8 Healthy Foods That Will Make You Gain Weight

…Did you know that certain healthy foods can make you gain weight?

We all know that in order to lose weight, we have to be in a caloric deficit. This means that you have to burn more calories than you consume. You can do this by eating less throughout the day, or you can work out more.

The best thing you can do in a case like this is to combine the two, so in order to stop gaining weight, you’ll have to eat healthily and constantly move your body.

Unfortunately, not all the foods that are labeled as healthy are actually that good for your body. They might contain a lot of calories, sugar, and artificial sweeteners, which will only make you gain weight.

If you believe that you do everything right, but you can’t still manage to shed off pounds, you should take a closer look at your diet. With that being said, here are 8 healthy foods that will make you gain weight.

…How many times have you gotten angry because of the fact that you eat healthily and workout a lot, but you still gain weight?

1. Protein shakes and smoothies

Protein shakes and smoothies are extremely popular among fitness and health enthusiasts. It’s true that they can be very good for your body, especially if you prepare them at home and you also add your greens in, such as baby spinach or kale.

However, those that you can buy from local shops are not that great for your body. For instance, some premade smoothies can contain roughly 14 teaspoons of sugar, which means 55 grams, in just a single bottle of 15, 2 fl oz.

Protein shakes, on the other hand, can contain up to 400 calories per bottle. Unless you don’t want to gain weight, it’s better to prepare these types of foods at home.

They will be healthier and tastier, given the fact that you can easily control the ingredients you put in. Long story short, smoothies and protein shakes are mostly liquids that can be quickly consumed, making it harder for your body to realize that it’s full.

2. Dried fruit 

Dried fruit is full of minerals, vitamins, fiber, and… sugar (more than fresh fruit). They might be delicious and healthy for you, but if you eat a whole bag of dried fruit, you might notice that you’ve gained weight.

If you like this snack as much as we do, it’s better to only stick to a 1/4-cup portion size. You can eat this plain, or pair it with a cup of Greek yogurt, a few nuts, and seeds, and you’ll have a sweet, crunchy, full of protein, and healthy snack or breakfast, that will keep you full for hours.

3. Nuts and seeds 

We all know that nuts and seeds are very healthy for the human body, because they contain a lot of healthy fats, such as Omega-3, which are great for brain functioning, heart health, and keeping your hunger levels in check.

Besides that, nuts and seeds also contain minerals, and vitamins, which are nutrients that your body needs, but if you eat too much of them, you might gain weight. They have a lot of calories and you should only eat a handful of those if you want to get all the health benefits and not add on a few unnecessary pounds.

4. Flavored Coffees

Caffeine has the ability to act as a mild appetite suppressant, which makes many people drink more of it when they’re trying to shed off a few pounds. However, even though this is originally a healthy beverage for your body, you shouldn’t rely on it to drop a pant size.

Moreover, you should definitely refrain from certain types of coffee drinks, especially if you don’t want to gain weight. We know it might be a bit confusing, especially after we’ve just said that coffee can make you less hungry. But here’s the thing: many caffeinated beverages, such as cappuccinos, lattes, and frappes are full of milk, cream, sugar, and calories.

For example, a Venti Cinnamon Dolce Latte from Starbucks, made with skimmed milk and without any whipped cream, has no less than 280 calories and 12 teaspoons (50 grams). That’s crazy, especially given the fact that an adult should consume 40 grams of sugar, tops.

You might think that a daily cappuccino won’t do you any harm, but that sugary beverage will make you gain weight in the long run, so it’s better to limit your consumption as much as possible!

5. Protein bars 

Many people tend to go for a protein bar whenever they feel like eating but don’t actually have enough time to sit down and enjoy a meal. It’s simple and convenient, and they also give you a bit of energy when you feel like taking a nap or drinking another cup of coffee.

Even though there are some healthy and nutritious protein bars out there, the truth is that a lot of them contain artificial ingredients and sugars that make you gain weight.

According to several nutritionists and fitness experts, in order to make sure that your protein bar is good for you, it should contain at least 12 grams of proteins and no more than 10 grams of sugar for the whole bar.

If you need a sweet pick-me-up snack in the middle of the day to keep your energy levels high, you can create your own protein balls at home with only natural ingredients, such as coconut flakes, clean protein powder, cocoa, dates, and so many other things.

…Have you ever tried making protein balls at home? They’re delicious!

6. Granola 

Granola is one of the things that make me smile after a big dinner when I feel like I can’t eat anymore, but there it is: the crunchiness, the chocolaty taste, the sweet bite of granola makes me forget about my bellyache, and all I care about is indulging in a bowl of this sweet pleasure.

Granola is usually a healthy breakfast for the majority of Americans, but some of the brands out there aren’t as healthy as you might think. Even though it contains a lot of nutritious ingredients, such as coconut, oats, nuts, seeds, and cocoa nibs, it can be covered in added sugars to have a richer taste.

If you want to make sure that your beloved granola is actually healthy for your body, make sure that you stick to brands that have no more than 6 grams of sugar per serving.

But if you want to be sure that this pleasure of yours won’t make you gain weight, you can make your own granola at home by baking dried fruit, cocoa, oats, coconut, nuts, cinnamon, and coconut oil at a low temperature.

7. Peanut butter 

Who doesn’t like to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or dip an apple or a banana topped with cinnamon in some creamy peanut butter? Originally, this type of food is good for you, because it contains a lot of healthy fats and protein that your body uses as fuel and energy.

However, several studies have discovered that peanuts contain some saturated fat, which can lead to heart issues when consumed in big quantities over time. Moreover, peanuts are also high in phosphorus, a chemical that can limit your body’s absorption of other minerals, such as iron and zinc.

You can still eat your favorite peanut butter, but make sure that the only ingredient on the list is actually peanuts and even in that situation, you shouldn’t eat more than the recommended serving size!

8. Sushi 

Sushi is a type of food that can be both healthy and unhealthy for you, depending on the ingredient list. For instance, rolls filled with things such as tempura shrimp or sweet sauces are usually full of sugar and high in calories, while those that are filled with avocado, salmon, fresh fish, vegetables, and grilled shrimp are much healthier.

Another great thing you can do to make sure your meal is healthier and also richer in fiber is to opt for brown rice instead of white rice. However, regardless of the type of sushi you choose to consume, you should keep in mind that the soy sauce that comes with sushi is very high in sodium.

If your diet is rich in sodium, you are more likely to develop health issues, including kidney disease and congestive heart failure.

…Which one of these foods previously mentioned is your favorite? If you have any tips regarding how to shed off pounds or how to live a balanced life, feel free to share them with us by leaving them in the comments section down below!

…If you’ve enjoyed reading this article and you want to discover more tips when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, make sure to check this out as well: 17 Delicious Foods You Can Eat That Won’t Break the Scale!