High-calorie foods aren’t just a way to add calories when it comes to body building, muscle growth, or healthy weight gain. The right kind of calories effectively support your metabolism, heart health, and muscle growth. Much more than the basic idea, these foods ensure the body’s nutrition, energy, and long-term stability.
Today we will look at some foods, which are not only high in calories, but also improve muscle, hormone and brain function, as well as provide the body with the necessary nutrients. If you include these foods in your diet with proper planning and intelligence, it is possible to achieve the goal of gaining weight or building muscle much faster and healthier.
1. Oil and fats
These two ingredients have a high amount of calories. So, always choose the healthy option, like instead of seed oil use olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil. It contains monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat (especially omega-3) that improves our metabolic system, reduces cholesterol, and improves heart health. Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation, which helps not to accumulation of fat during weight gain, rather it helps to build muscle.
1-2 teaspoons of this oil (almost 120-140 calories) are ideal for your body. And try to use a very small amount of fat in cooking. You can spread this on a salad. This slows down the digestion process, keeps your hunger in control, and you stay full for a long time.
Most importantly, always buy a good quality oil from the supermarket and always stay away from soybean oil, coconut oil, and hydrogenated oil because they contain trans-fat. And this is very dangerous for your heart. If you’re trying to gain weight, then healthy fats and oils are a good option to increase calories. But make sure the amount is not more than 30-35% of your regular calorie intake.
2. Nuts & Butter
Nuts are not only a great source of good calories, but they also contain nutrients. For example, almonds are rich in omega-3, which is essential for your heart health. Cashews have a high amount of magnesium, which improves your muscle endurance and enhances your nerve efficiency. And walnuts are full of antioxidants that protect your cells and boost your immune system. The smart way to consume nuts is to mix a variety of them, then eat.
Nut butter is also a good option for high-calorie foods. Just 2 teaspoons contain 180-200 calories. Plus, it has well-balanced protein and fiber that keep you full and provide energy for a long time. But the butter in the market mostly contains highly preserved sugar, which is harmful. So, the best option is if you can prepare this at home. All you need to do is blend nuts and add some honey and coconut oil to enhance the taste and preserve it in the fridge so it doesn’t get spoiled.
You can consume 30-40 g of nuts (160-200 calories) and one teaspoon of nut butter (90-100 calories) every day. These are also good for your brain health. Vitamin E and healthy fats help to improve your memory, focus, and mood.
3. Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is a very powerful source of antioxidants. It has a compound called flavanone, which is good for your heart functioning, blood circulation, and also reduces hypertension. Dark chocolate that has smooth and 70% cocoa contains fewer calories but provides magnesium and caffeine, which gives your body fresh and energized.
20-30 grams of dark chocolate (almost 120-150 calories) is a healthy amount, but more than this will spike your glucose level.
Another important part of dark chocolate is that it works as a natural mood booster. The phenylethylamine and serotonin present in it have a positive effect on the nervous system. This helps to keep the mind happy. So when you are under mental pressure, dark chocolate might be a small but effective supporter.
4. Rice
Rice is a very common food on our plates that we consume regularly. But it is high in calories. 100 grams of rice contains around 130 calories. But instead of white rice, always choose brown rice because the glycemic index of this is comparatively low and high in fiber.
Besides, you can eat jeera rice because it is very light and can be easily digested. And most people don’t know that rice contains vitamin B1 and B6, and also a very small amount of iron and zinc, which helps to convert your calories into energy, and also in the digestion process.
Moreover, don’t eat too much. Instead, eat 2-3 times in small portions. It will keep your insulin level in check.
Standard serving (one bowl of cooked rice): almost 200 grams = 240 calories.
But keep in mind, don’t eat rice with another carbohydrate source like lentil or potato. Must add some protein with this boiled egg, chicken breast, also with a bowl of salad. This combination will provide you with complete nutrition, and your body will not just store but it will try to spend these calories through your activity.
5. Red meat
It has so many nutritional compounds. Red meat, like beef, has a high amount of protein, iron, and vitamin B12. It helps to keep your blood clotting quality healthy, build muscle, and improve the nervous system.
But the cooking style makes all the difference. When you cook, use grilling, pressure cooking, or cooking with less oil instead of deep frying. More importantly, choose the lean piece like ram steak, lion part where the fat is comparatively low, or remove the fat.
Important tips: if it contains saturated fat, don’t consume this regularly, but you can eat two or three times a week, and keep your protein balance with chicken and fish. And while cooking, use lettuce, cilantro, or mint. Also, if you reduce salt and use herbs like rosemary or thyme, it will help in digestion and reduce inflammation.
6. Potato
Most people avoid potatoes because they think they’re a normal carbohydrate source. But in reality, it’s a complex carb that digests slowly and keeps you full and provides energy for a long time.
Also, it is high in calories; one cup of boiled potatoes contains around 130-160 calories.
This easily available food also contains vitamin C that supports your immune system, and it also has potassium that helps to balance your fluid, and also plays an important role in muscle contraction.
If you want to consume this in a healthy way, then avoid deep frying, and instead of this, you can boil or steam, or you can use this in curry. So this might be a great option if you want to increase your weight but must consume any protein source. If you are diabetic or insulin sensitive, then be careful not to overeat.
7. Avocados
Avocado is a nutritionally packed food. It’s a full package of vitamin E, B6, and fiber.
Moreover, it’s a very high-calorie calorie calorie-dense food. A medium-sized avocado has 250 – 300 calories.
Especially it’s mono monounsaturated fats are good for your heart, brain health, and other hormonal balance.
Also, the omega fat with fiber strengthens your gut health and keeps you full for a long.
Spread it on your morning toast or add this to use smoothie with banana and milk. Also, you can add this to your salad for a different texture. But stay away from this if you are affected to latex. Because it may cause a cross-reaction.
8. Whole Milk
It’s a better option if you are searching for high-calorie food. 1 glass of this whole milk contains 150 calories, and the other nutrients are free.
It has two types of protein – whey and casein. Whey is the fastest-digesting protein. It helps in recovery and building muscle after a workout.
On the other hand, casein is a slow-digesting protein that gradually provides nutrition to your body. Also, vitamin D and calcium present in milk help to increase your bone density and muscle contraction. Also, whole milk contains CLA or conjugated linoleic acid that helps to lose body fat and inflammation and keep your weight in control.
The real-life consuming time should be after your workout session. So that it can instantly start the recovery process. Or before bedtime, because the casein will provide you with protein gradually throughout the night when you sleep. But if you are a lactose-intolerant person, then you should choose lactose-free milk or any natural plant-based alternative like soy and almond milk.
Moreover, you can add chia seeds, oats, and protein powder that can easily increase the calories and nutrition.
9. Fatty Fish
Salman mackerel is a fatty fish high in omega-3. Moreover, the EPA and DHA forms of omega-3 are present in it. These are very essential and have a high amount of bioavailability. 100 grams of salmon contains 2300 mg of omega-3. Plus, mackerel and sardines have calcium, vitamin D, and B12, which are good for your bone density and blood circulation.
This fatty acid increases energy production by boosting metabolism, also it helps to reduce inflammation, and improves our cardiovascular health in the long term.
100 grams of salmon contains around 200 calories. Moreover, regularly consuming fatty fish improves the effectiveness of thyroid hormone.
You can prepare your fish by grilling or pan-frying, and eat 2 – 3 days a week. And it’s very easy to eat, you can use sardine or salmon fish paste on your breakfast toast. Another important thing is sustainability. Choosing wild salmon or sustainably labelled fish reduces negative impacts on the environment and helps preserve marine biodiversity.
10. Granola
Granola is also a high-calorie option. It’s just more than a snack. because it contains a balanced amount of fiber, protein, in healthy fat. But that downside is that most of the granola that we purchase from the supermarket is processed with sugar. But generally, the sweetness of granola comes from high-quality honey and stevia, which helps to keep your blood sugar level in control. A 40-50 gram granola contains 200 – 250 calories, which provides you with instant energy.
If you can prepare homemade granola, then you can control the level of sugar and fat. You can easily make this with oats, nuts, chia seeds, and honey. You can consume this at your breakfast with Greek yogurt or milk, or you can spread this on your smoothie to make it a high-calorie, nutritious food. As a snack, it’s a fast source of energy for the body and is easy to digest.
11. Dry fruit
People always consume this as a sweetness or as a dressing on any snacks. But they are not aware of the nutrition and calorie content. It has natural sugar, fructose, that provides your body with instant energy. Besides, it has a high amount of antioxygen that protect your cells from any harmful radicals.
30-gram dry fruit contains 80-100 calories. The presence of fiber in this helps in the digestion process and improves your metabolism. But it has a high amount of carbohydrates, which is why 30-50 grams is a standard size for regular consumption. Otherwise, it will increase the amount of glucose and spike your insulin level.
Dry fruits are an extremely effective snack for weight gain, and you can increase the nutritional balance by mixing them with oats or Greek yoghurt.
12. Cereals
When we hear about serials, the first thing that comes to our mind is carbohydrate. But in reality, it’s half true. Because whole grain cereals like oats, brown rice flakes multigrain flakes also contain fiber, iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin B complex.
One bowl of whole grain cereal (50 – 60 g) contains 200 – 250 calories. And if you add whole fatty milk or yogurt, then the calorie amount increases to 350 – 450. Which makes these are healthy breakfast option for weight gain.
If you are searching for high-calorie but healthy and tasty snacks, then I have some golden tips for you:
- Buy less sugar, high fiber, and minimal processed foods.
- Add some chopped nuts, banana, dates, or jaggery to increase the taste and calories.
- Avoid honey-coated chocolate flavor or crunchy, sweet serials because they contain hidden refined sugar.
13. Protein Bar
All the protein bars available in the market are suitable for you. Most of them contain high fructose syrup, refined sugar, and processed protein. Moreover, they use very low-quality protein, and their bioavailability is also very low. For that reason, not all are beneficial for your health.
A quality homemade protein bar can have 15 to 20 grams of protein with 250 – 400 calories. This can be a good option for snakes after a workout.
A simple homemade protein bar idea: you can prepare your 3–4 day reserve with oats, peanut butter, honey, dry fruits, and one cup of high-quality whey protein. That’s how you can control the sugar level, and you will get the nutrients in a highly targeted form. The best time to eat is after you workout or in the evening snack. But the most important thing is not to eat more than one. Otherwise, the high calories will cause you to accumulate more fat.
Apart from that, whenever you choose any protein bar, check out the macronutrient balance. Ideally, a bar should contain 15 – 20 grams of protein, 15 grams of carbs, and 8 to 12 grams of fat.
14. Cheese
Cheese doesn’t mean only fat. But it’s a good source of high calories. A thin slice of cheddar cheese has 120 calories. On the other hand, feta cheese contains a low amount of calories and is salty, which makes it perfect for salad. In the same way, mozzarella cheese contains more protein and a comparatively low amount of fat.
Moreover, it has calcium that helps to increase the density of your bone, the vitamin B12 improves your brain functionality, and of course, there’s protein, which is effective for muscle gain.
Eating tips: if you are on a high-calorie diet, then you can add a small amount of cheese to your sandwich or spread it on your snacks and salad. But if you are a lactose-intolerant person, then you should try halloumi cheese or aged cheese.
15. Whole Eggs
While egg is widely known for their protein but a medium-sized egg has 70-80 calories. And it’s completely packed with nutrition such as vitamin A, D, E, K, B12, selenium, and even lutein, which is good for your eye and skin health.
And the yolk? It’s something that many people fear for some unnecessary reasons. Yet, the yolk holds most of the nutrients. Research also proves that consuming 2 eggs does not increase the risk of cholesterol, but it helps to balance the essential fats.
Also, research published in 2020 from the Harvard School of Public Health found that for a healthy person, 1-2 eggs do not increase the risk of cholesterol, whether it supplies the essential fat for your heart health.
You can increase the number of calories by frying this in olive oil. For breakfast, egg + bread + cheese will be a great combo and a complete high-calorie meal.
Eggs’ nutrients are more biologically available than a protein bar or supplement. Which means your body can absorb this more effectively.
16. Seeds
Most of the time, we think seeds are just like sprinkles for snacks. But the nutrition behind it is very high in quality. Chia seeds, flaxseeds sunflower seeds. All these are very high in calories. For example, only two tablespoons of chia have around 138 calories. At the same time, it is full of omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and oxygen.
Another great thing is the fiber and protein that help to slow down the digestion process. Which means it’s perfect even if your target is to lose weight.
The best way to consume this is to spread this on your oatmeal, mix a tablespoon with your smoothie, or use it as a topping on your salad. But keep in mind that consuming excessive amounts of seeds can cause antinutrients or the accumulation of more fat. 2-3 teaspoons are enough for a day, or it may build up gas in your stomach and disturb the digestion process
17. Smoothies
If you think it’s just juice, then you’re completely wrong. Because if you can prepare this properly, it becomes calorie-dense, nutritious liquid food. And you’ll get 600-1000 calories in just one glass of smoothie. Ingredients you can use: nuts, fruits, seeds, banana, oats, Greek yogurt, milk, peanut butter, whey protein, and honey or jaggery.
It’s not just for calories. If you notice, all the items you should use are very healthy, where you get complex carbs, healthy fats, and a good amount of protein. This will help to provide energy gradually and also build muscle.
But keep in mind, too much honey or fruit will increase the sugar amount. If you want, you can make the smoothie gluten-free and diabetic friendly, for example, using almond milk instead of whole milk and using stevia or dates for a sweetener. And consume this after your workout because that’s the time when your body requires more nutrients.
18. Pasta
Pasta is generally known as a high-calorie food. Because it’s made with flour, which is mainly a carb source. And these carbs convert into energy very quickly. But the amount of calories depends on the source, whether it is made with whole grain or refined flour.
Whole grain pasta contains around 340-360 calories per 100 g, and it has more fiber and nutrients than regular one. Plus, whole-grain pasta has less glycemic index, which means it won’t spike your glucose and insulin levels quickly.
But consuming high calories just from a carb source is not enough. Add some healthy fat and protein while cooking, like grilled chicken, and use nuts or olive oil instead of seed oil. It will help your body to absorb nutrients more effectively and keep your metabolism in check. As a result, these calories won’t store as fat.
Moreover, if you want to make it more calorie-dense, then add more veggies, homemade tomato sauce, and olive oil while cooking. It will increase not just calories but also nutrients.