There is often a misconception that high calorie healthy foods are harmful to health. Many people think that if the food has high amount of calories in it, it will cause obesity and ultimately initiate health issues. The truth in fact is quite thhe opposite. Calories in other words are energy and energy is needed all the time by the body to function. Thus high calorie foods can’t be shunned altogether. Moreover, not everyone is looking to lose weight. The way to pack some bulk is simple. Look for foods that are rich in calories and food branches such as carbohydrates, unsaturated fats and proteins. Start eating your meals more regularly and snack with high calorie foods in between. Look at how much calories you are putting in your body and increase it. If you do all this, you will without a doubt see that your physique is getting better without any adverse effect to your health. In the following, there is a list of 12 high calorie healthy foods that are rich with nutrition and have obviously no side effect.
12. Hummus
Hummus is a famous Arab dish made from a puree of chickpeas, sesame seed paste, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, cumin, salt and garlic. It is counted among healthy foods that are full of proteins, fiber, various vitamins and polyunsaturated fats. It is also rich in iron content, folate and vitamin C. if you are a vegan; it is a great dish to eat as it is high in protein content and non-meat and has a good amount of fiber in it too. Because of the olive oil and sesame seed, the calorie count of hummus is high. One kitchen cup of hummus packs close to 430 calories, thus classifying it among high calorie foods. But as they are unsaturated fats mostly, they are good for your health and give you a high calorie intake as well and it is rated among high calorie dense foods.
11. Fruit Juices
Fruit juices are thought to be low in calories but it is not so. Fruit juices contain the same great vitamins that the fruits they are extracted from contain but there is a difference. Fruits also have fiber content and when the juice is taken out, it is composed of only the sugary essence and some pulp. Because of that they are high calorie foods but at the same time healthy foods. You can drink them as refreshing beverages.
10. Lattes
Lattes are both delicious and give you a good kick to get started in the worst of those sloppy, sleepy days. But take one look at the ingredients and you will see that they too are high calorie foods. There is cream, sugar, sometimes chocolate and milk. Some recipes even call for condensed milk such as a Starbucks packs close to 180 calories. But coffee itself is good for your health, if taken moderately. If contains caffeine which boosts your heart rate, increases blood flow to the brain and gives you a good wake up call biologically. The antioxidants in coffee reduce risk of cancer, making it a healthy food. It also improves vascular function.
9. Dark Chocolate
We simply cannot forget chocolate when adding high calorie healthy foods. It is high in antioxidants which fight off free radicals. It improves the functioning of the blood circulatory system. Not only that, it reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases and reduces risk of cholesterol levels. Even as a high calorie food it helps the body to control negative weight gain, which is by accumulation of fat in areas of body where it causes problems, such as in the arteries. But remember, when choosing your blend of cocoa and milk; opt for dark chocolate and one which does not have excessive added sugars such as crunch mixes. Try to get the ones with nuts.
8. Avocados
Okay, this might seem an odd choice at first but hear me out. Not only is avocado among healthy fat burning foods, it also classifies among high calorie foods due to some interesting reasons. It is rich in vitamin C and E, which work great to improve the quality of your skin. Avocados also happen to have a lot of fat in them. The good thing is that it is full of polyunsaturated fats which classify them among high calorie healthy foods.
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7. Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds that we eat are full of fats. These are extracted and made into oil extracts of them. The thing is they are chock full of good fats, the unsaturated fats which have incomplete chains of hydrocarbons and are high calorie healthy foods. Not only that, they are classified as being most condensed with antioxidants. Just one kitchen cup of nuts equals close to 800 calories, although it may vary from the types of nuts.
6. Dried Fruits
Dried fruits can also be rated with the highest calorie foods. These dehydrated foods are full of good sugars to give your blood sugar levels a good way to gear up on glucose. A kitchen cup full of these delicious delicacies will yield close to 350 calories, but then again it may vary from one type to the other.
5. Smoothies
There is no need to mention how much of high calorie foods these smoothies are. Mostly they are seen as low calorie substitutes for drinks and are made from fresh ingredients. The thing is even then the calorie count does not go down significantly. But they remain healthy foods as they are. Combined with fresh fruit, milk, sugar and sometimes yoghurt, they pack good calories and along with them the same goodness that fruits have. They are great high calorie healthy foods.
4. Guacamole
Guacamole is made from Avocados, onions, lemon juice and different varieties of seasoning, which can also be herbal. And since they are made from healthy food ingredients and although they pack fat it happens to be good polyunsaturated fats which are essential for the body, guacamole is classified as healthy foods. It is both a great dip and side dish for different varieties of food and although it comes among the highest calorie foods, it is great if you are looking to add some mass and at the same time do it with tasty food.
3. Whole fat dairy products
Dairy products are good high calorie healthy foods. They have both fats and proteins in them. Instead of dairy products that are processed from skimmed or low fat ingredients, opt for full cream and unprocessed. Cheese is a good example. It packs good amount of calcium, making it great for strong bones. Same goes for its protein content. Stripping dairy products of their fat sometimes causes adverse reactions to the rest of the food content and hence makes it less nutritious than it was before. Because of that, you should opt whole rather than skimmed or reduced fat.
2. Crackers and Bagels
Crackers and bagels are made from wheat, bran and sesame and are healthy foods that go great as snacks and with tea or coffee. Not only that, they go great with dips, soups and different types of toppings such as peanut butter, jams, jellies, margarine, honey and vegemite. Their recipe leaves room for many different variations so if you are making them yourself you can top them off with nuts or herbal topping to add even more flavor to them. Not only they but the herbal topping itself can provide great herbs to promote healthy diet.
1. Tuna
Tuna fish has a great flavor and packs good proteins and polyunsaturated fats. It has long been held as both among high calorie foods and healthy foods. Even though the calorie count may make it seem like an unhealthy option, it is in fact among the great high calorie healthy foods. The fish fat and oils are entirely made up of polyunsaturated fats that the body desperately needs as lipids to renew the skin, produce cell membranes for new cells and to produce sebum, the natural oil of the human body. Tuna improves eyesight and tuna fish oil improves memory and the effectiveness of the digestive tract.
A high calorie count, fat content and carbohydrates and dairy do not mean that a food is not healthy. To find that out, it is necessary to look at the food closely. Calories are not bad for the body if you maintain an active lifestyle and are looking to bulk up, as in the case of hitting the gym. High calorie healthy foods are great for the body to process and by eating them you provide your body high calorie foods intake to cover the energy intake of the body and with healthy foods you get the benefit of polyunsaturated fats, vitamins, mineral, carbohydrates and proteins. It is not just that how much calories you are putting into your body, it also counts what is the food that you are eating and in what quantity.
