Content

• Steps
• Advice

Lactose intolerance can make it difficult to gain weight, especially in young children or fussy eaters. Knowing how to eat healthy, high-calorie and nutrient-rich foods can help you gain weight quickly and safely.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Eat Nutritious Foods

1. 

   Choose lean protein for healthy weight gain. Despite rapid weight gain, high-fat protein / meat can lead to health problems such as increased cholesterol levels. Therefore, lean protein is the best choice for healthy weight gain. Healthy sources of lean protein include:
   • Chicken skin or chicken breast
   • Lean beef
   • Pork tenderloin
   • Tuna white meat (soaked in water)
   • Tofu or fermented soybeans
   • Bean

2. 

   
   
   Choose vegetables that are rich in calories. Some fruits and vegetables contain more fat and calories than others. Choosing calorie-rich fruits and vegetables can help you gain weight more easily. For example, you can choose bananas, pineapple, raisins, other dried fruits, peas, corn, potatoes and pumpkin.

3. 

   
   
   Eat bread and solid cereals. Carbohydrates are a rich source of calories, and some carbohydrate-rich foods will be richer in calories. You should not eat “bland” bread and cereals as they are low in calories. Instead, choose high-calorie breads like whole wheat breads. Alternatively, you can choose from:
   • Whole grains
   • Granola breakfast cereals
   • Muffin cake contains wheat bran
   • Whole-wheat bagel
   • Whole-wheat pasta
   • Brown rice

4. 

   
   
   Cook with oil. When baking vegetables, meat and other foods, use healthy cooking oils to increase your fat and calories. Instead of vegetable oils, you can use olive oil, grape seed oil or rapeseed oil as they contain higher calories and rich in the nutrients your body needs to gain healthy weight.
   • Try sprinkling olive oil on salads, using canola oil to spread oil in a pan or as a substitute for butter when baking.

5. 

   Use coconut milk. Coconut milk is a source of calories and lactose-free fats that you can add to your diet to gain weight instead of using food oils. Coconut milk contains healthy fats and nutrients and is very versatile, so you can use coconut milk for many dishes.
   • Try making curry from coconut milk, replacing animal milk with coconut milk for soups, or adding a full teaspoon of coconut milk to your morning cup of coffee.
   • Coconut milk in a liquid and thinner form can be a direct substitute for cow's milk. Coconut milk in a thicker form (for example when canned) can be used as a substitute for skim cream or cream powder.

6. 

   Eat nuts. Nuts are a great nutritious snack and are also packed with calories. Macadamia, pecans, pine nuts, Brazil nuts and walnuts have the highest calories, while chestnuts, cashews, and peanuts are lower in calories.
   • You can sip a handful of seeds as snacks or incorporate them into a recipe. For example, you can combine a little cashews with roasted and ground walnuts to make a Pesto sauce, or add chopped almonds to a chocolate biscuit dough.
   • Spread the nut butter on bread or serve with fruit. Spreading nut butter like peanut butter or cashew butter on a slice of whole-wheat bread makes for a healthy snack and helps increase the calorie content. You can spread a teaspoon of almond butter on toast or dab apple slices in peanut butter.

7. 

   Incorporate chickpea cream sauce into your diet. Chickpea cream sauce is recommended by many people when trying to gain weight because it contains chickpeas - beans that are rich in calories, healthy fats and nutrients. Additionally, chickpea cream sauce is also a good source of fiber.
   • Try spreading chickpea cream sauce on slices of bread, using sauce to dab vegetables or adding a teaspoon of sauce to salads.

8. 

   Incorporate avocado into your diet. Avocados are high in fat and nutrients, making it a great way to add calories to a lactose intolerance diet. Although it is famous as the main ingredient of the guacamole butter sauce, avocado also has a mild taste and can be used in many other dishes.
   • Try spreading Guacamole on a sandwich, adding a few slices of avocado to a salad, or adding avocado to a fruit smoothie for extra fat and calories without altering the taste.

9. 

   Sprinkle a little honey over the food. You should avoid using added sugar to gain weight because it increases your risk of disease. On the other hand, you can safely use honey for a snack or drink to safely gain weight. Some studies show that honey has strong antibacterial properties and helps people with malnutrition.
   • Avoid honey if you have diabetes. Some studies have shown that while honey does not affect blood sugar the same way it does sugar, honey can affect blood sugar levels.
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Method 2 of 3: Increase the Nutrients in your Diet

1. 

   Drink non-dairy smoothies and shakes. To gain healthy weight, you need to add 200-500 calories in your daily diet. This goal can be difficult, and some people will feel so full that they can't eat more. At this point, adding healthy, dairy-free shakes can help you increase calories without eating more.
   • Shakes and smoothies are known for being healthy because they are easy to eat and also add nutrients to your diet. Just do a search online and you can find a wide variety of dairy smoothie recipes.
   • Most smoothies have a little extra liquid, usually fruit juices that don't contain added sugar or almond milk, soy milk, and a variety of vegetables. Ingredients are ground in a blender until blended into the desired texture.
   • Many smoothies use additives like vanilla extract, cinnamon or honey to add sweetness and taste. You can combine many different additives until smoothie tastes as you want.
   • If your favorite smoothie recipe uses a dairy product like milk or yogurt, you can substitute with non-animal milk. Examples are soy milk or almond milk.

2. 

   Drink calorie-rich drinks. Dieters are often advised to avoid consuming calories from beverages. However, if you want to gain weight, adding a high-calorie beverage to your diet may help.
   • During meals, you can drink fruit juice that does not contain added sugar or sports drinks such as Gatorade water. However, in addition to high calorie drinks, always remember to drink 8 glasses of water a day to ensure a healthy diet.
   • Although drinking calorie-based beverages will help you gain weight, healthy weight gain is also important. Avoid beverages that are high in sugar, such as soda water or fruit juices that are high in added sugar. Also, avoid gaining weight by increasing your alcohol intake as this can be dangerous if you are malnourished.

3. 

   Ask a registered dietitian about incorporating non-dairy protein powders into your diet. Protein powders are a supplement with many health benefits that can be found in gyms or health food stores. Protein powder contains ingredients to help increase energy for drinks and help you gain weight, gain muscle. Protein powder can be added to smoothies and other drinks or pureed and used for cooking.
   • First, ask your dietitian about a protein powder supplement. Protein powders are often used to build muscle and may not be very beneficial for people who just want to gain weight.
   • Egg white protein powder is a great non-dairy food to add protein to your diet. This product comes in a variety of scents and comes in a non-sweet form.
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Method 3 of 3: Seeking Medical Care

1. 

   Talk to your doctor about your weight. Unexplained weight loss and difficulty gaining weight can be symptoms of lactose intolerance. This is especially true if you've recently been diagnosed with lactose intolerance and are adjusting to a new diet. However, weight loss can also be a symptom of many other underlying medical conditions. If you are unsure whether your weight loss is caused by lactose intolerance, it's best to talk to your doctor.
   • There are many causes of weight loss, from fairly benign illnesses, like minor dental problems, to more serious illnesses, like cancer and Parkinson's disease. So, if you don't know the cause of your weight loss, it's best to see a doctor to diagnose it. Your doctor will check and perform a variety of tests based on your medical history and current health.
   • If you cannot gain weight due to lactose intolerance, your doctor will help you establish the most effective diet and exercise routine.

2. 

   Seek advice from a registered dietitian. If it is difficult to gain weight due to a lactose-free diet, seek a referral to a registered dietitian with your doctor. A specialist will make dietary recommendations for you based on your personal preferences and health needs.

3. 

   Medical assessment. If you are on prescription medication, check for side effects. Some prescription medications can cause unwanted weight loss.
   • Migraine medications and psychiatric medications can sometimes cause weight loss. In particular, the drug for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the culprit of sudden weight loss.
   • Talk to your doctor about exchanging medications if you think the medication is causing malnutrition.
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Advice

• Eat large servings. If you are underweight or have lactose intolerance, simply increase your intake of non-dairy foods to increase calorie tolerance, which in turn helps support weight gain in the short term.
• Eat regularly to increase your daily calorie intake easily. Prepare a snack like a granola or a ready-made vegetable.