A good workout routine is one of the greatest things to start your muscle-gaining journey with. But to gain weight, you must also make sure of what else goes into your body. But the real question arises when it comes to making the right food choices. You definitely don’t want your hands to fall on wrong foods that will help you gain fat than muscle. So, what kind of healthy food options do you have to choose from?
Here is a list of foods that are not only healthy, but also pocket-friendly and do help you gain weight the right way.
- Eggs:
Eggs have had their share being belittled over heart-health risks. However, the research with regard to dietary cholesterol and heart diseases has shown that the two are not linked for the wider mass of people. Eggs have, since then been reigning the food market as the food with best quality protein and other nutrients. Being a health food, especially noted for its protein, eggs are touted as top health foods.
- Avocado:
An avocado is a personal favourite of many, and provides a huge amount of healthy calories, healthy fat and protein for a fruit! This surprisingly energy packed fruit has about 320 kcals in a standard sized avocado and around 28 gm of healthy fat. You can add it to your salad to give it a twist and add more richness and energy, or se it as your spread instead of that processed cheese over your toast/ bread or make yourself good ol’ guacamole.
- Nuts:
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There is no other option and wholesome as nuts when it comes to snacking. A must have for anyone looking to gain weight the healthy way, nuts are the best choice. A perfect blend of protein, carbs and healthy fat complete with fiber, nuts are extremely great food choice for gaining weight because they’re easily portable and delicious too. Try to keep them dry roasted and unsalted for best health benefits!
- Whey protein shakes:
Nothing does the work of a good whey protein in helping you correct your muscle mass% than a whey protein itself. A good quality protein shake or a high protein gainer that is put to use around your workouts, may help you set the stage for optimal muscle growth and nutrient use. Research supports the findings that this stops excessive muscular catabolism (breakdown) and helps store the protein as fuel for the muscle tissue.
- Cottage Cheese (Paneer):
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Cottage cheese’s muscle-building power comes from 2 main components. Cottage cheese is a good source of casein, a slow-digesting protein. When casein is ingested, the amino acid levels in the blood rise slowly and stay elevated for longer as compared to the fast digesting whey. Secondly, cottage cheese has live cultures, also known as good bacteria, just like curd. These help break down and absorb maximum nutrients and grow your muscle.
- Lentils:
These can be your secret mass building-weapon if you willed hard enough. Just one cup of cooked lentils provides 18 grams of protein and 40 grams of slow-digesting carbs. Not only inexpensive, lentils also have a longer shelf life. And with as less a preparation time as 10-15 minutes, lentils can be had as soups, dals, khichdi, pulao, sprinked you’re your salad or even as sprouts chaat to replace your evening bhel.
- Fatty fish:
Fishes like salmon, tuna, mackerel, etc. are both high in class-1 protein as well as are touted as one of the best sources for omega-3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA. The omega-3 fatty acids are well known for their anti-inflammatory heart and brain friendly nature. But they also play a role in muscle recovery and prevention of post-workout muscle soreness.
- Yogurt/ Curd:
Good old plain dahi is again, one of the best dairy sources to be tracing a way from your bowl to your tummy while leaving amazing health benefits behind on its way. Hung yogurt or Greek yogurt is richer in protein as compared to the regular variety and contains gut-friendly good bacteria that help you sort out all your tummy problems like indigestion and this will help you absorb nutrients from food better. However, be careful about the variety- avoid the flavoured, packaged ones. Go for natural, homemade versions.
All in all, make it a point to complete your fitness regime with a balanced diet, a good protein and a good workout to help you gain weight fast and effectively.
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Last modified: June 23, 2017
