Foods for Heart-Healthy Weight Gain

Foods for Heart-Healthy Weight Gain
By Monica Reinagel | blog.nutritiondata.com

Q. How can I use your website to find foods that will help me gain weight without tipping my cholesterol count into an at-risk level?

A.  In general, foods that are more calorie dense can be helpful for weight gain because they pack more calories in a smaller amount of food.   Foods that are high in fat are notoriously calorie-dense. But if you’re also concerned about heart health, you probably want to prioritize those that are high in heart-healthy fats such as monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fats.

Olives, nuts, seeds, nut butters, avocado, oily fish are all foods that fit the bill–and certainly offer plenty of culinary appeal as well!

It’s not clear from your question whether you’re concerned about dietary cholesterol (the type found in foods) or your blood cholesterol levels.  If it’s dietary cholesterol you’re trying to avoid, you’d want to limit your intake of eggs, shellfish, liver, which are all high in cholesterol.

However, the latest research suggests that dietary cholesterol doesn’t have much impact on blood cholesterol levels in most people. If it’s blood cholesterol you’re concerned about, you might want to limit your intake of trans and saturated fats, both of which can drive up cholesterol levels. Full-fat dairy products, butter, and fatty meats are primary sources of saturated fat. Fried foods and hydrogenated fats are the big sources of trans fats.

Another strategy would be to seek out foods that are high in phytosterols, plant compounds that help reduce high cholesterol levels naturally. As luck would have it, there are some good calorie-dense sources, including sunflower seeds, pistachios, and peanuts.

The Nutrient Search Tool

Finally, how can you use this site to help? That’s easy! Use our Nutrient Search Tool to find more foods that are high in healthy fats and phytosterols and/or low in saturated fat, trans fats, or cholesterol.

Foods for Heart-Healthy Weight Gain
By Monica Reinagel | blog.nutritiondata.com