Today we’re talking about why mangos are in and guilt-free for healthy weight.

I love mango season! The king of fruits has so much going for it- great shape, smells incredible, not to mention all the amazing health benefits for your body. Win, win win!

In fact, I’m such a fan of mangos that when they are in season I buy a whole bunch (on special of course), peel, cut them up and freeze them to enjoy when they are out of season.

Today there are so many different varieties that cater for all tastes, whether you’re more into sweet or tart. On the whole,mangos are so versatile and you can enjoy them in so many ways.

And we’re going to count some of those ways here.

But other than the succulent juicy flavour, let’s take a look at just why mangos are in and guilt free for healthy weight gain.

Why Mangos Are In And Should Be in Your Diet

1. Mangos are a fantastic source of nutrients.

Where do I start? Mangos have a seriously impressive list of nutrients which includes vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

They are high in Vitamin C which is needed for immunity, healing and collagen formation. Did you know a cup of mango gives just under 70% of your daily vitamin C needs?

Mangos are also a good source of vitamins A, E, K, folate and minerals including copper and magnesium. These are all needed by the body for health and protection e.g. vitamin K to help with blood clotting.

2. They support heart health

Mangos contain potassium and magnesium which are really important for heart health.

They have been found to help with lowering blood pressure and regulating the heartbeat. These two nutrients in particular also help with muscle and nerve function.

3. Good for digestion

Another great benefit of mangos is they support digestive health.

Like most fruits mangos contain fibre which has several functions including being needed for regular bowel movements and lowering the risk of some diseases.

Also mangos have amylase which helps break down foods for easier digestion.

4. May help with cancer prevention

Mangos are rich in antioxidants. These are plant compounds that fight free radicals which can be damaging to cells.

One of the antioxidants found in mangos is beta-carotene, which gives the fruit its yellow-orange colour. Importantly, that is only ONE of the antioxidants found in this fruit.

In short, a diet high in different fruits and vegetables can provide a good mix of antioxidants to help prevent cell damage.

5. They can support eye health

Ok listen up because in addition to all the other nutrients we’ve mentioned above, mangos also have others that help maintain eye health.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are two of the most important nutrients for healthy eyes. They are found in the retina and protect against sun damage.

And that’s not all, these babies also defend against free radicals that can damage cells.

We need Vitamin A for good eye health and mangos have you covered here as well!

So you see, mangos are not just a “pretty face”. They are full of all this good stuff that is working hard to protect your body. And added bonus is they are a great food for gaining healthy weight.

And all you have to do is eat and enjoy them. Which of course leads to the question of how to eat them?

How To Enjoy Mangos Guilt-Free

Here are some of the best ways to eat mangos.

• On their own
• With chilli powder and/or salt
• Add to salads and salsas for a fruity twist
• In fruit salads or as fruit kebabs.
• Grilled
• In healthy smoothies or as a mango lassi
• Mango sorbet or mango mousse
• Dried mango
• With yogurt or in a parfait.

Mangos for healthy weight gain

I’ve used mangos successfully in my healthy weight gain journey. I love eating mangos in all the above mentioned ways but what I found worked well in terms of putting on weight was drinking my calories and enjoying them in smoothies or lassis.

Try it for yourself and see why mangos are in and guilt-free for healthy weight.

The post Why Mangos are In and Guilt-Free For Healthy Weight appeared first on Gain Healthy Weight.

Today I’m excited to write about why avocados are important for healthy weight gain.

This is my main go-to fruit for gaining weight and there so many ways to enjoy it.

I’ve previously recommended avocado as a weight food and today I’m going to tell you why, and also give you some ideas of how to use this delicious food for healthy weight gain.

So avocados are pretty well known around the world, but there will still be some places where they aren’t that common.

Now one great thing about avocados is their tough skin prevents insects from eating them, meaning few pesticides are sprayed on them. This tough skin also protects the inside flesh from the chemicals.

Avocados are definitely a staple in my house. There is hardly a week that goes by that they don’t make it into the shopping basket.

On the whole I’m kind of obsessed with them and they have worked so well for me with gaining healthy weight. Oh, and they taste amazing.

But, there are also people out there that don’t like the taste of avocado and think it would be too hard to eat this to gain weight.

Honestly, my first taste of avocado was underwhelming! It took several tries before I got into it.

But no worries mate, because you can still enjoy the benefits by pairing it with other food that may somewhat “mask” the taste if it’s not to your palate.

So let’s start off with why this green fruit is so great. By the way, this is not a list of ALL the benefits, just a few.

Benefits of Avocados

1. Avocados are full of nutrients.

They have about 20 vitamins and minerals in varying amounts including vitamin K, C, B1, B2, B3, B6 and E. 

But wait, there’s more!

They are rich in folate and magnesium and have trace amounts of zinc, copper and iron among others. 

What does this mean to you?

Well it means avocados fuel your body through good fats and protein. The B vitamins help convert food into energy.This fruit also protects the body against inflammation and can help lower blood pressure. Vitamin E also helps with brain health. 

Very importantly for our weight gain needs, a medium sized avocado has about 250 whopping calories. How good is that? 

2. Rich source of unsaturated fats.

Avocados are rich in fats, and that is a good thing.

The best part is this fat is mostly unsaturated which can help in lowering cholesterol.

Unsaturated fats protect against heart disease. Some researchers even recommend eating an avocado a day for this reason.

3. Anti-cancer properties

The antioxidants and phytochemicals in avocados may help stop cancerous cells from forming.

Studies show people with a diet rich in foods such as oleic acid (found in avocados) have a reduced risk of developing some cancers.

4. They support brain and eye health

Avocados are a good source of vitamin E and lutein which may help protect against memory and cognitive decline, as well as diseases such as Alzheimer’s. 

Lutein helps with keeping brain cells healthy.

But lutein is also important for eye health too and has a number of benefits including protection from sunlight damage and inflammation.

5. Avocados help your body absorb other nutrients

While it is vital to eat a nutrient rich diet, the body also needs to be able to absorb these nutrients during digestion. 

For example, people are encouraged to pair plant based foods rich in iron with foods high in vitamin C.

That’s because the vitamin C helps the body to break down iron into a form that the body can absorb and use.

Similarly, fat soluble nutrients need to combine with a fat source to be absorbed during digestion. And this is where our good friend avocado come in.

In this way the intestine is able to absorb all the nutrients it needs and this is important, because deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of developing cancer.

6. Great source of fibre

Fibre is undigested plant material that can’t be broken down by the human body. Avocados as a whole food provide good amounts of fibre.

We need fibre for digestion, gut and bowel health, and to maintain glucose levels among other things.

How To Gain Weight Using Avocados:

So now you’ve seen some of the reasons why avocados are important for healthy weight gain.

But how do you get them into your diet? Well, there are tons of ways to enjoy this creamy fruit. Here I’ve listed a few ways to get started with avocados today.

• Have them in salads
• In sandwiches and paninis.
• With just salt, pepper, chilli, lemon, vinegar etc.
• As a spread or replacement for butter on breads. For example on toast, naan, chapati etc.
• They are delicious in smoothies
• Sliced over pasta dishes and risottos.
• Finger licking goodness in dips, especially guacamole.
• Avocado halves stuffed with eggs or cheese, canned fish or tomatoes and then baked in the oven.
• Sliced and enjoyed on a bowl of soup.
• Mashed in desserts like ice cream, popsicles and mousse.

Again I love avocados so I’m “just a little” biased, however if you don’t like the taste or texture, you could add to avocado into mixtures like home-made popsicles, dips e.g. hummus, smoothies etc. to disguise the taste.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post on why avocados are important for healthy weight gain, and will get them into your diet ASAP.

Honestly, there aren’t that many whole foods that can offer all these benefits.

The post Why Avocados Are Important For Healthy Weight. appeared first on Gain Healthy Weight.

Today’s post is about sarcopenia and how to protect against muscle loss.

This is something that could affect any one of us in later years though not many have heard of it.

What is Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia is age related muscle loss which leads to a significant drop in strength and function in the body. It is a topic of increasing importance because of the numbers of people affected by it.

It can lead to general frailty which affects a person’s posture, balance and mobility.

In fact, this affects someone’s ability to do everyday tasks such as lifting, carrying or even climbing stairs. And sacropenia can result in a loss of independence.

But even more than that, it can result in early death.

We begin to lose muscle mass from around 30 years of age.

That’s pretty important to note but many people don’t know about sarcopenia and how to protect against muscle loss

Low muscle mass is linked to low bone density and this can be a risk factor for fractures when we get older.

However we have a tool that can help with this- exercise.

Exercise in the form of resistance or strength training is one thing that we can fall back on.

Interestingly, sarcopenia also affects younger people, not just seniors.

People with health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, some cancers, hormonal conditions e.g. reduced testosterone, and kidney disease among others may develop sarcopenia.

So all this sounds depressing and maybe even inevitable for us, right?

Well not necessarily. Research suggests that muscle mass and strength can be improved to prevent, or slow down the decline.

Causes:

How does sarcopenia come about?

As mentioned earlier, some muscle loss is a natural part of life, and this often starts in the decade between the 30s-40s. As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass and bone density. 

Muscle shrinks and becomes less effective when we lose muscle mass.

 It may also be replaced with increased body fat which can lead to a range of diseases linked to excess weight.

But sarcopenia generally comes about because of:

• A lack of enough protein necessary for muscle health.

Protein is needed to prevent sarcopenia.

Other than protein, a balanced diet with enough healthy calories and nutrients is also required to maintain the body’s daily function.

Take for example vitamin D. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to sarcopenia.

• Lack of exercise and an inactive lifestyle. 

A lack of physical activity can result in body weakness which may lead to sarcopenia.

• Muscle atrophy.

This refers to the loss of muscle and this can happen in a number of ways. Some of these include serious illness, injury, extended bed rest, lack of mobility, nerve damage etc.

Muscle shrinkage as well as reduced strength can result from this.

Symptoms:

What does sarcopenia look like?

Some symptoms include:

• Low muscle mass and muscle shrinkage.
• Struggling with daily tasks like dressing, showers or climbing stairs.
• General weakness.
• Poor balance and increased falls.
• Low stamina
• Walking with difficulty.

Treatment:

There is good news on this front.

Studies have shown that many people can have good outcomes and rebuild their muscle strength with the help of strength training and a balanced diet that is rich in protein.  

However this might not be the case for everyone.

It is important to see an experienced health professional who will be able to recommend the right treatment.

Sarcopenia and gaining healthy weight:

As mentioned before, this is a health issue that does tend to affect seniors. But also don’t forget, muscle mass loss begins from the ages of 30s onwards.

For those of us who are trying to gain healthy weight, this post highlights that we do need to be aware of sarcopenia and how to protect against muscle loss.

Firstly eating a balanced diet will help us with our weight gain goals and body’s needs. Also make sure you’re getting enough protein.

People who are underweight may struggle with a loss of appetite, age or illness and may not be meeting their daily nutrition needs.

In the short term this can affect their health and immunity, whilst in the long run this can be a risk factor for sarcopenia.

Those struggling to eat enough calories every day could try drinking their calories.

Finally make time for exercise, especially strength training, in your life.

The post Sarcopenia And How To Protect Against Muscle Loss appeared first on Gain Healthy Weight.

Hi all, today I’m writing about easy healthy weight gain tips for vegetarians.

Now there are different types of vegetarians but generally their diet involves not having meat, poultry and fish, and sometimes their products as well.

This lifestyle is on the up worldwide and has a number of health benefits including a decrease in heart disease, some cancers and chronic diseases.

In fact most of us could probably increase the amount of plant based foods in our diets which would improve our general health greatly.

However, there are some vegetarians who may be underweight and looking to gain more weight, have better immunity. Like many of us, busy lives may mean not always having a balanced diet or making the best food choices.

So this post really is for everyone because it has tips on the best plant based nutrients needed for a healthy weight gain diet.

Ok, let’s get started.

The Benefits with Plant Based Foods.

The great news for vegetarians looking to gain healthy weight is that many plant based foods are high in more than one source of essential nutrients. 

For example, many protein foods are also good sources of complex carbohydrates. And foods rich in good fats are again great sources of carbs.

Protein Rich Foods:

Firstly, everyone needs a balanced diet for their bodies to function well and protein is one of those necessary food groups.

Protein is found in the body and is also needed for building and repairing cells and muscles.

However many plant based protein sources are incomplete proteins, meaning they are missing at least one of the essential amino acids. Also, some plant foods aren’t as easily absorbed as animal protein by the body.

The way around this is for vegetarians to get their proteins from a variety of sources. And the best way is to get your daily protein from natural food sources.

All in all, some of the best vegetarian protein sources include:

Pulses: These are the richest source of plant based protein and include chickpeas, lentils, split peas and most types of beans such as kidney, black eyed, pinto, white etc.

Nuts, nut butters and seeds: E.g. almonds,peanuts, cashews, chia seeds, flaxseeds etc.

Whole grains: E.g. quinoa, oats, barley, millet. Also found in whole grain pastas, breads, porridges etc.

Dairy: Milk, yogurt, cheese etc.

Soy products: Tempeh, tofu, soy milk etc.

**Importantly, please stay away from genetically modified (GM) foods which in some countries are what most soy products are. Go for a non-GM option instead.

I know this can be harder to do in some countries that really plug GM foods to the point that they are mainstream in markets and supermarkets. But the dangers of GM food production are still not fully known.

So, what are some high protein vegetarian meal ideas? I thought you’d never ask!

A few ideas of high protein meals for vegetarians include:

Bean salads, quinoa salads, lentil soup, barley soup, split pea soup, mix of seeds and nuts, tofu burgers, quiche, rice and beans, nut butters with bread or fruit, oats porridge, omelettes etc.

Carbohydrates: 

Overall, carbohydrates have a bad rap but the truth is they are another essential nutrient in the human diet and provide energy for the body’s tissues and cells.

And they are crucial among the easy healthy weight gain tips for vegetarians

Complex carbohydrates especially support the body’s immune, nervous and digestive function among other functions.

Sources of carbs include the following:

Whole grains including brown rice, maize (corn), whole wheat breads and pastas, buckwheat, quinoa etc.

Vegetables and fruits Some fruit and veggies contain complex carbohydrates including potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, most types of beans, oranges, bananas, apples, pears, yams, okra etc.

Dairy: Milk, yogurt and cheese are sources of carbohydrates.

Remember how I mentioned many plant foods give more than one source of nutrients? Well read on.

Sources of carbs AS WELL AS protein include: most types of beans, lentils, split peas, chickpeas, quinoa, barley, millet, brown rice, some nuts (e.g. cashews, pistachios, almonds), milk, yogurt and cheese.

Fats and carbs are often lumped together and fats have even a worse rap than carbs. Again folks, these are necessary in the diet so please don’t avoid them.

Good sources of healthy fats AND carbohydrates are: avocados, nuts, flaxseeds and chia seeds.

Vegetables and Fruit:

These foods are the backbone for vegetarians and really, the world is your oyster when it comes to fruits and vegetables.

Importantly, their nutritional value especially when it comes to boosting health and immunity is incredible. They offer you vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants and calories.

There are also lots of options to choose from and millions of recipes for delicious and healthy meals.

Some of the best vegetables for healthy weight gain include starchy ones such as potatoes, maize (corn), pumpkin, sweet potatoes, beans, parsnips, yams, chickpeas, lentils etc.

Certainly that is not to say forget about the non-starchy vegetables e.g. tomatoes, zucchini, cabbage etc. They too have their benefits and play an important part in the diet.

Meanwhile fruits that are great for healthy weight gain include avocados, mangos, bananas, coconut flesh, and pineapples. Enjoy them on their own, in salads/fruit salads, grilled, baked, in smoothies or in lassis.

Dried fruits including raisins, figs, dates, apricots, sultanas, prunes also pack a fibre and calorie punch, but do have them in moderation.

But I personally find them very sweet in general and can only manage very small amounts at a time. Enjoy them as a snack.                              

How to include these foods into your vegetarian diet.

There are plenty of easy ways to include these foods into your diet. Here are just a few examples:

• By drinking your calories-for example in smoothies and green juices.
• Add dairy, beans, whole grains and seeds into salads. E.g. Greek salad with feta cheese, Mexican mixed bean salad, quinoa salad etc. Or sprinkle some ground seeds into salads.
• Making soups and stews with beans, peas, lentils, rice, pasta, beetroot, spinach, chickpeas, pumpkin, barley, potatoes etc. Yum! Don’t forget to add a spoon of full fat yogurt into soups for additional flavour and calories.)
• Certainly cooking up a vegetable stir fry and including tofu and nuts like cashews or peanuts.
• Whole grain pasta dishes with cheese or pesto sauce and sprinkled with finely chopped walnuts or pine nuts.
• Sliced fruits and nuts added to breakfast foods like cereals, porridge, and yogurt.

Hey, don’t forget to try out different cuisines. It’s easy to get bored with making the same-old, same-old foods that we eat regularly, and trying new foods will increase the variety in your diet.

And, looking up and trying out different foods is a great chance to learn about other cultures’ foods and produce you may never have heard of before.

No doubt, there is a world of tasty vegetarian food out there: curries, dips, soups, flat breads, pastas and risottos and so on. (Wipes corners of mouth.)

Whether you are vegetarian or not, eating more plant based foods will have real benefits for your health.

And so I hope you’re inspired to try some of these easy healthy weight gain tips for vegetarians.

Till next time.

The post Easy Healthy Weight Gain Tips For Vegetarians appeared first on Gain Healthy Weight.

Here are some of the basic but important kitchen tools to boost your healthy weight gain.

They are great because you’ll use these items over and over again and they will save you time and money. And who doesn’t want that?

But if you’re thinking “Oh Oh”, just relax.

I’m not suggesting something like a vitamix is a crucial item, although if you have or can afford one, good for you!

Also, if you have a small kitchen, don’t worry because I’m no fan of clutter or things you’ll use once and then it’s stashed away on a high shelf somewhere to gather dust for years.

These items are fairly affordable and some are pretty small.

Some you can tuck away in a cupboard or even drawer. But the main thing is that you’ll get lots of use from these important kitchen tools to boost your healthy weight gain.

So first off, I’m just going to mention having a decent fridge. It’s so essential; I’ve sort of taken it for granted that most people reading this blog will already have one.

Ok that’s that and now let’s begin.

The Important Kitchen Tool List

1. Countertop Blenders To Boost Healthy Weight Gain                                            

Countertop blenders are wonderful kitchen tools that can be used every few days, if not every day.

You can use this type of blender to make smoothies, juices, some puddings, salsas, cauliflower rice, home-made mayonnaise and sauces. Those are just some blender ideas.

Ice Ice Baby

If you are on the lookout for a countertop blender, try and find one that is high powered and can crush ice.

The reason I mention ice crushing is because firstly, there are people who like their smoothies, juices, lassis etc. cold and will include ice when making them.

Second, ice crushing blenders are needed if you’re using frozen fruit or produce for either drinking your calories or making easy, tasty, healthy weight gain desserts like home-made frozen yogurt, ice- creams, and sorbets.

(Post on simple healthy weight gain frozen desserts to come).

In general, benefits of countertop blenders include:

• It’s quick and easy to make a healthy weight drink/food.
• They have different speed settings and generally a pulsing option as well.
• They process a large variety of whole foods and this means less waste as well as keeping the nutritional value.
• On the whole they provide an easy way to include more fruits and vegetables in your diet.
• Quite easy to clean up and you don’t have to remove parts.

Our previous blender was from the Russell Hobbs brand. It finally gave up the ghost after about 12 years and cost about $50 (Australian) at the time. The current blender is an ice crusher from Sunbeam and I’m pretty happy with it and have had it for a few years now.

But be warned. If you put ice or frozen produce in a countertop blender that isn’t ice crushing, it will dull the blades. It can even burn out the motor or crack the glass/plastic of the jug or container.

*Please don’t place boiling hot liquids in them. This exercise may scald you, destroy your blender and re-decorate your kitchen with blotches on the walls and ceiling.

So to make a long story short, do get a high powered ice crushing blender which you can use for way more than just smoothies.

2. Stick/Immersion Blenders

These types of blenders have a slim, compact design. Immersion blenders aren’t as powerful as countertop blenders so use on soft or softened foods only (no nuts please).

But they can do some things the countertop ones can’t.

For instance, they are great for blending hot liquids like soups, soft desserts including those prepared on the stovetop (remember to switch burner off first), home-made tomato sauce, baby food, soft dips, batters and mixing powder with liquid to a smooth paste.

I like stick blenders for the following reasons:

• They are so convenient. For example, if you’re making soup, you’d need to let it cool down some, pour it into your countertop blender without burning yourself and blend, holding on to the lid so it doesn’t spray your kitchen. Then try not to burn yourself again as you pour it back into the pot. No such drama with this little guy. Plunge into your cooking pot and puree away.
• Importantly, they are easy to wash.  Lather up and rinse in less than 20 seconds. Seriously!
• They are small- a slice of the size of a countertop blender and light to carry. Finding room in your kitchen isn’t going to be hard.
• They work really well for little portions/small jobs. Realistically, not everyone is your family is going to want to gain weight so you may not need huge amounts of what you’re blending.

Like anything there are pricey ones but you can also get a range for under (Australian) $50.

*Just remember:

Be careful when blending hot liquids.

And avoid using them in shallow containers. They work best when the head of the blender is completely immersed in what you’re blending.

Finally dudes, please always, ALWAYS unplug it before washing. You don’t want to lose a piece of finger!

3. Slow cookers

Ok, so these aren’t the smallest of kitchen equipment but they are very useful time savers for making healthy weight gain meals.

Slow cookers are electrical appliances that cook on low temperatures over long periods of times e.g. 4-10 hours.

They are great for stews, casseroles, soups, roasts and other meat and poultry dishes, beans and bone broth just to name a few.

Of course, while blenders are great because they work fast, these babies take hours to cook.

Now hear me out because you literally just set and forget slow cookers. And then hours later, it’s all done and ready for you to gobble up.

How it works is you place your raw peeled, cut up ingredients (meat and vegetables), liquid and seasoning inside and turn it on.

 It then cooks on slow heat for several hours and voila you have a delicious meal to sink your chops into.

There are several benefits to slow cooking including:

• Food becomes very soft and flavourful. (Fall-off-the-bone soft).It also maintains more nutrients than cooking on higher heat.
• This is the ultimate one-pot cooking. It means very little food prep and washing up.
• You can use cheaper and tougher cuts of meat in a slow cooker to get tender, tasty meals.
• You are less likely to burn food using a slow cooker. People can set it before leaving in the morning to go to work, and come back at the end of the day to delicious smells wafting from your home. Or you can even leave it on overnight while you sleep.
• They are cheaper to run than an oven.
• Naturally, slow cookers are great for bulk cooking which can then be frozen for future meals. This saves you time and money.

*I must admit there was a disadvantage of working from home during covid while using the slow cooker. Because this meant inhaling mouth- watering smells while knowing there is still 4 hours to go before it’s completely done.

So obviously, follow the instructions on your slow cooker for the best results. And then just set and forget, till its dinner time.

4. Food and Drink Containers

Overall, these aren’t big ticket items but they are super useful for healthy weight gain.

Storage containers and jars can be used for raw produce, cooked produce, snacks and drinks.

I use mostly glass containers for several reasons. They are:

• Clear and see-through so it’s easy to identify what food is in there.
• Long-lasting and recyclable.
• Safe to use- no worrying about BPA chemicals leaching into food. See here and this as well for information on plastic storage.
• Easy to clean and they don’t absorb the smell of foods stored in them.
• Easy to collect when buying honey, coffee, jam in jars etc. and simply re-using them. These are great for storing dried grains, cereal, spices, nuts etc.
• Versatile and can go from freezers and fridges to higher temperatures such as ovens or dishwashers.

So, I use a few different types of storage. I have glass bottles for storing my healthy weight gain drinks. (You can get some cheap ones from Kmart or IKEA.)

*Tip: Think about the shape of the bottles before buying for washing out well with a bottle brush.

I also have different sized “lunchbox” type glass containers which I use to store mostly cooked food in the fridge or freezer.

Finally, I keep different sized glass jars which were originally from jam, honey and other condiments.

I re-use them as mentioned above for storing dry food, snacks and spices. You’ll find this useful for figuring out what weight gain foods to keep at home.

In conclusion, I’m guessing some of these items you already have in your kitchen.

If you’re not using them, it’s a good idea to pull them out, dust them off and see them for the great aids that they are.

 I’ve personally found these important kitchen tools to boost healthy weight gain of real benefit for my weight journey.

So, here is to your good health!

The post Important Kitchen Tools To Boost Your Healthy Weight Gain appeared first on Gain Healthy Weight.

Hey folks, in this post I thought I’d share 5 amazing drinks you need to gain healthy weight. They are all yogurt based and delicious.

To tell you the truth, I can’t pick a favourite. It just depends on what I feel like having at the time.

Importantly during my weight gain journey, I had struggled with trying to increase my daily calories just by eating solid food.  I relied heavily on drinking my calories and these drinks helped a lot.

 So, have you heard of lassis?

These are traditional blended yogurt drinks originally from India. It is routine there to enjoy this refreshing drink to cool down in the hot seasons, and to help ease the fiery taste of spicy foods.

Perhaps the most recognised flavour is mango lassi and pretty much every Indian restaurant has it.

Please do note the mango lassi in restaurants is generally super sweet and likely full of processed sugar.

You can make your own, healthier version and its super easy.If you need a little more convincing on the benefits of mangos, have a read of this.

But actually, lassis can be sweet or salty.

Sweet lassis are generally blended with fruit, while the latter have salt and even ground spices in them.

Salty drink? Really?

Yes, now just stay with me, before you make a face like this dude here.

It actually really works well. I know there are similar salty drinks popular in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, like ayran in Turkey.

Try it before you decide it’s not for you, and I’d even say try it more than once as it can be an acquired taste.

Benefits of lassis

I love lassis as a weight gain drink option for a number of reasons:

• Lassis are filling, refreshing and taste amazing.
• Yogurt is full of probiotics which is great for your gut.
• Importantly they are rich in protein, calcium, as well as vitamins and minerals.
• They are easy to prepare with just a handful of ingredients needed.
• Also the fruit is full of vitamins, minerals and fibre which are needed for immunity and good health.

And, lassis can be enjoyed at any time of the day.

I generally have mine mid-morning, not really in the afternoon as I head to the gym or will do a workout session at home after work several days a week. 

The other time I’ll have a lassi is after dinner which pretty much doubles up as dessert.

Some traditional Indian lassi recipes don’t include milk, however I add it in to make a thinner consistency and also add more calories.

I also quite like the tartness of yogurt so you may find you need to add more sweetener to suit your tastes.

So today I’ve put together 5 amazing drinks you need to gain healthy weight. Take a look.

Lassi Your Way To Healthy Weight Gain

1. Mango Lassi

2.Banana lassi

3. Berry lassi

4. Salty lassi

5. Papaya lassi

And that’s it folks. It’s as simple as that.

I have said before that calorific drinks should be an addition to your 3 daily regular meals and not a substitute for them.

Try these 5 amazing drinks you need to gain healthy weight and a bonus is they won’t break the bank. For more budget tips on gaining healthy weight, check out this and that.

The post 5 Amazing Drinks You Need To Gain Healthy Weight appeared first on Gain Healthy Weight.

Happy New Year dear readers! While the first article of the year (Staying Motivated on your weight gain journey) is written in line with weight goals, it also applies to life in general.

I truly hope you are all well and keeping safe during these difficult times.

And we all know that it’s a pretty challenging start to the year (after a less than stellar 2020).

I mean, with health worries for yourself, family and friends, stay-at-home restrictions, financial challenges etc. all because of covid, it can be so hard to motivate yourself towards anything now.

But we’ve got to!! There really isn’t any (good) alternative.

We just can’t let this thing beat us down. And now is as good a time as any to get motivated. So we start by taking a simple step forward.

Now if you’ve found this blog, it’s probably because you were doing a search for how to gain weight. You’ve possibly also set an intention to work towards healthy weight gain. Not to be a spoilsport, but folks that was the easy part!

Following through on this is where it can be tricky to stay on track, because honestly, this is a long term goal.

I’m not a fan of clichés so I apologise in advance, BUT it is a marathon not a sprint.

Because don’t forget, gaining weight is only one part of the equation; keeping it on takes some doing too. Wait, this isn’t news to you, is it?

From personal experience I know there are going to be “I don’t have time” days, and “I just don’t wanna days” as well as “There’s all sorts of stuff happening’ days.

These strategies are to help keep you focused and consistent, but have fun too on the journey. So enjoy these tips to staying motivated on your weight gain journey.

Staying Motivated While Gaining Healthy Weight

1.What’s your reason for doing this?

Knowing why you’re choosing to do this will be a big driver for how you progress. See this for some reasons (including my own), on why gain weight.

For instance, a major reason for me was that I got sick of being sick all the time and really wanted better immunity and health.

That was a huge motivator for me. Have a read of this post for more on being underweight and health.

You need to know your why and then write it down. Research shows writing goals down does affect how we act.

2.Plan and prep ahead.

This is good general daily advice in life, but more so for those days when you’re feeling time-poor/ overwhelmed and more likely to let things slide.

Get into the habit of organising your upcoming week by planning ahead.

Think weekly meal plans and shopping lists to save time, money, and avoid running out of nutritious weight gain food.

After that, do some simple prep to make things easy during the week.

For example if you’ll be using the strategy of drinking your calories, prep ahead after shopping.

Cut up and sort the food you’re going to use in your smoothies (bananas, mangos, nuts, berries, baby spinach etc.).

Mix them up and place into zip lock bags. Prepare 5-8 or more bags depending on how many drinks you’re planning to have over a week and stick them in the freezer.

During the week, pull out and empty zip lock bag contents into a blender and add your choice of milk/liquid.

(Other additions could include yogurt, nut butter, maple syrup etc.). Blend for a couple of minutes and enjoy your healthy liquid calories.

Such simple steps will cut down the barriers to staying motivated on your weight gain journey.

Seriously here, all you have to do is put the zip lock items into a blender and press a button.

3.Break it down

Breaking down large goals into chunks makes them less daunting and easier to achieve.

By all means, set a large goal like Gain 12 kgs in 12-18 months.

But just looking at it can leave you feeling overwhelmed, not sure where to begin and what to prioritise.

To start gaining traction on the big goal, break it down into chunks. Mini-goals or milestones are the best way to get to your end goal.

For instance, think about what you hope to achieve in 3 months. Then break it down further to monthly, then weekly, and finally daily goals.

Small regular actions become habits which lead to getting to the larger goals more easily.

For example, having a high calorie nutrient dense smoothie every afternoon and maintaining this.

Or 30 minutes of resistance exercises or lifting weights three-four times a week.

With both these goals, you’re staying fit and gaining muscle not just fat, nourishing your body, while increasing healthy calories in your diet.

In fact, this is a great sedge way into the next tip.

4.Do something towards your goal everyday

We know goals require work and consistency. Yes, especially when we don’t feel like it!

Set an achievable goal every day and think about the benefits it gives you and how closer you are getting to your big picture goal.

At first you may not be getting it done every day but keep at it as it becomes a habit.

Then it may become just another part of your daily routine, like brushing your teeth.

So set a daily minimum.

(And let’s raise the bar some folks.) We’re not talking about something so minimal that you could do it in your sleep. That don’t count!

Rinse and repeat.

When it starts getting boring or too routine, aim higher and mix it up.

For example, use heavier weights, change what you’re doing, expand your list of healthy weight gain recipes, learn to cook some things if you don’t know how to etc.

5.Set realistic expectations while staying motivated

Yes, we have a plan and expectations, but you’ve heard about the best laid plans….

Understand that for various reasons such as genetics, your natural body frame, low appetite, high satiety cues, a fast metabolism, etc. etc, looking like Dwayne Johnson or Kim Kardashian isn’t going to be possible for everyone.

(If that’s what you’re aspiring towards.)

It’s great to dream big but also realise that becoming attached to certain expectations can end in disappointment if they aren’t met.

I remember after I’d put on 5-6 kgs, I was so excited at first, then became frustrated because it just wasn’t showing on my frame.

Sure, the scales said I’d put the weight on, but nothing else did.

I still looked THE SAME. I couldn’t see the extra weight, and everyone said I looked exactly the same. Grrrr!

Granted, what had changed for me was that I wasn’t catching colds or flus anymore. And for me was big, I was grateful for that.

But I was still disappointed.

Even later, when I had gained more weight and it was very obvious, it didn’t magically go where I had hoped it would.

My childlike wrists remain but you know what? Thank God. It’s all good. Delicately boned, I say.

So be kind to yourself and avoiding the self-criticism if you’re not getting exactly to where you had imagined you’d be.

Because for some, if you’re working with weights or resistance training frequently, you’ll be putting on muscle and may remain looking lean.

The scales may show an increase in weight but you may not end up looking as “buff” as you like.

Similarly setting a goal of X kgs increase within say, 3-4 weeks may not be achievable as you may hit a plateau though you’re maintaining your increased calorie intake.

So also remember to give yourself time.

6. Recognise your progress and reward yourself during your weight gain journey.

No longer need a belt to hold up your jeans?

No, they didn’t shrink in the wash (well it’s not the only reason anyway).

That’s the weight you’ve put on recently. Congratulations!

However you choose to monitor your weight gain – on the scales, or by less scientific means (like your undies starting to cutting off your circulation, or your face looking more rounded), celebrate.

Recognise the gain from your efforts and do something nice for yourself.

During these covid times, it could be ordering your favourite Thai take away, pampering yourself with a nice bath, buying some new workout gear, getting some pretty flowers, or something nice for the house.

Rewards help keep you motivated to carry on with your goals. It also gives you a chance to see what’s working for you and what’s not.

And that’s it. Hope you’ve enjoyed these few tips to staying motivated on your weight gain journey.

Now go get to it!

The post Staying Motivated On Your Weight Gain Journey appeared first on Gain Healthy Weight.

Saving money At The Supermarket

Love bargains and saving money? Me too! Find out how to do this AND achieve your weight goals on How to Gain Healthy Weight on a Budget.

Food shopping is a major expense for most people so let’s see what we can do to save some money.

Now, eating well on a budget is a pretty big topic, so we’ll be coming back to saving money in different ways, just because there are lots of ways not to break the bank when eating big.

Today’s post focuses on gaining healthy weight on a budget when shopping at the supermarket.

It’s not hard to eat good quality food for weight gain even on a budget. With some planning and imagination, you’ve got this.

                                     Guide to Affordable Supermarket Shopping

1. Check what you already have at home

So it actually all starts right at home.   

Before you head over to the supermarket, check what food you’ve already got and can use at home. 

Have you got some kitchen staples that you can use like oats, wholemeal pasta, beans, rice, frozen vegetables etc?

Next, go through the supermarket specials on catalogues (online, in the local paper or delivered to your mailbox) to see what’s discounted, and get ideas of what to cook with these specials.

1. Make a meal plan and shopping list

How to gain healthy weight on a budget means planning.

Once you know what you’ve got at home and what you need to get, the next thing is make a meal plan for the week ahead.

Don’t forget to include food for snacks.

Because I like to drink my calories in between meals, this means fruit, yogurt and milk are must-haves in my meal plan.

Of course, batch cooking meals to eat over several days will also save you time and money.

To clarify, it doesn’t mean you have to eat the same rice meal for the next 5 days (unless you want to).

So first, write your meal plan down- whether on a post it, fancy shopping list notepaper, or on your phone. Wherever. Just make sure you have a list.

Second, on the same piece of paper/ post, make another list. This is your shopping list and what you’ll go armed into the supermarket with to save $$.

2. Shop at a discount supermarket

In Australia on every Wednesday and Saturday morning, a queue snakes its way outside the local Aldi stores well before 8am.

Part of the reason is for its advertised Special Buys on those days (homewares, clothing etc.). But it is also due to its everyday cheaper food prices.

Discount grocery stores have lower prices on lots (not all) of food compared to the more established and better known grocery shops, and can save you quite a bit of cash.

On the whole, I like Aldi for the lower prices, but also because the organic food range there is much more affordable than the regular supermarkets.

Be warned though if you’re going to Aldi, to avoid the centre aisles which are filled with tempting nice-to-have-but-don’t need items.

And of course stick to the lists you’ve made.

3. Buy seasonal

How to gain healthy weight on a budget also means buying food in season. This is great for a number of reasons.

Firstly, it is easily available, abundant, with lots of variety, which means it is cheaper.

It will also be fresher and taste a lot better. Also you’re supporting local farmers and the community.

And remember, lots of supermarkets have online and in-store pamphlets with budget recipe ideas for foods in season.

While there may be something exotic about eating Californian cherries during the Aussie winter, it’s going to cost you. 

And all those food miles are also not great for the environment. (You know that fruit will have come from a long way off and have who-knows-what preservatives in it to keep it looking pretty.)

4. Swap and sub

So here I’m talking about two things: substituting name brand for supermarket brand items.          

Also, swapping more expensive ingredients for cheaper ones e.g. protein.

Generally for staple foods or single food  common items like baked beans, dry pasta, tinned vegetables like corn, chickpeas, beetroot etc, one brand tastes much like the other.

The supermarket brand is usually cheaper with a similar quality to a name brand.

In short, save your money and pick the supermarket brand.

I doubt you’ll notice the difference most of the time and it will help you achieve the goal of gaining healthy weight on a budget.

Also when it comes to making food swaps, you can save money by making simple swaps as well. For example:

• Choose frozen vegetables over fresh vegetables that aren’t in season.
• Pick cheaper cuts of meat/poultry e.g. chicken legs are tasty, filling and cheaper than chicken breast.
• Swap a recipe ingredient like lamb mince with canned tuna for a pasta bake.

5. Bulk Buy

This is a great way to save money BUT it needs to make sense.

We’re not talking hoarding (think Australia and toilet paper at the start of covid) or stashing food in an underground bunker as “just in case” doomsday prepping.

There isn’t any point bulk buying something because it is on special if you won’t eat it all before it expires.

Another thing to keep in mind is having the storage space to store the bulk items at home.

Only bulk buy long lasting and food items that you need and know that you will USE, and try get them on special as much as possible.

Here is where those supermarket weekly or monthly specials guides come in handy.

This is also a good way to start stocking up on some healthy staple foods on standby for weight gain.

6. Buy milk

Milk is a great source of protein, calories as well as a number of nutrients. As such, it is excellent for building muscle.

Milk is also easy on the wallet (I’m referring to full cream cow’s milk.) Other types of milk such as plant milks can be quite pricey.

A large cup of milk contains about 150 calories.

You can have it as a hot beverage (like hot chocolate), cold beverage (milkshake), add to healthy desserts, eggs, cereals, porridge, soups, and my favourite, smoothies.

While it is refreshing drunk on its own, the magic happens with what you can add to it.

A spoonful of peanut butter, honey, yogurt, banana and suddenly you have a healthy drink with over 500 calories.

Milk is a simple but effective strategy in how to gain healthy weight on a budget.

I’ve also personally found that drinking your calories is much easier that eating them for healthy weight gain. What I will stress though, is to add it to your daily food plan, not replace a meal with the liquid calories.

This is one food item that you’re going to want to have in your shopping list every week to help with gaining healthy weight on a budget.

7. The frozen section

Now I just want to be clear that I’m not talking about buying frozen microwave meals and foods like pizzas, ice creams, waffles and so on. That stuff won’t do your body any favours.

To clarify, frozen fruit, vegetables, unprocessed seafood, meats and poultry is what we’re looking for. These tend to be much cheaper than their fresh equivalent especially when out of season.

The benefit of raw or unprocessed frozen foods is they are easy to prepare, affordable and are packed with nutrients.

Frozen fruits and vegetables for example, are picked at their peak and frozen when they are most nutrient dense.

In fact, this study  is one of several that found there wasn’t much difference in nutritional value between fresh and frozen foods.

Some studies suggest frozen foods have better nutritional value to some fresh food, as the latter has a shorter shelf life, can quickly spoil and lose nutrients as it goes off.

So, can you find frozen foods that will help with healthy weight gain? Of course you can. 

Some examples include fish, poultry (chicken, turkey, duck), meat (beef, lamb, venison, goat, veal etc.) maize (corn), cassava, sweet potato, yams, taro, tofu, mango etc.

Pass by the fresh fruit and vegetable section on your way to the frozen food section to check and compare the prices. Some frozen food may be more expensive e.g. fresh mangos in season will likely be cheaper than frozen mango pieces. 

8. Buy versatile foods

Don’t forget to include food ingredients that are affordable and versatile. Non-perishable foods are especially good value as you don’t have to worry about food spoilage within a short time.

In other words, the coconut flour is out. It’s not a priority! It’s expensive and has limited use.

Coconut milk on the other hand (canned, boxed or powdered) is a great buy. This is something I get all the time because it is cheap, multipurpose and packs good calories.

For instance, I use coconut milk in curries, breakfast cereals, smoothies, desserts etc, all within the same weekly meal plan which means I use it all up with no waste.

Another good buy at the supermarket that I personally love is a full roast/rotisserie chicken.

It’s cheap, already cooked and finger licking ready to tear up.

This is also a great source of calories and can be used in so many ways. You’re limited only by your imagination.

How about with mashed potatoes, hot or cold chicken salads, sandwiches, pastas, frittatas or quiches, omelettes, fried rice, quesadillas, soup (using the bones) etc.

Mind you, buying a whole uncooked chicken will also save you money at the supermarket.

A few other cheap and versatile ingredients include eggs, oats, bananas, milk legumes, and canned tuna.

9. Shop once a week and don’t shop when hungry.

How many can relate to dropping into the supermarket “just for some toilet paper” and coming out with 9 other items including chips, ice cream and a 6 pack of some drink?  

That’s what happens when we:

• Randomly go to the supermarket several times a week.
• Shop without a plan and without a list
• And shop when we’re hungry.

It can end up costing you a small fortune.

And this is another simple but practical tip for how to gain healthy weight on a budget.

Let’s be honest. Stopping off the supermarket for “one-off items” and sticking to that requires a will- power most of us just don’t have.

I used to head to the shops after work and the gym to pick up some milk. Worst idea ever!

I was hungry after a workout and would come out of the shop munching on the biggest bag of oversalted chips. 

Or come out with fish ‘n’ chips from the fish and chip shop next door (which wasn’t what we were going to have for dinner until 10 minutes ago).

So stick to shopping once a week and only with your trusty shopping list to keep you on track with your budget.

This year we’re all going through tough times with covid.

But difficult as these times may be depending on where in the world you are and the current covid restrictions in place, the limits on movement (in our case to the supermarket) can actually help you save money.

Finally

To summarise, saving money on food shopping doesn’t mean tasteless food or unhealthy choices. Also, that extra $$ you save can go to other goals in your life.

And remember feel free to start off with one tip, or a few, and ease your way into gaining healthy weight on a budget at the supermarket.

The post How To Gain Healthy Weight On A Budget: appeared first on Gain Healthy Weight.

This week I thought we’d look at making easy desserts for healthy weight gain.

I know, people are busy and would like to have some simple go-to calorific desserts with that don’t need tons of ingredients or take lots of time to prepare.

Although we enjoy watching those reality cooking contests where people are tempering chocolate from scratch, we wouldn’t necessarily want that hassles ourselves.

We’d rather eat the chocolate than temper it, right?

In reality, I think many of us are all about tasty, easy to prepare desserts in a short amount of time.

I mean have you ever watched Chopped re-runs? I really wouldn’t want to be in the contestants’ place.

For those who don’t know, Chopped is a show where they have 4 chefs competing for $10,000 with limited time to make meals out of basket ingredients that are bizarre.

Just think: having to make a delicious dessert out of fried chicken, blueberries and pureed baby food.

Naturally, we just want simple, tasty, fruity desserts with easy to find ingredients that pack healthy calories.

And of course prep time is kept to a bare minimum.

To illustrate one of these “recipes” is simply putting 3 or 4 ingredients in a bowl. Really, you wouldn’t even call that “prep” time!

You may want to take a look at this article for ideas on easily increasing your daily intake.

And now, let’s get started.

Healthy Weight Gain Desserts

1. Baked bananas with nuts

Did you know baking bananas in the oven for a short time brings out this natural gooey caramel-like sweetness?

For the most basic recipe, all you need is 2 small bananas and a few nuts.

* I like cashews, macadamias and brazil nuts. Just 4 brazil nuts or 5 macadamias give over 100 calories.

How To:

Peel and slice the bananas lengthwise and place on some baking paper on a baking tray.

Bake bananas in the oven for 10-12 minutes on 200 degrees C.

Meanwhile, place nuts in a resealable zip lock bag and go over them with a rolling pin until they are broken up into little bits.

Remove the bananas from the oven, place on a plate then sprinkle with nuts.

There are lots of variations to this, and you can increase the calories by adding other healthy toppings.

For instance, perhaps sprinkle desiccated or toasted coconut flakes, grated dark chocolate, and/or spices like cinnamon, cardamom or nutmeg on top.  

                2. Fruit, chocolate and fondue

Fruit and chocolate is an incredible combination.

It looks fancy, adds a lil’ somethin’, somethin’ to plain fruit, tastes amazing and is easy breezy to put together.

Simply melt some good quality dark chocolate on a double boiler on the stove or even in a microwave for a couple of minutes.  

Dip your fruit pieces in it and leave to cool on some baking paper, then into the fridge for 35-40 minutes to set.

*Certainly, make sure the fruit pieces are dry and not wet from just being rinsed.

Roll in some chopped up nuts after dipping in chocolate for more texture and flavour (and calories!) Leave to set on some baking paper.

Finally, why not consider a fondue.

If you have family around or friends over and have time to savour your dessert, fondues are awesome. Try either a chocolate fondue or cheese fondue.

Seriously, who knew fruit could go so naturally with melted cheese? Try pears, grapes, apples and figs for starters. Yum!

3. Whipped ricotta cheese with berries

This simple “recipe” takes just a few minutes to whip up.

All you need is 125gms of full-fat ricotta cheese and 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey. Beat till smooth using a hand mixer, processor or stick blender.

Let this set in the fridge for 1hr-1.5 hours. Enjoy on its own or stir in any berries you like. Grate or melt some chocolate over it and/or sprinkle finely ground nuts for a decadent feel.

Naturally, if you’d like some more for later, you could double the cheese amount.

4. Coconut cream berry popsicles

Who’s up for healthy creamy ice-cream popsicles?

This frozen dessert is delicious, nutritious and above all, easy to prepare.

All you need to make these is a can of full cream coconut cream (or milk), 200gms of frozen berries (whatever floats your boat and is in season) and 1.5 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup.

*On the whole strawberries have a blander flavour so double the amount if using them for this recipe.

Just add all ingredients to a blender and blend to a really smooth consistency. Remember, some berries have seeds on the outside.

Taste and add more honey/maple syrup as required. This makes 8-10 popsicles.

Pour or spoon into popsicle molds and with sticks in the centre and place in the freezer for 6-8 hours.

After, simply take out, run some hot water on the popsicle mould for a few seconds, and pull out your healthy tasty treat.

Trust me one won’t be enough.

There is no end to the amazing flavours you can create with different fruit.

5. Yogurt and fruit:

This literally involves just putting fruit in a bowl, adding plain or Greek yogurt on top and finishing off with a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup. You can top it with nuts if you like for more flavour and calories.

Use the fruit you like including chopped bananas, peaches, apples, papaya, berries etc.

Be generous with your servings for your weight gain goals. Depending on your serve, it could contain upwards of 350 calories just for this dessert.

How good is that!

Overall, one thing that I found really helped with my weight gain was enjoying a smoothie mid-morning, followed by a healthy dessert after lunch or dinner.

See this article for more tips.

I hope you enjoy making these 5 easy desserts to help with your healthy weight gain journey.

The post 5 Easy Healthy Desserts For Weight Gain appeared first on Gain Healthy Weight.

Would you like to know what to eat today to boost your immunity and health? Imagine having lots of energy, looking healthier, with a strong immune system to protect you from sickness. That was my dream several years ago.

But it took some figuring out. Now, I’ve written before about how I was always catching colds, the flu, sore throats over and again. At the same time, being sick also made me lose weight!

And that was annoying. Because you probably know that when you’re feeling unwell you often don’t have an appetite. And so I would focus on drinking fluids like soups, teas, lemon drinks with ginger for recovery, but those just don’t have many calories.

So then I started to look into how to avoid falling sick, boost my immunity and meet my weight gain goals. To find food that nourishes, protects and heals. And guess what?  I found I could do it by turning to the fridge, freezer, fruit bowl and pantry.

Hey, if you’re looking to super-charge your defence system against infections, knowing what to eat today to boost immunity and health is pretty important. Other things like enough exercise and sleep, managing stress, not smoking and keeping a healthy weight are also necessary.

But today, we’re going to focus on food for better immunity and health.

                     How To Eat Your Way To A Stronger Immune System

1. A Balanced diet.

The first thing is the need for a balanced diet including lots of whole foods. Whole foods are minimally processed and as close as possible to their natural state.

 A balanced diet includes whole foods and gives you the nutrients and calories your body needs to function optimally. Check out this post for more info.

In short, a balanced diet contains the following basic food groups.

• Carbohydrates including whole grains and cereals – To provide energy.
• Protein – For muscle growth and repair
• Fruits and vegetables – For vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
• Fats – To provide organ protection and warmth.
• Dairy or alternatives.  For calcium and vitamin D.

2.Focus on fruits and vegetables.

So, while fruits and vegetables are a part of the balanced diet, they really deserve their own spotlight because of their central role in fighting disease and infection.

Why? Because they play an essential part in boosting immunity due to their nutrients which are needed for tissue repair, wound healing, immune function, and may reduce the risk of cancers.

The essential vitamins include A, B (group), C, D, E and K.  Some of the minerals include potassium, sodium, calcium etc.

The reason there are guidelines outlining how much fruit and vegetables we are to eat everyday is because many of these nutrients can’t be produced by the body, and are needed to sustain life.

To clarify, you may have heard of “eating the rainbow”, which basically means eating a range of brightly hued vegetables and fruits for improved health.

It’s pretty amazing when you think about it, how colourful they are. And no, it’s not just to make us to want to rush out and eat them.

Fruits and vegetables, spices, nuts, herbs and legumes fall into 5 colour groups, with each colour having its own phytochemicals / superpowers/ disease fighting properties.

• Red- Contains lycopene, an antioxidant that supports heart health and may protect against cancer. (Strawberries, apples, tomatoes, beetroot, red capsicums etc.)
• Orange/yellow – Contains carotenoids and vitamin C which promote healthy vision and boost the immune system. (Oranges, pumpkin, mangos, bananas, pears, capsicums, carrots etc.)
• Blue/purple- With resveratrol and anthocyanins which may protect cells from damage, against cancer and heart disease(blueberries, eggplants, purple cabbage, plums, prunes, purple grapes etc)
• Green- With chlorophyll, vitamin K for bone and blood health, and cancer fighting properties (Green leafy vegetables, broccoli, kiwis, peas, green grapes etc.)
• White/brown- Consist of phytochemicals like allicin and quercetin which are anti-viral and anti-bacterial. (Garlic, cauliflower, mushrooms, white onions etc.)

Mind you, this isn’t anywhere near a complete list.

I personally found this bit was crucial with what to eat today to boost immunity and health.  I went from catching a cold or flu every few weeks to not having one for well over 12 months.

3.Anti-inflammatory Foods

What is inflammation? Inflammation is your body’s natural response to a foreign body such as germs, chemicals, pollen etc. The immune system sends white blood cells to protect the area and this response can lead to pain, swelling and redness among others.

Today, we are exposed to many sources of inflammation. Think cigarette smoke and poor air quality, alcohol and industrial chemicals, toxins in food, water, skin or hair products etc.

While the liver and kidneys filter these toxins in the body, they can get overwhelmed by large amounts. Over time, this can lead to chronic inflammation which can cause tissue damage and disease.

Importantly, eating foods rich in antioxidants can protect us from higher levels of inflammation and cell damage. This discusses how to use food to fight inflammation.

Luckily for us, there are tons of anti-inflammatory foods out there. For example nuts, turmeric, fatty fish (e.g. salmon and tuna), tea, olive oil, ginger, fruits and vegetables, whole grains (beans, lentils etc.).

On the other hand, there are also inflammatory foods which are to be avoided because they contain unhealthy fats and cause blood sugar to spike. For instance processed foods, deep fried foods, sugar, foods with high amounts of trans fats and even red meat.

• Fermented Foods

Science has only recently begun to understand how important the gut is for immunity.

Did you know about 75-80% of the immune system is found in the gut. There are literally trillions of bacteria living there. To keep bacteria healthy, they need to be fed the right foods for good immune function.

Say hello to my little friends….. fermented foods.

Fermented foods are preserved using a natural process where yeast and bacteria  break down food into other particles. And this process also supports the growth of probiotics or good bacteria which gives these foods their distinct taste. As a result they have high amounts of vitamins and minerals which can strengthen an immune system.

There are lots of fermented foods including yogurt, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, apple cider vinegar, miso, pickles and some cheeses to name just a few.

So just to clarify, eat small amounts of fermented foods, but do maintain them in your diet regularly for immune function.

• Protein

Lean protein is another vital food because it helps in recovery and healing after sickness. Protein builds up and repairs cells, body tissue as well as antibodies that fight infections. In addition, many protein sources also contain iron and zinc.

Firstly, the body needs zinc for immune function and wound healing.

Secondly, iron is needed for cell function.  Low iron can suppress the immune system and cause anaemia. Similarly, a general lack of protein in the diet can lead to reduced immunity and feeling constant fatigue and weakness. See this for more on iron and immunity

Foods rich in protein include lean meat and poultry (beef, chicken, turkey), fish, milk and other dairy), eggs, beans, chickpeas, lentils, almonds, peanuts and oats among others. See this for a guide to easily keeping some protein rich kitchen staples on hand.

• Water

Importantly, don’t forget to stay hydrated. Yes, something so simple but oh, so important.  After all, our bodies are made up of roughly 60% of water and it is crucial for so many functions.

For example, absorbing nutrients, preventing some health conditions e.g.  constipation and urinary tract infections, improving energy levels, waste removal and regulating temperature.

It is good practice start your day with a glass of water to rehydrate after you wake up. While we’re asleep for 6-9 hours each night, many of our body functions continue as part of the repair process, and use up water.

Additionally, don’t forget to drink lots of water during the day (at least 8 glasses including soups, juices, and other fluids).

Foods that support immunity and weight gain goals:

Finally, here is a short list of tasty foods with the function of supporting immunity and weight gain goals.

• Fatty fish.
• Plain yogurt.
• Nuts.
• Oats.
• Avocado.
• Lean meats and poultry.
• Dark chocolate (I knew you’d like that one).
• Beans and legumes.
• Milk and dairy.
• Sweet potatoes.

To sum up, try these suggestions for what to eat today to boost immunity and health. Give it a go, your body will love you for it.

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