Looking and living healthy can mean different things to people. To a vast majority of the population, losing weight will help then achieve a healthier lifestyle. However, to some, gain weight is what they need to be healthy. A lot of focus is definitely on weight loss, but many people are struggling with gaining weight. One major factor that determines our weight is what we eat. Many Nigerians have wondered which food that will help them gain weight. Well today, I have compiled a list of 8 Nigerian foods that help you gain weight.
Before I proceed, you need to know that some factors could contribute to your difficultly in gaining weight. We will briefly outline these factors. We will also find out if you really need to gain weight, because some people might not actually be underweight, but want to gain weight. Then we will find if Nigerian food can help you gain weight, before we go the Nigerian foods to can help add weight.

Do you really need to gain more weight?

It is always good to determine if you really need something. Persons that desire to gain more weight are usually underweight. Being underweight in medical terms is having a Body Mass Index (BMI) below 18.5.
You need to understand that some people very skinny naturally and that does not mean that they are not
healthy. On the average females are more likely to be underweight than males.

Why you might be underweight?

Many factors can cause you to be underweight, some include:

• Genetic or hereditary factors
• Eating disorders like anorexia
• Hyperthyroidism
• Celiac disease
• Diabetes
• Depression and mental illnesses.

Can Nigerian food help you gain weight?

Yes! You don’t just plan on gaining weight by consuming high calorie meals. Instead you should eat healthy high calorie meals. Most unhealthy foods with high calories contain bad fats, and too much sugar, which will lead to just abdominal fat increase.

So, in summary, don’t think that just consuming foods with high calories will help you gain weight. There are other factors that will help you gain weight, but what you consume and how you consume it plays a major role. The key to gaining weight is to take in more calories than your body burns.
Let’s now find out the Nigerian foods that help you gain weight.

Top 10 Nigerian Foods That Can Help You Gain Weight

1. Meat

Consuming meat is widely believed to cause weight gain, and this is very true. Meat is an excellent source of protein and enough protein is exactly what you need to gain weight successfully. They are various forms of healthy meat that you can consume, some examples are
chicken, lean beef, veal, and lamb meat.
Add more meat to your diet, and spice it up with vegetables too, to make it healthy.

2. Nigerian Swallows

Yes, in my article about healthy Nigerian swallows and there health benefits, I explained the beneficial effects of consuming Nigerian staple foods, commonly known as ‘swallows’. Swallows are usually consumed along with Nigerian soups, and they can help you gain weight. Nigerian swallows like, garri, semolina, pounded yam and tuwo shinkafa can help you gain weight fast. Nevertheless, they should be consumed in moderation.

3. Dairy products

Milk is so great for those hoping to gain weight. It contains a great amount of protein and a decent amount of carbohydrates. Drink milk a lot to gain weight, like 2 to 4 times daily. Some healthy milks you can get are the local fura da nunu, which is common in Northern Nigeria, this fura contains healthy, natural fat directly gotten the cow. Pasteurized whole milk, full fat yoghurt and cheese are also great options. Avoid skimmed milk too.

ALSO READ: Top 10 Healthy Nigerian Weight Loss Foods

4. Fruits

Of course they are a lot of healthy Nigerian fruits that can help you gain weight. Avocados are a good example. Avocados contain a lot of healthy fat and are calorically dense. A single avocado contains more than 350 calories. It is also packed it so many other essential nutrients and antioxidants, which makes it a very healthy fruit for weight gain. You can add avocado to your salad to give it a bit more dense calorie.
Another are nuts or dried. Nuts are among foods with veru high amounts of energy, and they are without doubt one of the healthiest of the calorie dense food groups out there. Others include walnuts, mangoes, bananas, and cucumber.

5. Nigerian Snacks

Snacking regularly is very essential if you want to put on a few pounds. Regular snacking is a great way to increase your caloric intake. However, you must be careful to snack on healthy snacks not just anything you see.
There are also some healthy Nigerian snacks that can help you gain weight. Bean cake (Akara), Chin chin, plantain chips, peanut butter, and perhaps, avocado with bread.

6. Spicy food and sauces

Another great way to gain weight is to consume spicy food and sauces. The trick is that using plenty of spices, sauces and condiments while preparing a meal will make it tastier, and the more tastier your food is, the easier it is to eat a lot of it.

7. Smoothies and Milkshakes

Ayaya! Smoothies are so great for weight gain. They are healthy, easy to prepare and above all contain a lot of calories which will help you gain weight. Smoothies make with banana, chocolate, mangoes, peanut butter, frozen yogurt and pineapple are great choices. Milkshakes are equally good as well, banana milkshake and other shakes contain enough carbohydrates and proteins to help you gain weight the healthy way.

8. Tubers

Tubers, here are a group of foods that constitute yams, potatoes and sweet potatoes. They are very high in carbohydrates, essential nutrients and protein. If you want to consume tubers to gain weight, add it to your daily diet. Consume cooked yam or cooked potatoes with vegetables or stew.

9. Rice and Beans

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I would have mentioned only rice, but if you looking fl gain weight the healthy way, rice and beans should be consumed together by you. Many Nigerians prepare rice and beans meal together, and it is a very healthy meal. Rice contains a rich amount of carbohydrates and calories. Beans, on the other hand contains proteins and other important nutrients the body needs. Hence, consuming them together will give you a high calorie, healthy diet.

SEE ALSO: 10 Healthy Nigerian Foods With Low Glycemic Index

10. Whole wheat bread

I would have said bread, but some breads can be unhealthy, especially when you consume them a lot. Some processed bread might make you gain weight and fat, but it is just bloating. Nonetheless, whole wheat bread made from actual whole grains, is different from processed white bread.
They are easy to digest and contain a large amount of calories.

Bonus :

11. Eggs

Eggs are very nutritious, they
provide your body with energy, minerals and nutrients. One egg can contain up to 75 calories, 5 gram of carbohydrates and 6 gram of protein. This makes is a great food for adding weight.

Eggs are also really great Nigerian food to be eaten during pregnancy

Thanks for reading! I hope you benefitted a lot from this article.
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