If you are looking to add weight, then you need to start eating a lot of calorie-dense foods. These are foods that have high amounts of calories. Calories are the amount of energy released when food is broken down by the body. Foods that have more calories realise more energy when they are digested and absorbed by the body.
Foods have varying amounts of calories. Some have low amounts while some are packed with calories. Eating foods that are high in calories have been linked to weight gain. This is why people looking to lose weight are advised to stay off certain foods, most of which are rich in calories.
But if you want to add on a few pounds, calorie-dense foods are what you need and in this article, we would be going over a few of them.
Here are 10 calorie-dense foods in Nigeria.
1. Yam
Yam is a starchy stable that is found in all parts of Nigeria. It is very rich in carbohydrates and has a high amount of calories. Yam can be enjoyed in different ways. You can boil it, fry it, or pound it.
A serving of boiled yam (136g) contains up to 158 calories, and most people won’t stop at one serving, and the amounts of calories would vary depending on the kind of yam, as well as other factors.
2. White Rice
White rice is rice that has been processed. This means it does not have all parts, like the germ and bran, and so is not a whole grain, unlike brown rice. But while it may lack some things, white rice is very rich in calories.
3. Beans
Beans is another food that has high amounts of calories. A rich source of plant protein, beans is also rich in carbohydrates and is a good source of energy. 100g of beans could have as much as 300 calories.
4. Moi Moi
Moi Moi is a dish made from steaming beans that has been grinder to a paste. Other ingredients can be added to the mix to make it taste better. This means it contains more calories than regular boiled beans.
5. White Bread
White bread is bread made from white flour, which is used to make a lot of pastries we have in Nigeria. This type of flour has high amounts of calories, unlike whole-grain wheat flour.
White bread contains a lot of calories and people who are trying to lose weight are advised to avoid this type of bread.
A popular type of white bread in Nigeria is agege bread.
6. Swallows
Swallow here refers to staples like akpu or fufu, amala, eba, and semolina. These foods are rich in carbs and packed with calories. This is why people are advised not to eat them at night before bed, as this can lead to unwanted weight gain.
7. Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is a creamy sauce used in dressing salads. It is widely consumed and sold in Nigeria. Mayonnaise is made with eggs that are rich in proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. It is a calorie-dense food ingredient, as there are about 680 calories in 100 grams of mayonnaise.
8. Groundnut Paste
Groundnut paste, also known as the Nigerian peanut butter, is a thick, delicious creamy food ingredient primarily made from groundnut.
It is also called Okwu Ose, Okwu Oji, and Ose Oji by Nigerians and can be used as a dessert, especially with garden eggs.
Groundnut paste is nutritious and contains healthy fat. It is also high in calories. In fact, 100 grams of groundnut paste contains 580 calories.
9. Shawarma
Shawarma is another popular food in Nigeria that is calorie-dense. It is basically a type of sandwich that is made with roasted meat that is shaved off a rotating spit.
A wrap of shawarma wrap contains approximately 400 to 1000 calories. However, the calories in shawarma depend on the ingredients used for preparation.
10. Meats
Most meats consumed in Nigeria contain a lot of fat and are quite high in calories.
For example, 100 grams of pork meat has close to 300 calories. In addition, red meat, chicken, sausage (hot dogs), and snail meat are calorie-dense.
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Collins Nwokolo is a human physiologist, writer and health enthusiast. He loves writing helpful articles on health and fitness, which he enjoys sharing with everyone.
