8 Easy and Super Effective Food Ideas To Healthy Weight Gain

A lot of times, nutrition experts only talk about weight gain, discussing different ways in which people can cease to be overweight. They seldom cater to people who are underweight, showing them ways in which they can gain healthy weight to become holistic. Taking apetamin pills has shown good results in healthy weight gain as this pill improves the appetite.

Yet there are so many underweight people out there as backed by statistics that show that

8.8 percent of men and 9.7 percent of women are underweight.  If you are underweight and dying to gain some healthy weight, I’ve got your back today. I’m going to be letting you in on some foods you can eat to gain NORMAL and HEALTHY weight.

1. Whole Grain Bread

Made of grains that are fully intact and not processed in any way, whole grain bread is a good source of high-quality carbohydrates. These carbs will help you healthily gain weight. Consuming about four slices of bread during breakfast at least 3-4 times a week will give you quicker results. There are different types of whole-grain bread with different levels of weight gain benefits out there. When buying your bread, go with natural whole grain and seeded loaves as these are the most nutritious and beneficial options.

2. Certain Fruits

Did you know that some fruits can help you gain weight if you eat them? Avocado, banana, and coconut meat are all excellent choices if you are trying to add a little healthy pounds.

Avocados are loaded with healthy fats that will enable you to gain weight naturally. Bananas and coconut meat are high in good carbs and calories, all of which will see you gain weight up to a healthy level. You could substitute these fruits with your mid-morning snacks if you do consume those.

3. White Meat

White meat is the best variety of meat you can eat. Not only is it more delicious than red meat, but it is also healthier than the latter, thanks to its abundant poly-unsaturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acid contents such as Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. Besides lowering the levels of bad cholesterol, they boost the levels of good cholesterol in the body, which is a great way to gain weight.

When it comes to options from which you can choose, there are overwhelmingly plenty. Chicken, duck, fish, goose, rabbit, and turkey are all good examples of white meat you can consume regularly to cease being underweight.

Don’t know how to cook white meat? No worries, numerous meal kit delivery services out there have mouthwatering and easy-to-follow recipes for you. Check out Green Chef, Sunbasket, Blue Apron, Fresh n’ Lean, Splendid Spoon, Factor, and BistroMD. For more information about these and other entities, read the latest review of the 10 best companies that provide organic meal kits in 2021 to ensure healthier eating! Please do note that some meal kit delivery services cater only to vegans and so you’ll not receive a white meat recipe from a service.

4. Nuts

Nuts offer a whole lot of health benefits with safe weight gain being among the top. Just like whole grains, they are rich in high-quality carbs that will make sure that you are neither underweight nor overweight. Eat almonds, cashews, groundnuts, macadamias, hazelnuts, walnuts, and other types of nuts regularly to avoid being too skinny. These are super delicious, easy to digest, and you could substitute your 4’oclock tea snacks with them.

5. Potatoes

Yummy, filling, and diverse, potatoes are many peoples’ favorite delicacies. I love sweet potatoes so much that I hardly go a week without having them. Here’s the good news for those who are underweight who don’t mind eating potatoes; not only are these delicacies carb-and-calorie-rich, they are also a good way to gain a healthy weight. Eat sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and other varieties of potatoes that you can come across to correct your weight.

6. Eggs

Eggs are readily available, high in protein, and easy to cook in many different ways. For example, they can be fried, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, poached, stuffed, scrambled, etc. And there’s no way you’ll remain underweight if you eat these regularly as they promote weight gain to a reasonable extent, thanks to the nutrient contents like protein and carbs.

7. Milk

Milk is a drink with several health benefits. One of those is that it may help you gain weight by promoting lean muscle build-up, thanks to the whey and casein protein found in it. Instead of drinking coffee in the morning, have hot chocolate milk with a few slices of wholegrain bread. It’s going to transform you from an underweight person who looks weak to a muscular and strong-looking individual. Milk also contains a lot of calcium which helps to keep your teeth and bones strong. In fact, a lack of calcium may even cause your teeth to break off. In that case, the only way to fix them is to visit a dentist; we recommend that you make your teeth feel good at a cosmetic dentist in Ballantyne.

8. Certain Vegetables

When the word “vegetables” is mentioned, many people probably think only about leafy. Many other foods fall under the category of vegetables with beans included. These among other vegetables are good for natural weight gain, thanks to their high-quality protein content. Eat lentils, pinto beans, chickpeas, mung beans, green peas, and lima beans often to gain a healthy weight.

When is a Person Underweight?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises people to use a body mass index (BMI) to calculate whether they are underweight, healthy, or overweight. 

The BMI is regarded as a good measure of a person’s weight because it compares their weight to their height. A 170-pound person, for example, may not be overweight if they are tall, but they may be overweight if they are short.

The CDC’s Adult BMI Calculator can be used to calculate a person’s BMI. Ranges for BMI are as follows:

  • Underweight: less than 18.5
  • Normal/healthy weight: 18.5 to 24.9
  • Overweight: 25.0 to 29.9
  • Obese: 30 or higher

If you are an elite or endurance athlete with a lot of muscle, these calculations may not be completely accurate. Muscle is heavier than fat.

Causes of Underweight

A person can be underweight for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, more than one underlying cause may be linked. Causes of being underweight include:

  • Family history. Some people have a low BMI because of inherited physical characteristics.
  • A high metabolism. Even when eating high-energy foods, a person with a fast metabolism may not gain much weight.
  • Frequent physical activity. Athletes or people who engage in intense physical activity, such as runners, may burn a large number of calories, resulting in a low body weight.
  • Physical illness or chronic disease. Some diseases can cause frequent nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, making it hard to gain weight. Other conditions may make a person lose their appetite, so they don’t feel like eating. Some examples are cancer, diabetes, thyroid disorders, and digestive problems like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
  • Mental illness. Poor mental health, such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, can impair a person’s ability to eat. Each of these conditions has the potential to have an impact on a person’s body image and appetite.

A doctor can help a person figure out why they have a low BMI and recommend a treatment plan that will help them gain weight in a healthy way.

Risks of Being Underweight

Being underweight, like being overweight, can lead to health issues. Not everyone who is underweight develops adverse side effects or symptoms as a result of being underweight. Nonetheless, being underweight might cause some persons to experience the following signs and symptoms:

  • Osteoporosis. A 2016 study found that being underweight increases a woman’s risk of osteoporosis, a condition in which the bones are brittle and more prone to breaking.
  • Skin, hair, or teeth problems. If a person does not consume enough nutrients in their daily diet, they may experience physical symptoms such as thinning skin, hair loss, dry skin, or poor dental health.
  • Getting sick frequently. If a person doesn’t get enough energy from their diet to maintain a healthy weight, they may also not be getting enough nutrients to fight off infections. Due to this, a person may get sick more often, and common illnesses such as the common cold may last longer than they normally would.
  • Feeling tired all the time. Calories are a way to measure how much energy a certain food gives to a person. Getting too few calories to keep a healthy weight can make a person tired.
  • Anemia.  People who are underweight are more likely to have low blood counts, which is called anemia and can cause headaches, fatigue, and dizziness.
  • Irregular periods. Underweight women may not have regular periods, menstruation may stop, or an adolescent’s first period may be delayed or absent. Menstruation irregularities or absence might result in infertility.
  • Premature birthsAn International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology published a study that found that a woman who is pregnant and underweight is more likely to go into pre-term labor, which means giving birth before 37 weeks.
  • Slow or impaired growth. Young people need nutrients to grow and make strong bones. If a person is underweight and doesn’t get enough calories, they may not grow and develop as expected. Doctors refer to this as a ‘failure to thrive.’

A study that was published in the journal BMC Public Health found that people who are underweight have a higher risk of dying than people with an average BMI. The researchers thought that being underweight might make it harder for a person to recover from an accident or trauma than if they had an average BMI.

Final Thoughts

Just as being overweight, being underweight is not a pleasant thing. When you are too skinny, you risk developing fragile bones and a weakened immune system. This can pave the way for several health conditions, some of which can be life-threatening. Apart from that, it also affects your general appearance negatively – being too skinny isn’t attractive.

The good news is that skinniness is a problem you can easily correct if you know the right approach. It’s in fact, easier to cease being skinny than fat. When you eat the foods above, you will get results sooner than you could ever imagine. No more letting people mock you because you are skinny. No more self-pity. It’s time to take control of your weight. Having said that, good luck with your healthy weight gain journey.