Highest Calorie Foods for Weight Gain

With so many people trying to lose weight, it's easy to overlook that some are desperately trying to gain. Whether for health reasons, or due to high metabolism, some people have a challenging time gaining weight, which can be just as frustrating as dieting. Instead of heading out for some high fat and calorie-rich fast food, try some healthy options instead.

Meats and Salmon

Meat can be a healthy option to add extra weight onto your frame. By selecting the right cuts of meat and grilling or broiling, you can add extra calories but not necessarily the unhealthy fats.

Weightlossforall.com tells us that the highest calorie cuts of meats include bacon, fatback and lamb shoulders. One serving of bacon has about 500 calories, but about 45 grams of fat. Beef has an average of 275 calories per serving and 20 grams of fat. There is a misconception that fats are bad for you and should be removed from the diet. But there are both good and bad fats, and about 15 to 25 percent of your total calories should come from fats.

Salmon is a heart healthy option, packing in lots of Omega-3 fatty acids. Allwomenstalk.com finds salmon to be the richest dietary source of Omega-3 fatty acids and are rich in EPA and DHA fats, the two most important of the fatty acids. A 3-ounce serving of salmon has around 152 calories. Adding smoked salmon to a bagel for breakfast or having a serving of salmon for lunch could help add on some extra pounds.

Nuts and Fruits

Nuts are calorie dense and also a good source of protein and essential oils. Weightlossforall.com finds Brazil nuts to have the highest calorie count at 679 calories per serving, which has 68 grams of fat. Allwomenstalk.com suggests adding a couple tablespoons of peanut butter on a piece of bread to add nearly 200 calories to a meal.

Fruits and juices will help you gain weight and meet your vitamin C requirements. As a simple carbohydrate, fruits and juices are more concentrated and have less fiber. Many times fruit juices are more concentrated than the fruit themselves, sometimes doubling calories. A medium sized orange, for example, contains around 60 calories while a glass of orange juice contains up to 160 calories.

Complex Carbohydrates

Many people try to stay away from pasta because of the high carbohydrate count, but whole-wheat pasta is a heart healthy option and still adds extra calories to the diet. Gainweight.info finds that complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, pasta, cereals, beans, potatoes and rice have a high calorie content that will help with weight gain. A typical serving of pasta contains between 800 and 1,000 calories.

By having a dinner with complex carbohydrates, you will add extra weight and also get a good amount of fiber and starch. Serving it with a protein and fresh vegetables helps keep your diet balanced. Even when trying to gain weight, make sure to maintain a healthy exercise regime to stay fit.