.


Here are the best foods to help you gain weight or add muscle in a way that works for you.
1-Homemade protein smoothies
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.

• 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.
• 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.

2- Dairy milk

Dairy milk has been used as a weight gainer or muscle builder for decades (1Trusted Source).

It provides a balance of proteins, carbs, and fats and is a good source of calcium, as well as other vitamins and minerals.

3-Rice

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 (5Trusted Source).

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.

4- Nuts and nut butter

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 (6Trusted Source).

Since nuts are calorie-dense, just two handfuls per day with a meal or as a snack can quickly add hundreds of calories.

5- Red meats

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 (7Trusted Source).

Leucine is the key amino acid your body needs to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and add new muscle tissue (8Trusted Source).

6- Potatoes and complex carbohydrates

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.

Try to choose one of these sources of complex carbs:

• quinoa
• oats
• corn
• buckwheat
• potatoes and sweet potatoes

What you must do 

• gain weight gradually by adding healthy calories – adults could try adding around 300 to 500 extra calories a day
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• eat smaller meals more often, adding healthy snacks between meals
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• add extra calories to your meals with cheese, nuts, and seeds
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• have high-calorie drinks in between meals, such as milkshakes
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• have a balanced diet – choose from a variety of food groups, such as fruit and vegetables, starchy carbohydrates and dairy and alternatives
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• add protein to your meals with beans, pulses, fish, eggs and lean meat
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• have snacks that are easy to prepare, such as yogurt or rice pudding
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• build muscle with strength training or yoga – exercise can also improve your appetite