10 Simple Healthy Foods To Help You Gain Weight

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.

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.Here are a few tasty variations you can try. You can combine each with 2 cups or 470 milliliters (mL) of dairy milk or soy milk if you have lactose intolerance. Both have more nutrients and calories than other milk alternatives.
2. Dairy Milk
   Dairy milk has been used as a weight gainer or muscle builder for decades. It provides a balance of proteins, carbs, and fats and is a good source of calcium, as well as other vitamins and minerals. If you’re trying to build muscle, milk is an excellent protein source that provides both casein and whey proteins.
3. Rice
   Rice is a convenient, low-cost carb source that can be part of a weight gain eating plan. 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 Nuts 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. You can add nut butter to a variety of snacks or dishes, such as smoothies, yogurts, and crackers, to turn them into a high calorie snack in no time.
5. Red Meats
   Red meat, including beef or pork, are probably one of the most effective muscle-building foods available. Leucine is the key amino acid your body needs to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and add new muscle tissue. Fattier cuts of meat have additional calories.
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. Not only do potatoes and other complex carbohydrates add calories, but they also increase the storage of complex sugar compounds in muscle called glycogen. Glycogen is the predominant fuel source for most sports and activities.
7. Salmon and Oily Fish
   Like red meat, salmon and oily fish are excellent sources of protein and important fats, including omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids offer numerous benefits and may be linked to less likelihood of several diseases, such as heart disease.
8. Protein Supplements
   Taking a protein supplement is a common strategy for athletes and bodybuilders who want to gain weight and build muscle. There are many types of protein supplements available, including whey, soy, egg, and pea.
   Whey protein supplements and mass gainers (supplements that might help you gain muscle mass) can be effective strategies to gain weight, especially when combined with strength training.
9. Dried Fruit
   Dried fruits provides calories, antioxidants, and micronutrients.

   You can get many different types of dried fruit, and they all have naturally high sugar content. Since they’re convenient to eat and taste great, they can be combined with a protein source, such as cuts of meat, cheese, or a whey protein shake.

   They also mix well with nuts and whole plain Greek yogurt, providing a blend of fats, protein, and other key nutrients. Dried fruit contains lots of fiber and most of its vitamins and minerals remain intact when dried

10. Whole Grain Bread
    Whole grain breads are another carb source that fits into an eating plan for weight gain. You can make some high calorie and well-balanced meals by combining bread with protein sources such as eggs, meat, and cheese.

    When purchasing bread, aim for natural whole grain and seeded bread. Sandwiches are one of the easiest, most versatile, and most portable meals for increasing your daily calorie intake. To maximize the calories, add nut butter spreads or avocad