In Vietnam, pho is more than just a soup served in households, street stalls, and restaurants countrywide. Some international menus are starting to boast of the meal as well. It holds a special place in the country’s cultural identity. Considered the most famous national dish of Vietnam, pho at its most basic consists of a clear beef- or chicken-based broth, rice noodles, herbs, and thinly sliced meats. It may also be served with bean sprouts, fresh herbs, limes or lemons, chiles, and other garnishes. What’s in a bowl of Pho?
Broth made from animal bones can help build strength in your own bones. It’s also a great source of other minerals and vitamins that keep your body functioning to the best of its ability. Many pho recipes are teeming with nutrient-packed herbs and veggies and typically includes some sort of meat that is rich in proteins. It is gluten-free as it uses rice noodles. Benefits aside, you shouldn’t overdo it.
Sweetener & Spices in Traditional Pho Recipe
THE ORIGINS OF PHO
It is believed that pho surfaced in northern Vietnam during the French colonization of Hanoi in the mid to late 1880s, suggesting that it could be a Vietnamese rendition of the French beef stew soup pot-au-feu. Many Hanoians explain that the word pho derives from French soldiers’ ordering “feu” (fire), referring to both the steam rising from a bowl of pho and the wood fire seen glowing in the evening.
Up until that point, the Vietnamese ate very little red meat. The French’s appetite changed things and red meat slowly started making its way into the city’s markets and kitchens. As bifteks were carved off the bones to satisfy the upper classes’ newfound taste buds, cooks started simmering the leftover oxtail and shinbones to create a clear consommé. Influenced by the cooking style of the French, they added charred onions to this nourishing broth and served it with slices of raw and cooked beef.
The French were not the only ones to make their mark. The introduction of ingredients such as rice noodles, ginger and anise came from Vietnam’s neighbors in the north. Fusing together these foreign influences, the Vietnamese added their own fish sauce (nuoc mam) and created something wholly unique and native.
Reviews of Vietnamese literature have found that pho entered the mainstream sometime in the 1910s. The traditional home of pho is reputed to be in Nam Định Province, southeast of Hanoi. Originally, pho was often sold at dawn and dusk by wandering street vendors who would shoulder mobile kitchens on carrying poles. Today, pho stalls spill out across the sidewalk of nearly every street in Hanoi.
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After the division of the country in 1954, the traditionally northern recipe migrated south to Saigon, when the country was split in two and nearly a million Vietnamese moved south to escape the communist north. Once pho hit the streets of Saigon, it morphed. It became customizable with sauces and herbs. No longer confined to northern culinary traditions, variations in meat and broth appeared, and additional garnishes such as lime, bean sprouts, culantro, basil, hoisin sauce, and hot chili sauce became standard.
Globalization
Pho — especially the southern-style — gained popularity around the world after the fall of Saigon in 1975, as hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese refugees fled their country taking with them their hopes and dreams of a better life. They also brought their cultures and cuisine and introduced it to other countries, of which pho has become the most popular among Americans.
In 1980, the first of hundreds of pho restaurants opened in the Little Saigon in Orange County, California. Pho began to enter the mainstream during the 1990s, as relations between the U.S. and Vietnam improved. Today there are almost 2,000 pho restaurants spread across the United States in Texas, California, and the East Coast as well as Canada.
The sweetener is the most crucial ingredient in the pho recipe. It should not be too sweet or too sour, but just right to make your taste buds dance with joy.
The traditional way of making noodles for Pho is also pretty straightforward. Making Pho noodles by yourself is easy!
How to Eat a Bowl of Pho the Vietnamese Way
Pho is a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup that people eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. There are many different ways to enjoy this dish.
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It’s important to remember that the bowl of Pho is not just for eating the noodles but to enjoy the flavors of all the different components. If you’ve never had Pho before, now might be a good time to try it. And don’t worry about getting it wrong! There are plenty of people who share your enthusiasm for this unique dish and will be eager to help you out.
INGREDIENTS AND PREPARATION
Pho is served in a bowl with rice noodles in clear beef broth, with thin cuts of beef (steak, fatty flank, lean flank, brisket). Variations feature slow-cooked tendon, tripe, or meatballs. Chicken pho is made using the same spices as beef, but the broth is made using chicken bones and meat.
Noodles
The thick dried rice noodle that is usually used is called bánh phở, but some versions may be made with bánh phở tươi (fresh pho noodles). The pho noodles are usually medium-width. However, people from different regions of Vietnam will prefer different widths.
Broth
The soup for beef pho is generally made by simmering beef bones, oxtails, flank steak, and spices. The spices, wrapped in cheesecloth or a soaking bag, usually contain cloves, star anise, coriander seed, fennel seed, Saigon cinnamon, and black cardamom. Onion and ginger are often charred over an open fire for about a minute before adding them to the stock to bring out their full flavor. Charred ginger can be omitted, since its function in beef pho is to subdue the strong smell of beef.
For a more intense flavor, the bones may still have beef on them. Chicken bones also produce a similar broth, which takes several hours to make. Impurities that float to the top while cooking are often skimmed; this is the key to a clear broth. Nước mắm (fish sauce) is added toward the end.
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Garnishes
Vietnamese dishes are typically served with many greens, herbs, vegetables, and various other accompaniments, such as dipping sauces, spicy chili sauces such as sriracha, and hoisin sauce. The dish is garnished with ingredients such as green onions, white onions, Thai basil, fresh Thai chili peppers or jalapeno, lemon or lime wedges, bean sprouts, cilantro (coriander leaves), or culantro.
Several ingredients not generally served with pho may be ordered by request. Extra-fatty broth (nước béo) can be ordered and comes with scallions to sweeten it. A popular side dish ordered upon request is hành dấm, or vinegared white onions.
Today we are looking at most expensive hotels in Nigeria and their price range. This is a resource to help you know where youll be laying your head when next you are in Nigeria. For those already within 9ja, this shows you where to go and splurge.
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1. Transcorp Hilton Abuja – ₦714,922
Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja is the most expensive hotel in Nigeria in the top ten most expensive hotels in Nigeria. The hotel is located at Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria, while it has one branch in Calabar.
These guest rooms have different price tags per night depending on the one you want to lodge in; they include:
The King Guest rooms ₦90,725
Twin Guest rooms ₦83,172
King Deluxe rooms ₦97,422
King Executive room ₦134,472
Royal room ₦144,922
King Executive Royal Room ₦188,622
King Executive Deluxe rooms ₦137,322
Family Connecting Room ₦135,433
Twin Executive rooms ₦125,922.
The suites in Transcorp Hilton and their prices are
Business Suite ₦160,122
Royal Suite ₦190,047
Executive Royal Suite ₦267,472
Business Executive Suite ₦200,972
Ambassador Suite ₦346,797
Executive Ambassador Suite ₦377,672
Executive Presidential Suite ₦714,922
Presidential suite ₦523,497.
As the most expensive Hotel in Nigeria, the largest room setup in Transcorp Hilton is 823square metres, a well comfortable space to match its price. It is also rated as the number one best hotel in Nigeria.
It has one of the most amazing dining rooms you can think of eating in, including Bukka Restaurant, where you can dine on traditional Nigerian cuisine, Capital Bar, Fulani Pool Bar with its traditional thatched roofing, mats and statues reflecting on Fulani’s culture.
Other additional dinings in Transcorp Hilton hotel are Oriental Restaurant, Pastry Shop where you relax with your tea or coffee, Piano Lounge and Zuma Restaurant, all of which can give you the taste of what you want.
Transcorp Hilton hotel has many other beautiful places for its customers, such as Banquets, conference halls, theatre, reception and many more.
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To make your stay in Transcorp Hilton hotel an unforgettable one, the hotel has so many amenities that have made them the most expensive hotel in Nigeria, including A tennis court, places to play golf, a business centre, an outdoor pool and a fitness centre.
2. Sheraton Hotel Abuja – ₦629,296
Sheraton Hotel Abuja is the second most expensive hotel among the top ten most expensive hotels in Nigeria owing to its fine structure, rooms and excellent services from its workers.
The hotel has beautiful and expensive guest rooms you would want to visit with different air conditions and comfortable bathrooms.
It is located at Ladi Kwali Way, Abuja, Nigeria. The second most expensive hotel in Nigeria, Sheraton Hotel Abuja, has different suites with mountain views from private balconies.
Any guest in Sheraton Hotel would enjoy signature beds, flat-screen TVs, jetted tubs, free Wi-Fi, and 24-hour room service, criteria that made it become one of the most expensive hotels in Nigeria. Sheraton Hotel is also the sixth-best hotel in Nigeria.
The most expensive rooms in Sheraton Hotel gives its users access to its fitness centre, including club-level rooms and suites.
Sheraton Hotel has different types of expensive dining. You could eat some of the best meals you can think of in Sheraton’s dining, either in the Pool Bar & Restaurant, Luigi’s Restaurant or Papillon Restaurant.
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3. The George Lagos Hotel – ₦600,000
The George Hotel is the third most expensive hotel in Nigeria in the top ten most expensive hotels in Nigeria. The highest fee for a guest room in the hotel is ₦600,000. The George Hotel is one of the most beautiful hotels in Nigeria where you can live your luxury life to the fullest.
The hotel was established in July 2015 at number 30 Lugard Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria. It is also the 5th best hotel in Nigeria.
The George is accessible from different places in Lagos, including Alfred Rewane (Kingsway Road) and Mobolaji Johnson. It is also 10 minutes away from Victoria Island Lagos and 40 minutes away from Muritala Muhammed International Airport through Third Mainland Bridge.
As one of the most expensive hotels in Nigeria, The George Hotel also has many places for your events and meetings, such as business meetings.
They include Otium Terrace for your dinner parties and exhibitions, Private Dining Room, Bellini Meeting Room, Raphael Boardroom, Antonello meeting room and Titian Lounge.
A reminder to you that you do not have to worry about going out searching for a meal while at George Hotel; they will provide you with the best meals of your choice.
4. Legend Hotel Lagos – ₦543,912
Legend Hotel Lagos is the fourth most expensive hotel in Nigeria in Nigeria’s top ten most expensive hotels. The most expensive guest room in the hotel is ₦543,912.5 per night. It is located less than 4Km away from Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos. Legend Hotel Lagos Airport is
The hotel offers private and public dining for its customers, where you can eat one of the most delicious meals ever. Some of the dinings are with airport views while some are not depending on your choice.
The Legend Hotel also has an indoor pool with an adjoining terrace bar, a fitness centre, and a steam room, making it expensive and ranked as the fourth most expensive hotel in Nigeria.
Anyone planning for any event can check The Lagend Hotel’s event rooms, which are four different types; some can accommodate over 120 guests while others can only accommodate 50 persons.
5. Southern Sun Ikoyi – ₦510,251
Southern Sun Ikoyi is the 5th most expensive hotel among the top ten most expensive hotels in Nigeria.
As one of the most expensive hotels in Nigeria, the hotel has taxes that pick its customer down to the hotel, especially people arriving from Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja Lagos.
Standard Room Queen Bed at the rate of ₦71,016.5 per night
Standard Wheelchair Room ₦71,016.5
Executive King ₦81,279
Executive Room ₦81,279
Junior Suite ₦188,009
Standard Suite ₦231,111.5
Executive Suite ₦510, 251.5.
Being one of the most expensive hotels in Nigeria, Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel has a business centre, 8 best-in-class conference venues with space for 10 to 100, a pool and a 24-hour gym with a personal trainer for its customers.
The amazing thing about Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel’s poolside is the availability of an awesome menu of all-day favourites like finger-licking sticky ribs and flame-grilled sliders, fresh and seasonal salads and sundowner cocktails.
All these have contributed to it being among the top ten most expensive hotels in Nigeria.
6. The Wheatbaker Hotel – ₦429,383
The Wheatbaker Hotel is the sixth most expensive hotel in Nigeria in the list of top most expensive hotels in Nigeria. The Wheatbaker Hotel is a beautiful hotel that is located at the heart of lkoyi Lagos, Nigeria. Specifically at number 4 Onitolo Road Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria.
It is also located close to the Lagos business districts of lkoyi and Victoria Island and 35 km away from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria. The Wheatbaker Hotel is also the third-best hotel in Nigeria.
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Being among the most expensive hotel in Nigeria, The Wheatbaker Hotel has many beautiful facilities for travellers and other customers to live a comfortable and good luxury life.
It has a well comfortable swimming pool where you can stay and relax your mind. The Wheatbaker Hotel also provides a delicious meal for you if you do not want to go out.
One of the most amazing things about The Wheatbaker hotel that has made it be among the most expensive hotels in Nigeria is its SPA facial therapies aimed at helping its customer have a relaxed mind and body for healthy living, including Full body exfoliation and Scalp treatment.
The hotel also has three different comfortable and beautiful dining for your eateries, including The Saraya Deli for your buffet lunch and breakfast, The Grill Room Bar for your drinks and the Bars.
As one of the most expensive hotels in Nigeria, The Wheatbaker hotel has different conference halls for your meetings and events of any kind.
7. Sheraton Lagos Hotel – ₦412,552.5
Sheraton Lagos Hotel is the seventh most expensive hotel in Nigeria in the list of top most expensive hotels in Nigeria. Sheraton Hotel is a 5-star hotel situated 3.1 km away from Ndubuisi Kanu’s Park Oregun Lagos and 1.8 km away from Opebi.
It is one of the most beautiful and well-furnished hotels you might want to visit in Nigeria. Sheraton Hotel is also the sixth-best hotel in Nigeria.
Being one of the most expensive hotels in Nigeria, Sheraton Hotel has over 337 well-furnished expensive guest rooms filled with the required equipment for its customers, such as coffee and tea making equipment.
Owning to its expensiveness, the hotel also has some beautiful places for meetings and events: they provide you with wedding services if you need services for your event.
Sheraton hotel also has leisure facilities for its customers to relax their mind after a hectic day at work or business to maintain your healthy life such as an outdoor swimming pool, Casino, Night club, Entertainment, BBQ facilities, tennis court and fitness centre.
Being one of the most expensive hotels in Nigeria, Sheraton Hotel has a review platform for its customers to share their experience, both positive and negative, after vising the hotel.
This review platform in Sheraton Hotel Lagos aims to maintain its spot in the top ten most expensive hotels in Nigeria by solving its customers’ problems stipulated in its review platform.
8. Fraser Suites Abuja – ₦389,975
Fraser Suites Abuja is the 8th most expensive hotel among the top ten most expensive hotels in Nigeria. The hotel is one of the most beautiful hotels you might want to visit at the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
It is located at Plot 294, Leventis Close, Central Business District, Abuja, Nigeria, just 30 minutes from Abuja International Airport.
It has four different types of luxury apartments that are well-decorated to satisfy its customers, including:
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Studio Deluxe ₦114,940
Studio Executive ₦131,360
Studio Premier ₦143,675
One Bedroom Executive ₦180,620
Two-Bedroom Deluxe ₦377,660
Two-Bedroom Executive ₦389,975
The hotel has one of the most beautiful dinings in Nigeria, including The Dining Room, The Gazebo and The Café. This has helped it to be ranked in the top ten most expensive hotels in Nigeria.
The hotel also has many comfortable spaces for meetings and events of any kind. It has sectioned these spaces into two conference rooms, two boardrooms and four breakaway rooms very well suitable for any event or meeting.
The event halls in Fraser Hotel have over 250 capacity, a huge space for any event you want to host. Its event room is one of the biggest event rooms in Nigeria.
Being concerned about the health and wellness of its customers, Fraser Hotel has set up a gym and swimming pool that will help its customers maintain their fitness and well being.
All these properties have made Fraser Suites the 8th most expensive hotel in Nigeria. Fraser Suite is also the 9th best hotel in Nigeria.
9. Radisson Blu Hotel – Suite ₦311,704.
Radisson Blu Hotel is the 19th most expensive hotel in Nigeria in the list of the most expensive hotels in Nigeria. The hotel is located at Ikeja Lagos, Nigeria, 5km away from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
Radisson Blu Hotel is regarded as the 10th best hotel in Nigeria among the top ten best hotels in Nigeria.
Radisson Blu hotel has over 155 well-balanced expensive guest rooms for its customers, including:
Superior Rooms ₦109,151.95
Executive Room ₦120,407.86
Premium Room ₦120,407.86
Suite ₦276,069.46
Presidential Suite ₦311,704.
It also has three good and lovely restaurants, one of the best in Nigeria, including Cut Steakhouse, Iyeru Okin and Rbar & Lounge criteria which have made it to be among the top ten most expensive hotels in Nigeria.
For meetings of any kind or your expensive events, Radisson Blu has a 2,047 square meters space that can accommodate over 400 people.
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To enjoy your luxury life in the Radisson Blu hotel, visit its Amani Spa that has eight multi-functional treatment rooms including a couple’s suites, Nail Salon, a Flotation Pool, grand Rasul, separate Men and Women’s steam room and a relaxation area.
As one of the most expensive hotels in Nigeria, Radisson Blu also has a review platform where its customers can share their experience after visiting the hotel to fix the unavailable equipment needed by its customers.
10. Four Point Hotel By Sheraton – ₦120,687
Four Point Hotel By Sheraton is the 10th most expensive hotel in Nigeria in the list of top most expensive hotels in Nigeria. The hotel is one of the most beautiful hotels you can check on in Nigeria.
The Four Point Hotel is rated among the top ten best hotels in Nigeria.
Four Point Hotel is located at Plot 9/10 Block 2 Oniru Chieftaincy Estate, Victoria Island Lagos, Nigeria. It has many features that have helped it become one of the most expensive hotels in Nigeria.
One of the things that made Four Point Hotel unique is its multiple dining with different setups and good meals, including Brazzerie, The Office, Chocolat Royal, Arabesque Restaurant, Smokey Bones Restaurant, Shiro Restaurant & Bar and Indigo Indian Restaurant.
Four Point Hotel also has a fitness centre to exercise in your free time and an indoor swimming pool for your relaxation for healthy living.
If you are planning for any event, you can check out the meeting and event centres in Four Point Hotel; the hotel has eight different events halls with Maximum Breakout Rooms of seven.
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Now that you have our list of the Most expensive hotels in Nigeria and their price range, we believe that even though most may be pricey, the ambience and services experienced are enough to keep you working hard enough to experience these.
This common vegetable sometimes gets a bad reputation but we are here to give it a face lift. Broccoli is durable and flavor filled, especially when paired with cheese. It is delicious, nutritious and is packed with several health benefits. From helping to promote a healthy heart to keeping your brain sharp, here are four more reasons to enjoy the crunchiness of broccoli today.
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Broccoli Nutrition
Broccoli is packed with several vitamins and nutrients but there are a few worth calling out. One serving provides more than the daily recommended amount of vitamins C and K, which help keep your immune system healthy and your blood pressure balanced and intact respectively. It is also a good source of folate and vitamin A, which are important nutrients for pregnant women. The nutrition for 1 cup of raw broccoli is as follows:
Calories: 30
Protein: 2g
Fat: 0g
Carbohydrate: 6g
Sugars: 2g
Fiber: 2g
Sodium: 29mg
Health Benefits of Broccoli; From head to gut, here are some of the reasons why broccoli is worth a place in your plate.
Boosts Brain Health
To stay sharp, munch on broccoli. One 2015 study found that those who ate one to two servings of dark leafy green vegetables had the mental abilities of those over a decade younger. Talk about the fountain of youth. More recent studies done in mice have found similar results on broccoli’s anti-aging and neuro-protective effect.
Helps Your Heart
It is probably no surprise that there is ample evidence supporting vegetables as heart-healthy foods. However, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables are in a league of their own when it comes to heart health. Broccoli has a ton of nutrients and antioxidants packed into a small serving, meaning you don’t need to eat much to get the nutrients your heart needs. It is also a great source of vitamin K, which is important for a healthy blood pressure and healthy blood clotting (as in, vitamin K helps stop the bleeding when you cut yourself). A study published in 2020 found that vegetables like broccoli and brussels sprouts can help prevent CVD(cardiovascular disease) and also protects the overall chances against stroke, heart attack or even death.
Protects Against Cancer
A healthy, balanced diet is one of the best ways to prevent diseases like heart disease and diabetes—and even some types of cancer. Certain foods, like broccoli, are particularly beneficial in that arena. A recent study in Cancer Treatments Review found that broccoli and other dark leafy green vegetables release secondary plant products that have anti-cancer potential in our bodies. Other recent reviews have found that a potential mechanism of this is that the compounds found in broccoli can neutralize carcinogens and prevent cancer cells from growing and spreading.
Protect the eyes
Broccoli, like many cruciferous vegetables, is packed with antioxidants. Antioxidants protect cells from damage and stress that creates inflammation and increases chronic disease risk over time. A recent study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics found that women who ate more cruciferous vegetables like broccoli had lower levels of inflammation in their blood. it also protect the eyes from blindness due to sun ultraviolet light.
Bottom Line
Regardless of if you like it chopped in our Mediterranean Broccoli Pasta Salad or roasted with ample amounts of Parmesan, broccoli is a food you can feel good about eating regularly. It has countless health benefits from protecting against cancer to fighting inflammation, and is packed with vitamins and nutrients. As an added bonus, broccoli is super multifunctional and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways.
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This was our first post ever, we hope to write more
A group of 45 farmers in Rusitu Valley in Chipinge, a district in Zimbabwean eastern province of Manicaland have from December 2021 started exporting nearly 50 tonnes of their pineapples to the Netherlands.
These farmers were victims of Cyclone Idai, a tropical cyclone which hit their home area of Chipinge and Chimanimani in 2019, killing over 180 people, destroying 7,000 households and infrastructure and leaving 4,000 people food insecure. During this time, their pineapple crops were not destroyed.
Most of Zimbabwe’s prime farming areas incur heavy post-harvest losses because their produce often rots by the roadside as they struggle to secure markets and transport for their produce.
These challenges saw the the 1,300 Chipinge farmers establish the Rusitu Fruit Growers and Marketing Trust, that engaged with the country’s export promotion body, Zimtrade. Here, the farmers were offered training and technical expertise on how to grow pineapples organically and export to overseas markets.
So much nutrition and diet advice is aimed at losing weight, but if you’re too thin, you may be at a loss on how to gain weight. Instead of trying to gorge yourself with masses of sweet, rich, or fatty foods, choose high-calorie foods that provide energy and build muscle mass without all of the unhealthy fats that can cause you harm.
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How to Get Started
The weight gain equation is pretty simple: consume more calories than you burn. If you have a high metabolism or exercise vigorously, you may be placing yourself at a calorie deficit if don’t eat to meet to your need.
If you don’t have a clue how many calories you burn per day, use an online calorie calculator to figure that out. Next, build a diet plan that exceeds that value.
The 3,500 calorie per pound rule has been used to set up diets. Based on the rule, is believed that reducing 500 calories per day is thought to result in a pound of fat loss or gain each week. But it’s not clear how accurate the 3500 calorie per pound rule actually is or how well it will work for setting up a weight-gaining diet.2
Adding roughly 500 calories each and every day—ideally with energy-dense foods and snacks—should give you the extra calories you need to increase your weight.
To make the plan work, eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day and use toppings (gravies, chopped nuts, ranch dressing) to add calories without bulk. To get your weight gain strategy started, here are eight nutritious, high-calorie (but still healthy) foods to add to your list:
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Bagels
Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman
Bread and cereals, in general, are good sources of complex carbohydrates, such as starches and fiber that provide energy for your body. These are the types of carbs that are metabolized a little more slowly than simple carbs (like sugar).3
Bagels just happen to be extra calorie-dense. While one slice of white bread has about 70 calories, one small bagel has over 180 calories. Extra-large coffee shop bagels can have well in excess of 300 calories.4
Top your bagel with some nut butter (about 190 calories) and fruit spread (about 50 calories) and you’ll have yourself a tasty, energy-packed mid-morning snack that totals 420–540 calories.
Keep in mind that peanut butter is just one nut butter to try. You can experiment with other types of nut butter including almond butter or cashew butter. You can also try seed butters such as tahini or sunflower seed butter.
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Pasta
Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman
Pasta is another calorie-dense source of carbs that provides an ideal base for any number of meals. Simply add the sauce and you’re ready to go.
Two cups of cooked spaghetti has almost 400 calories. A cup of bolognese sauce adds no less than 160 calories. Sprinkle two tablespoons of parmesan cheese on top for another 45 calories, and you’ll find yourself with no less than 600 calories in one meal.
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Dried Fruit
Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman
Give yourself a quick calorie boost by eating a handful or two of dried fruit. They have less volume than their fresh counterparts, so you can eat more in one go without feeling stuffed.
For example, one cup of raisins has around 400 calories compared to a full cup of fresh grapes, which has about 60 calories.4 Raisins are probably the most popular dried fruit, but you can also try dried berries, apricots, apples, cranberries, and even tropical fruits.
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Healthy Oils
Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman
Adding extra fat to your food is an easy way to add calories, but you want to be sure to choose the fats and oils that are good for you.
Olive oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and can add calories and flavor to pasta, bread, or vegetables. Canola oil is a great source of omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid or ALA) and monounsaturated fats, making it a terrific, all-purpose cooking oil.5 Walnut and grape seed oils are lighter in flavor and perfect for dressing salads.
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Avocados
Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids. plus they have vitamin K, potassium, and fiber. One avocado has more than 200 calories, so it’s a good way to add extra calories without sacrificing nutrition.4 Add avocado slices to your sandwiches or make guacamole to serve with baked tortilla chips. You can also add guacamole to soft shell tacos or burritos.
You might also want to try adding avocado to your favorite smoothie recipe. The mild flavor mixes well with ingredients like berries or chocolate.
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Nuts and Seeds
Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman
Nuts and seeds contain polyunsaturated fats that add healthy calories to your diet. Brazil nuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds are all good for you.5 Eat roasted nuts and seeds by the handful or sprinkled chopped nuts on top of ice cream, yogurt, or salads.
If you’re not keen about snacking on nuts, you can pack in extra calories with nut butter. One tablespoon of peanut butter, for example, has about 100 calories.4
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Granola
Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman
Make your own granola with any combination of dry whole-grain cereals, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. Store your granola in an airtight container and serve it for breakfast. Pack some granola into small plastic containers that you can take with you on a busy day. For more flavor and calories, add dark chocolate chunks or peanut butter chips.
By having granola always on hand, you can constantly nibble and get your calories throughout the day rather than indulging in big meals.
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Protein Bars
Tyler Finck www.sursly.com / Getty Images
You can increase both your calories and protein intake with protein bars. Protein is especially important because it is what your body needs to build lean muscle.
You can often find high-calorie protein bars in drugstores with a fitness supplements section. While some people prefer protein shakes to protein bars, the former tends to make you fuller faster since it tends to be extra-rich in whey.
Don’t make the mistake of using protein bars as a replacement for meals. You will not get enough calories if you do. Instead, pack them in your purse, desk, or laptop bag so that they are always on hand for a midday snack.
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