How to Gain Weight Eating Vegan

One of the main benefits spoken about in relation to the vegan diet is weight loss; cutting out animal products appears to be an effective way to lose some extra pounds. But how about those who follow a vegan diet but actually want to increase their body weight? So, can a vegan diet still be suitable for those who want to gain weight?

The answer is yes, absolutely! Weight gain is mostly about calories in, vs. calories out. Whether you want to gain weight or maintain your chosen weight on a vegan diet, the focus needs to be on getting enough calories every day (to find out how many calories you need each day click here). If you are looking to gain weight, you'll need to build up your calorie intake by eating more calorically dense foods and increase your meal portion sizes. It is important to place an emphasis on gaining weight healthily rather than opting to gain weight by eating junk foods that are high in sugar, contain bad fats and simple carbs. Attempting to gain weight by eating mainly junk foods will likely cause nutritional deficiencies, potentially lead to health issues, and leave you feeling sluggish. By concentrating your efforts on the consumption of whole-foods and portion size, it will ensure you are receiving optimal nutrition, feeling on top form, and will help you gain weight.

Some of the calorically dense foods you will want to consider including in your vegan meals are:

Avocado

An incredibly nutrient dense food containing over 300 calories and 29 grams of fat per fruit. Avocados are definitely worth adding to your diet if you are interested in gaining weight; they are highly versatile and can be added to many different meals. Meal suggestion: Black Bean, Quinoa and Avocado Salad

Nuts

High in fibre and protein and have around 200 calories per 30 grams. Nuts make a great snack between meals or can be sprinkled onto salads and porridge. Nut butters such as peanut butter and almond butter are also a healthy choice, providing around 100 calories per tablespoon. Meal suggestion: Nutty Porridge

Seeds

Much like nuts, seeds are high in fibre and protein and generally contain just less than 200 calories per 30 grams. Seeds can be used much the same as nuts and snacked on throughout the day or added to porridge or salads. Seed butters are also now available in some specialist stores. Meal suggestion: High Protein Muesli

Beans

Beans can help with your effort to gain weight, both in providing high volumes of protein and calories. The best beans to consume for weight gain are adzuki beans and chickpeas, which contain just less than 300 calories per cup. An easy way to consume a large amount of beans is to grind them up into a puree, which can be spread on bread or used as a dip. Chickpeas can be ground up to make hummus. Meal suggestion: Tandoori Chickpea Pockets with Cooling Yogurt

Dried fruit

Dried fruits retain more calories than fresh fruits and don't fill you up as fast due to the reduced water content. Just 5 dried apricots can provide around 100 calories. Dried fruit can be eaten as a snack between meals or added to porridge or salads. Meal suggestion: Nut and Fruit Porridge

Healthy oils and fats

Using oils such as coconut oil or olive oil can massively increase the calories your meal contains without noticing them. One tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil contains 120 calories. You could also try drizzling olive oil onto your salad as a dressing. Meal suggestion: Stir-Fried Chinese Chilli Tofu

If you aren't a fan of eating large meals or have little appetite, you could try a meal replacement drink. Smoothies are a great way of disguising high amounts of calories by adding avocado, nuts and seeds.