Weight gain can be a healthy or an unhealthy journey depending on the food you consume.
One is consuming unhealthy calories and being obese. The other is eating healthy and gaining fats and muscle weight to keep your body strong.
While most of us are obsessed with weight loss, there are a significant number of people who struggle to maintain their regular body weight.
If you’re on your weight gain journey, we will help you; offering a roster of healthy food to consume with the least effort.
However, before we dig deep into the food that helps in healthy weight gain, here is the WHY behind these natural ingredients.
The Science behind these superfoods
Natural superfoods such as nuts, seeds, fruits, and veggies are power-packed with healthy fats, proteins, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that our body requires.
These ingredients can fit into the weight-loss or weight-gain diet plan. Yes, you read that right. It depends upon the amount that you consume and the dishes you prepare with it. Natural food items to enhance Weight gain
Dried Apricots:
This popular yellow-stoned fruit is infused with calories. Apricots are an essential source of beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin promoting your eye health. They have a higher nutrient intake compared to fresh ones hence, they add up to the list.
Recipe:
Late afternoon snack:
Before you indulge in something unhealthy to curb your afternoon snack craving, try this: Have some dry apricots with a cheese dip and some nuts. It will provide you with healthy fats and good calories to boost your weight gain process while curbing your hunger.
Apricot smoothie:
Soak some dried apricots in milk for a few hours. Blend it along with your favorite fruit and milk along with some ice cubes and natural sweetener. Top your smoothie off with some nuts for that extra flavor!
Quinoa seeds:
Quinoa is known as the powerhouse for proteins. It contains all the 9 essential amino acids, dietary fiber, and necessary carbs. Overall, quinoa seeds are not just a food item added to your diet, it’s a complete meal that can help you in healthy weight gain.
Recipe:
Quinoa Risotto:
Looking for a healthier alternative for your regular risotto? Replace it with quinoa cooked with your favorite herbs and spices topped off with some mushroom veggies. Bring the dish together with some good layers of cheese!
Quinoa Salad:
Quinoa salads can be an excellent way to include quinoa in your daily diet. Throw some asparagus, pomegranate lentils, and quinoa into a bowl. Mix it well and dress it up with some sweet lime and mustard sauce.
Hazelnuts:
You can never crave chocolate and not remember hazelnuts. These nuts are sweet and enriched with nutrients, antioxidants, vitamin B6, folate, phosphorus, and zinc. Hazelnuts are also a good source of calorie and dietary fiber.
Recipe:
Choc nibbles:
Well, your chocolate cravings can have a healthy treat to nibble on! Mix edible coconut oil along with the cocoa powder and some natural sweetener in a bowl. Add chopped hazelnuts into the mixture. Spread it evenly in a tray and freeze it for a few hours. Break it down into snack sizes and store it in the fridge.
Nut Toppings:
Hazelnuts can easily be used as toppings for your oatmeals, sweet porridge, favorite and other desserts. Chop into bite sizes, and use as your toppings.
Dried Coconuts:
This energy-dense snack is extremely versatile, packed with essential nutrients. Coconut is a great source of calories, healthy fats, and carbohydrates.
Recipes:
Coconut Oats:
In case you are bored of having your regular oats, twist it up with dried coconuts! Prepare your regular oatmeal recipe and add some dried coconut to it. Serve it with plain yogurt and your nourishing healthy meal is ready!
Coconut Rice:
This dish is a very famous Indian cuisine. You can prepare it using dried coconut, curry leaves, ginger, and other flavors cooked as a tempered rice dish. It goes well with vegetable curry and pickles.
Peanuts:
Who doesn’t love a healthy snack that one can munch on the whole day? Yes, peanuts are extremely beneficial for your weight gain diet. It contains a high amount of proteins, fats, and fiber.
Recipes:
Peanut Butter:
There is no match for the heavenly taste of homemade peanut butter. Also, the number of healthy fats and calories it can provide per serving can surely help in your weight gain journey. Grind some roasted peanuts in the food processor for around 15mins, and there you have it. Your delicious hassle-free peanut butter is ready.
Peanut energy bars:
Mix some rolled oats, almonds, and peanuts into a bowl. Melt some peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil in a saucepan. Mix it all in. Press it well in a tray. Let it freeze overnight. There you have your nutritious peanut energy bars ready! Break them into smaller bars and store them in the refrigerator.
Dried Mangoes:
While mentioning the source for healthy carbs and calories, we cannot miss out on this one! Mangoes are one of the best sources for these. In addition to this, they are a good source of Vitamin B, Vitamin E and A, copper, and Vitamin C.
Recipes:
Kale Mango Salads:
This salad is an excellent option to include some greens and dried mangoes into your diet. Mix up chopped kale, dried mangoes, cranberries, and pistachios. Dress it up with your favorite seasoning, and your colorful bowl of nutrition is ready.
Mango bites:
Mango bites can put an end to your tangy food cravings. Soak some dried mangoes and put them into the food processor along with roasted nuts and blend it all up. Scoop up the mango fondue and roll it into small bites. You can even put a coating layer of your choice to jazz it up. Freeze it for a few hours, and it is ready to serve!
Conclusion
Our list includes some dried fruit ingredients. Dried fruits are the same fruits only when their maximum water content gets removed using drying methods. What is left is a snack packed with all the energy and nutrients.
However, the source for these ingredients plays a crucial role. Some market-sold dried fruits may contain high sodium that can hamper your health. That is why we have hand-picked everything and brought it under one roof for you.
Our food products serve the best quality ingredients that can improve your daily diet and help you in your journey towards better health and a healthy lifestyle.