Though fruits aren’t usually the first group of foods that comes to mind when trying to bulk up, several types of fruits can provide the extra calories your body needs to gain weight. There are plenty of fruits for weight gain, which can help you meet your weight goals and make you feel confident again!
On one side, some people struggle to lose weight and on the end of the spectrum, there is a fair percentage of people who equally struggle to gain weight! No matter how much they eat, these people never reach the “ideal weight” mark and get disappointed. If you belong to this group, then we have some good news for you!
But fruits for gaining weight? How is that possible? Although fruits are usually categorized as ‘diet foods’, there are many varieties that can pump up healthy calories into your body and contribute to mass gain. These fruits contain a good number of carbs and even fats, along with essential vitamins and minerals to offer holistic nutrition.
Weight gain is subjective. It varies from individual to individual; for some losing weight is the need of the hour whereas for some gaining weight is essential to get that perfect shape. It might sound strange, but gaining weight is equally tough as losing weight.
This is simply because every individual is different and so is their body. However, if you are someone who has tried every hack to gain weight, then how about going for a natural way rather than gorging on supplements.
Yes, you read it right it is pretty easy to gain weight just by tweaking your diet and adding some high calorie foods. In fact, just by eating fruits you can gain weight. Here’s how adding these fruits to your diet can help you gain weight naturally.
So, you will get enough nutrients to stay healthy, while increasing your weight. You may want to gain weight either because you are under weight or because you are a part of any athletic training. No matter what it is, we may discuss some safe ideas here. Here are some of the most effective fruits for weight gain.
What’s more, they pack important vitamins and minerals to support your health.
Healthy Fruits for Weight Gain
Bananas
Bananas are an excellent choice if you’re looking to gain weight.
They’re not only nutritious but also a great source of carbs and calories.
One medium-sized (118-gram) banana contains the following nutrients:
Calories: 105
Protein: 1 gram
Fat: 0.4 grams
Carbs: 27 grams
Fiber: 3 grams
Vitamin B6: 26% of the Daily Value (DV)
Manganese: 13% of the DV
In addition, bananas pack many other micronutrients. Green bananas, in particular, are high in resistant starch, which passes through your digestive tract undigested. Research has linked resistant starch to improved gut health.
Bananas are a convenient on-the-go snack and can be added to oatmeal or smoothies made with other high-calorie ingredients, such as nut butter or full-fat yogurt to help you gain weight.
Mango
One of the most delicious fruits, mango is a rich source of several nutrients such as copper, vitamin B, and vitamin A and E. However, most people love this fruit because of its versatile taste, but did you know this sweet fruit is loaded with fructose and this makes it high in calories and carbs. One cup of mangoes have around 99 calories. So, if weight gain is on your mind, then indulging in delicious mangoes can be the easiest thing to go for.
Coconut Meat
Coconut meat is the white, edible flesh of coconuts that has a sweet taste and is one of the best fruits which can help you gain weight. You can either consume the raw one, which is quite sweet and juicy or the dried form which is crunchy and hard. Coconut meat is an energy-dense food which offers about 354 calories (raw coconut meat) and 650 calories (dried coconut meat) per 100 gms of serving size. Additionally, coconut meat is rich in carbohydrates and fats, primarily medium-chain triglycerides or MCT’s which can contribute to mass gain.
Dorian
Dorian is the highest calorie fruit in the world, because it has the highest concentration of sugar amongst all fruits. If you eat it on a daily basis, you will definitely be able to achieve significant weight gain. The only problem is that it is a bit of an acquired taste. This fruit is notoriously stinky, and most people who don’t grow up eating it aren’t able to stomach it. But if you’re looking to gain weight fast and efficiently, it is worth the try.
1 oz of Dorian contains the following nutrients:
Calories: 42
Protein: .42g
Fat: 1.51g
Carbs: 7.68g
Vitamin C: 5.6 mg
Strawberries
This bright red in color juicy berry is a good source of adding weight because strawberries are rich in vitamin C, some dietary minerals, and contains essential unsaturated fatty acids
- You can add strawberries to your daily diet when you’re trying to gain some weight
- You can enjoy eating them in slices or coupled with milk and honey
- If you consume 2 glasses of strawberry milkshake daily you’ll witness the results within a few days
Avocados
Avocados boast an impressive nutrient profile. Plus, they’re high in calories and healthy fats, making them an excellent choice for people looking to gain weight.
Half a medium-sized avocado (100-gram) contains the following nutrients :
Calories: 161
Protein: 2 grams
Fat: 15 grams
Carbs: 8.6 grams
Fiber: 7 grams
Vitamin K: 17.5% of the DV
Folate: 21% of the DV
Avocados are also rich in many other micronutrients, including potassium and vitamins K, C, B5 (pantothenic acid), and B6 (pyridoxine).
What’s more, they’re incredibly versatile and can be used in many ways. Try adding them to soups and salads or using them as a spread alongside a protein source like eggs.
Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are nutrient dense and this makes them ideal food for weight gain. Loaded with the goodness of nature, these natural fruits have been dried using several methods, which makes them high on natural sugars, that can give you an instant boost of energy. Hence, they can make for a perfect thing to binge on-the-go to gain weight and stay healthy.
Chikoo
Chikoo, commonly known as Sapota is one of the calorie-dense fruits to eat inorder to gain weight quickly. A 100gms serving of fresh Chikoo pulp can give you 83 calories. Additionally, it is high in carbohydrates which gets converted into energy that is stored as fat in the body. Thus, chikoo can help you gain some body as well. You can consume this tropical fruit in the form of smoothies, whole fruit or even in the form of frozen fruit cream.
Dates
Dates are magical little wonders of the fruit world. For centuries, they were eaten by travelers through the desert and the Mediterranean as high nutrient and energy giving fruit. It was basically the basis for desert trail mix thanks to its high amount of calories.
1 date has the following nutrients
Calories: 23
Protein: .2 g
Fat: .03 g
Carbs: 6.23 g
Potassium: 54 mg
Apricots
Apricots have many health benefits and they are nutritious. Apricots are a good source of Beta-carotene, fibers, carbs, protein, and calories. When it comes to gain weight consuming apricots is a very good choice whether you eat them fresh or dried it’s totally up to you how you like them
A 28 grams apricot contains about 67 calories
Apricots are good for eye health and it helps improving digestion
Figs
Figs, with its high calorie content, act as one of the most effective fruits for weight gain. Include figs in your daily diet to get the maximum benefits out of it. You can also add this to any of your favourite food salads to make it more tasty.
Prunes
Prunes are dried plums that pack a nutritional punch.
A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of prunes provides the following nutrients:
Calories: 67
Protein: 0.6 grams
Fat: 0.1 grams
Carbs: 18 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Vitamin K: 14% of the DV
Potassium: 4.4% of the DV
Prunes are also known for their ability to alleviate constipation. Their fiber content can help add bulk to your stool and speed its transit through your gut.
Prunes have a long shelf life and are easy to add to your diet, making them a simple way to increase your calorie intake and assist healthy weight gain. They taste great on their own, but you can also enjoy them in your favorite salads, smoothies, and baked goods.
Apples
Apple is one fruit that helps in weight gain as well as weight loss. When apples are consumed in moderate quantities, they help in shedding down those extra kilos. But when consumed in excess, the fiber in the apples makes you feel more hungry after some time, allowing you to increase your calorie intake. The fruit sugars present in apples can also help you put on some weight quickly. You can eat apples in the form of smoothies, whole fruits etc.
Raisins
It may surprise you that raisins are considered to be a high calorie fruit, since they are really tiny. But eating raisins everyday can do a lot to help you gain weight. You can also include them in a high calorie diet easily by adding them to oatmeal, yogurts, and salads, etc.
A 1 oz serving of raisins contains the following nutrients:
Calories: 85
Protein: 1 g
Fat: .1 g
Fat: .1 g
Carbs: 22 g
Potassium: 4.5%
of the DV Fruits like apricots, sultanas, dried figs, etc. are other options that you can look at including in your weight gain diet. Just make sure you find a fruit that suits your taste, and incorporate it into your diet a little at a time.
Sapota Fruit
Sapota fruit is a great energy provider, they help in digestion, good for bones, regulates, and maintains blood pressure. Sapota fruits also work as a natural anti-inflammatory.
This fruit is also a very good source of gaining and maintaining weight
Sapota fruit is rich in vitamin A and C, which helps increasing immunity levels
100 grams of chikoo fruit contains about 83 calories
These fruits can be eaten in slice form, or you can add them in smoothies, fruit salads. It can also be enjoyed with yogurt or cream which makes it healthier and nutritious.
Grapes
Include grape juice in your daily diet if you are looking for tips to increase weight. Also, raisins are calorie-dense than its fresh fruit version. A cup of raisins has 493 calories when compared to the 104 calories provided by fresh grapes.
Dried Apricots
Apricots are a popular yellow stone fruit that can be enjoyed both fresh and dried.
A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of dried apricots provides the following nutrients :
Calories: 67
Protein: 0.8 grams
Fat: 0.1 grams
Carbs: 18 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Vitamin A: 6% of the DV
Vitamin E: 8% of the DV
In addition to being an excellent source of calories, dried apricots are a good source of beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin — three plant pigments that support eye health.
Dried apricots make an excellent pick-me-up snack late in the afternoon and pair well with nuts and cheese, which can also help you gain weight, as they’re good sources of calories and fat.
Sultanas
Sultanas are dried grapes when are made from Thompson seedless variety grapes. They are much plumper and juicier in taste compared to the other variety of dry grapes like raisins. Coming to the calorie value, Sultanas are relatively low in energy and offer 40 calories from 100gms. However, they are high in sugar, which can promote weight gain when had in excess. You can eat them whole or add them to your smoothies and salads for enhanced taste.
Sultanas
Like raisins, sultanas are another type of dried grape.
However, they’re made from green seedless grapes, mainly the Thompson Seedless type. In the United States, sultanas are often called “golden raisins” due to their lighter color.
A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of sultanas provides the following nutrients:
Calories: 91
Protein: 0.7 grams
Fat: 0 grams
Carbs: 22 grams
Fiber: 0.7 grams
Iron: 4.2% of the DV
Sultanas can be eaten similarly to raisins, making them a convenient way to increase your calorie intake. Eat them alone or combine them with nuts, yogurts, cheeses, or salads.
Currants
With over 280 calories from 100gms of serving size, Currants become one of the top weight-gain dry fruits. Currants are made by drying several varieties of grapes like Zante, Corinth etc. Don’t let their small size fool you! Currants have an incredible nutritional value that can out beat the fresh ones. They contain good amounts of fruit sugars, copper, iron, carbohydrates etc. which support a healthy body and mind. You can add these sweet and tangy dry fruits to your salads, smoothies or consume them whole.
Cashew Nuts
Cashewnuts are one of the popular weight-gain dry fruits. A 100gms serving of cashews offers a whopping 553 calories, most of which comes from fat and carbohydrates. Cashews are also body-building foods due to the high amounts of protein present in them. Additionally, they contain copper, iron, phosphorous, potassium etc., making them good weight gain supplements. Just roast some of these nuts and season them with salt and pepper to snack on them.
Walnuts
Walnuts are superfoods which can increase your overall weight. A 100gms serving of walnuts offer 587 calories, along with 65gms of fat and 14gms carbohydrates. They are rich in omega-fatty acids which contribute to weight gain when consumed in slightly higher quantities. Additionally, walnuts are a storehouse of many important minerals like magnesium, iron, along with dietary fiber, making them ideal dry fruits for gaining weight. You can have them as whole nuts or add them to baked goods.
Almonds
Almonds are a boon for people trying to gain weight. 100gms of almonds offer 579 calories to the body. Apart from being an energy-dense food, almonds also boast of an incredible nutritional profile comprising of many vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. The mono-saturated fats present in almonds accelerate the weight gain process without affecting your heart health. Just soak a handful of almonds in the night in water and eat it in the morning, with your breakfast and are dry fruits help gain weight.
Pistachios
Pistachios are calorie-dense dry fruits which help in increasing weight. Raw pistas offer about 159 calories per 1 ounce serving, which is quite high for food of its size. Apart from boosting your overall calorie intake, Pistachios are also free from bad cholesterol and offer a wide range of vitamins and minerals like manganese, copper, vitamin B6 etc., necessary for healthy living. Eat a handful of pistas per day in the form of salted nuts, seasoned ones, or add them to your stir-fries and curries for some crunch.
Additional Tips for Weight Gain
Apart from bingeing on these weight-gain fruits and dry fruits, you can also follow these important tips to maintain the numbers on your weighing scale:
- If you are underweight or struggling to put on weight, you must consult a doctor to identify the root cause. Examples of factors that inhibit weight gain are thyroid, diabetes, eating disorders, stomach problems etc. Taking the right course of treatment can help you overcome this issue quickly.
- Increase your protein intake to increase muscle mass along with overall weight gain. You can include foods like eggs, lean meat, nuts, legumes etc., in your daily diet.
- Carbohydrates and fats are essential for gaining weight. So, don’t skip them! Eat carb-rich foods like rice, wheat, potatoes, seeds, dairy, olive oil, coconut oil etc., to speed up the weight gain process.
- Try not to drink water before meals. Water suppresses your appetite and prevents you from eating the desired amount of calories.
- Sign up for a physical workout program that includes strength training to build your body, instead of accumulating fat around your waistline.
- Instead of focusing on the quantity of food, target total calories to boost your weight. You can use a tool to record and calculate the number of calories you require every day based on your current BMI.
- Most importantly, make sure you get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to appetite loss, which inturn prevents you from putting on weight.
- Now that you have understood the role of fruits for weight gain, it’s time to start relishing on these sweet natural treats to feel good again. Remember that genetics, age, health condition, lifestyle and ethnicity play a key role in determining your weight! So, have patience and aim for slow results rather than a miracle!
