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Thursday, March 6, 2014

10 Healthy High Calorie Foods

Calories are the basic unit of energy found in all foods and are necessary to maintain the body's vital functions or basil metabolic rate. The amount of calories a person needs depends on factors like their age, gender, and lean muscle mass. Although eating too many calories causes a person to become overweight and obese, increasing their chances of heart disease, type II diabetes, and cancer; eating too few calories for a prolonged period of time causes a person to become underweight) leading to muscle loss, weakened immunity, and eventually, organ failure. Below is a list of healthy high calorie foods to include in your diet to keep your body well fueled and full

10 Healthy High Calorie Foods

Avocados - Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats plus vitamin K, potassium and fibre. One avocado has more than 200 calories. Add avocado slices to your sandwiches or make guacamole and serve with baked tortilla chips.

Nuts and Seeds - Packed with vitamins, minerals, and heart healthy fats and fibres, nuts and seeds are a great snack food, particularly if they are dry roasted unsalted. They are, however, extremely high calories. Most nuts and seeds provide around 948 calories per cup, and 200 calories per ounce.

Fruit Juice - Choose 100% fruit juice instead of sugary drinks and energy drinks to get calories and vitamins. Look out for fruit-flavoured drinks that are mostly sugar or high-fructose corn syrup -- they just don't pack the nutritional value of 100% fruit juices. Vegetable juice (low-sodium is best) tends to be lower in calories, but still contains vitamins and minerals.

Peanut Butter - Peanuts are legumes and not nuts, but they pack a big calorie punch like nuts and nut butter. One hundred grams of peanut butter supplies 588 calories. That is 1517 calories per cup or 94 calories per tablespoon

Healthy Oils - Adding extra fat to your food is an easy way to add calories, but you want to be sure to choose fats and oils that are good for you. Olive oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats while rapeseed oil contains both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, including omega 3 fats Extra virgin olive oil can add calories and flavour to pasta, bread or vegetables, while canola oil makes a terrific all-purpose cooking oil.

Cheese - Cheese is an excellent source of calcium. Hard cheeses like cheddar or parmesan are particularly rich in calories.

High-Protein Shakes - Protein shakes can be a simple and nutritious means of encouraging weight gain. Protein shakes often contain fibre, which promote healthy digestion, as well as vitamin D and calcium necessary for proper absorption. Some of the higher-calorie protein shakes range from 500 to 1,000 calories per serving

Bagels - Breads in general are a good source of complex carbohydrates your body needs for energy. Bagels are extra dense. While one slice of bread has about 70 calories, one small 3-inch bagel has over 150 calories. Top your bagel with cream cheese and some 100% fruit spread for a high calorie but healthy snack.

Pasta - Pasta is another energy dense source of carbohydrates and can serve as the base of a healthy and high calorie meal (one cup of cooked spaghetti noodles has 220 calories). Top your pasta with lycopene-rich marinara sauce and add a quarter cup of shredded cheese for more calories and calcium.

Dried Fruits - Raisins are the most popular type of dried fruit but you can also find dried berries, apricots, cranberries and even tropical fruits. You can give yourself a quick calorie boost by eating dried fruits because they have less volume than their fresh counterparts. For example, one half-cup of raisins has more calories (over 200) than a full cup of fresh grapes (about 60) and still offers good nutrition.

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