Most of us don’t hear enough about how to gain weight healthfully, which might make these healthy foods that pack on the pounds helpful to you. Or, perhaps you’re on a diet and eating these foods below trying to lose weight and not getting results. Whatever the case, these foods that pack on the pounds can be helpful if you’re underweight and don’t want to stuff down a cheeseburger to gain weight. If you happen to need to lose weight, then just scale back on these foods without eliminating them, but if you’re looking to gain - eat up !
1 Coconut Oil
We hear so much about coconut oil being a weight loss aid, but it is actually one of the best foods that pack on the pounds of all. The saturated fats nourish your body, but in excess they will cause weight gain. If you're looking to gain, eat 2-4 tablespoons a day.
Frequently asked questions
2 Nuts
Eating at least ½ cup of nuts or more will also help you pack on the pounds quickly, due to their high fat content. For even further weight-gaining benefits, choose roasted instead of raw, since roasted nuts are heated with oils that increase their caloric content.
3 Sweet Potatoes
These healthy tubers are a fantastic source of starch that can help the scale move upwards a bit more quickly. To gain weight, add a healthy fat to them, which changes the way your digestion processes both carbs and fats. Your body will digest the carbs from the sweet potatoes first and store the fat, instead of burn it for energy.
4 Eggs
Eating more than 2 eggs a day will definitely pack on the pounds rather quickly. Eggs contain some healthy fats, but a large portion of their fats are saturated. All animal saturated fats will cause weight gain when eaten in excess. It’s best to get most of your fats from plants, so keep the eggs to a minimum for the healthiest dietary choice.
5 Chocolate
This food is a fun way to gain weight, as I’m sure you can guess! One ounce of dark chocolate will help you lose weight, while more than 3 ounces will make you gain it. No matter what kind of chocolate you choose, avoid the sugary varieties for the best blood sugar benefits.
6 High-Fructose Fruits
Fruits like dried fruits, pineapple, and bananas can all actually tip the scales upward if you eat more than your body needs each day. These high-fructose fruits are healthy in small portions but in excess, the liver will store excess fructose as fat since it can only handle so much at one time. Be sure to eat lower sugar fruits like berries, grapefruit, or green apples if you’re trying to lose weight.
7 Protein Shakes
Protein shakes are tricky because some can help you lose weight, while others can make you gain it. Your body only needs anywhere from 15-25 grams of protein per meal at the max. Anything above that can actually make you gain weight, especially from a concentrated protein powder.
If you eat any of these foods that cause weight gain, there’s no need to panic if you’re on a diet. As you can see, there’s a place for all these foods in the right portions, depending on your dietary goals. Have you ever lost or gained weight with these foods?
