Worst Foods That Make You Gain Weight

Last Updated on March 15, 2024 by Saira Farman

You cannot gain (or lose!) weight by eating one food in isolation from the rest of your diet. But the same issue frequently prevents people from losing weight and adopting a healthy diet: secret sources of extra sugar or saturated fat that are hidden throughout the cupboard, refrigerator, or freezer.

These items are frequently promoted as healthier alternatives, which encourages you to buy them for their claimed advantages. However, you could have been much more satisfied if you had picked the real thing. Sometimes they are foods that contain calories from one sort of nutrient in place of another. For instance, low-fat goods substitute fat for added sugar whereas keto snacks substitute high-fat coconut oil or butter. To ensure that the decision you choose is the right one for you, carefully read labels, paying great attention to anything that contains the words “free,” “low,” or “less.”

 10 Foods That Make You Gain Weight

These may consist of:

1.Diet Soda

Artificial sweeteners have been associated in numerous studies to excessive long-term weight gain. Researchers argue that consuming these empty-calorie sweeteners deceives your body into thinking that there are calories present when there aren’t any. They refer to the outcome as “metabolic configurations.” Poor insulin sensitivity and high blood glucose levels are two examples that might cause fat storage and weight gain. A number of linked conditions, including metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, are potentially possible in your case.

2.Processed meat

Saturated fats and calories in processed meats are extremely high.  You may also be at increased risk of heart disease because it is harmful to your stomach. Many people have an extremely difficult time digesting processed meats. The intestines can stay longer with them since they take longer to digest. They are bad for digestion since they lack fiber.

Ground meats, cold cuts, and hot dogs are all stuffed with them. Keep an eye out for these foods that dietitians never consume and that you should avoid as well.

3.Alcoholic Drink

A celebration drinks every now and then won’t push the scales upward, but regular drinking increases your diet’s number of empty calories by hundreds. Cocktails, like margaritas served at well-known restaurant chains, can have up to 400 calories per serving. Drinking too many cocktails might make you more likely to consume high-calorie items that contribute to weight gain, even if you choose a beverage with fewer calories, such as a 5-ounce glass of white wine. You can consult a Nutritionist online about any specific diet plan just by connecting with Marham.

4.Fried potatoes

Although they may sate your craving for something salty and crunchy, potato chips don’t really do much to quell your appetite. According to a study that was published in Advances in Nutrition in 2016, eating potato chips made people feel less satisfied and hungrier than those who had six cups of low-fat popcorn. Potato chips will not stop you from feeling hungry and will only add calories to your diet if you choose them as a snack.

5.Smoothies and juices in bottles

It has been reported that smoothies and juices are often nothing more than sugary versions of healthy foods. Ideally, you should find blended drinks that contain less than 12 grams of sugar per serving if you want your snack to be more protein-rich than sugar-rich. You’ll feel fuller for longer and have fewer cravings as a result.

6.Tomato Sauce

Cooking using tomato sauce can be a healthy, low-calorie choice, but as with other ingredients, it’s important to read the label. Many tomato sauce types are fortified with sugar and sodium, which results in extra calories and bloating.

7.Refined foods

It is important to keep in mind that foods that are made with white flour, such as pastries, cookies, white bread, bagels, pizza crusts, and pancakes, digest quickly. They provide little nutrients and do little to make you feel satisfied for a prolonged period of time. These high-calorie, low-nutrient carbs are more likely to be consumed in big quantities, which can lead to weight gain. According to a 2018 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, persons were more likely to lose weight when they substituted nutritious grains, lentils, and quinoa for these empty calories.

8.Bars of chocolate

It stands to reason that eating chocolate won’t help you reduce abdominal fat. Wrong! There are several advantages to dark chocolate, many of which promote weight loss. Contrarily, milk chocolate is frequently to blame for our enlarging waistlines due to its enormously high calorie content and massive amounts of sugar, which promote the development of visceral fat. Given that a recent study discovered that chocolate bars had the highest energy density and were therefore most strongly linked to weight gain, it is generally advisable to exclude them from your weight loss diet.

9.Canned Fruit

Since many varieties of dried fruit have sugar added, they resemble candy more than they do a nutritious snack. Dried cherries, raisins, and dates are all sweet and chewy snacks that can provide a lot of calories without weighing you down. Since dried fruit is produced by draining the water out, you lose a significant portion of the satiating qualities of fresh fruit. Fresh fruit should be chosen over dried options. Choose fresh blueberries over dried and grapes over raisins.

10.Ice Cream

Although it is wonderfully tasty, ice cream is very unhealthy. It has a lot of calories and most varieties are sugar-heavy. Every once in a while, a little serving of ice cream is great, but the issue is that it’s incredibly simple to eat a lot of it all at once. Think about making your own ice cream using healthy ingredients like full-fat yoghurt and fruit and less sugar.

Conclusion

It’s crucial to make the appropriate dietary choices when trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight and to stay away from meals that are high in calories but low in fibre, protein, and other beneficial nutrients.

Those who have trouble losing weight through diet and exercise might want to consult a dietician.

FAQs

1.What food adds weight the most?

Foods like potato chips, beverages with added sugar, processed meats, and raw red meat were all associated with weight gain of one pound or more. The weight increased by more than 3 pounds as a result of eating extra French fries. A half-pound increase in weight was observed when refined grains and desserts were consumed.

2.What foods help you lose weight?

Healthy protein. Lean protein sources like chicken, turkey, and grass-fed lean beef help you feel full, reduce cravings, and regulate blood sugar. Others may include:

• Eggs.
• Avocados
• Apples.
• Berries
• Nut and seed products.
• Salmon.

3.Why is weight loss so challenging?

The majority of obese persons experience resistance to long-term weight loss in their bodies. To lose weight, your body is therefore actually working against you. This is so because intricate interactions between hormones and neurons in your hypothalamus determine how much you weigh.