While the majority of people in the U.S. suffer from obesity and want to lose weight, you may be experiencing the reverse problem. Being underweight can be just as unhealthy and difficult as being overweight. If you are underweight you are at greater risk for osteoporosis, fatigue, a weak immune system from poor nutrition, decreased muscle strength and trouble regulating your body temperature. Gaining weight will require using nutrient dense foods that are high in calories.
Powdered Milk
The addition of powdered milk to certain foods can help to boost the calorie count of your food, add calcium and protein without increasing the amount of food you are eating. According to HealthNews.com, powdered milk can be added to cream based soups, sauces or smoothies and chocolate milk to increase calories without changing the taste of the original foods.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that will add calories to your foods and not negatively impact your cardiovascular system. You can make your own salad dressings at home with olive oil, sauté vegetables, toss with pasta and garlic or added to sauces to increase calories. Extra virgin olive oil has a heavier flavor that is good over pasta, while extra light virgin olive oil can be used in cooking without adding flavor to the foods.
Proteins
Quality, low fat proteins can help to increase your calorie intake. According to GoAskAlice! from Columbia University, nuts, low fat meats, peanut butter and fish, such as tuna and salmon, are high in calories and low in fats. Foods high in animal fat or saturated fats will negatively impact your cardiovascular health and can lead to heart disease, stroke or peripheral vascular disease. By using proteins high in calories but low in saturated fats you can increase your weight gain and reduce your risk of heart disease. Other sources of proteins are beans, which are packed with calories and nutrition. Beans can be added to salads, wraps, soups, or pureed and added to soups as a thickening agent.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruits are calorie dense and not filling. According to Dr. Hensrud, Chairman of Preventative, Occupational and Aerospace Medicine Departments at MayoClinic and reported on ABC News, they are a wonderful way of adding calories to your diet without filling up. Try dried fruit on salads, added to pasta, yogurt, cereal or as a snack in the afternoon.
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