10 High-Calorie Foods That Are Actually Good for You

In a society deep into diet culture, often the only aspects of “healthy” we focus on are those that will help with weight loss. For example, is it low-fat? low-carb? Low-calorie? However, other important ways exist to analyze what makes food healthy. In addition, many people’s health goals include gaining weight. High-calorie foods are important for those trying to gain weight or maintain a certain weight that requires more calories.

High-calorie foods might bring “unhealthy” foods like donuts, cake, french fries, soda, or fast food to mind. However, many other foods, especially whole foods, are high in calories but also considered healthy because they provide important nutrients. Items like olive oil and avocados contain healthy fats, while nuts and red meat are good sources of protein and micronutrients. These foods have high amounts of calories, but they also contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber and can help stabilize your blood sugar levels while giving you slow-release energy throughout the day. 

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What Are High-Calorie Foods?

“Calorie” is a measurement of how much energy a food contains. It is a unit of energy equivalent to the amount of energy it takes to raise 1g of water by 1℃. A food's caloric density measures the amount of calories per 100g. 

Calories in food come from the three macronutrients:

Carbohydrates: 4 calories per gram

Protein: 4 calories per gram

Fat: 9 calories per gram

High-calorie foods, or calorie-dense foods, are those that have a large number of calories in relation to their weight. These include things like potatoes, cheese, or oils. In contrast, nutrient-dense foods are those that have a high number of nutrients in relation to the amount of calories they provide. Nutrient-dense foods include broccoli, leafy greens, eggs, and berries.

Who Needs High-Calorie Foods?

Those trying to put on weight or maintain a higher weight must prioritize high-calorie foods. This could apply to people who are trying to bulk up to build muscle mass, such as bodybuilders. It can also include those recovering from a medical issue who need to gain weight or those populations, such as older adults, who have smaller appetites and don’t eat as much food and, therefore, need high-calorie meals. 

High-calorie foods are not only for those trying to gain weight, though. If you are trying to lose weight, managing calories and maintaining a calorie deficit is important. However, shying away from all calorie-dense foods can ultimately lead to you missing out on some very healthy, nutrient-packed foods. It is crucial to have a balance. Spend your calorie budget wisely, but ensure you have a well-rounded diet of whole foods, some of which may be higher in calories, such as the ones on the list below. 

10 High-Calorie Foods That Are Good for You

Olive Oil

Olive oil has a caloric density of 824 kilocalories per 100g. Luckily, most don’t consume 100 grams of olive oil regularly. Although high-calorie, olive oil contains healthy unsaturated fats and has antioxidant properties. Olive oil is a staple in the well-known healthy Mediterranean diet. It has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including lowering inflammation, protecting LDL cholesterol from oxidation, improving the lining of your blood vessels, lowering blood pressure, and potentially protecting against Alzheimer’s disease.¹

Avocados

Avocados have 160 calories per 100g (about half an avocado). Avocados are a good source of healthy unsaturated fats and vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. Avocados are a great food to add to your meals to increase satiety and balance blood sugar levels while adding various nutrients to your plate.²

Nuts

Nuts like almonds, brazil nuts, and cashews are high in calories and packed with nutrients. Most nuts have unsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin E, iron, potassium, selenium, magnesium, zinc, and copper. Each type of nut has different amounts of vitamins and minerals, so it is important to eat various nuts to ensure you get various nutrients. For example, a handful of Brazil nuts contains almost 1,000% of your daily value of selenium. In comparison, macadamia nuts have 50% of your daily value of manganese, and almonds have 50% of your daily value of vitamin E. The calorie density of nuts varies but is generally between 570-720 calories per 100g (about three handfuls).^{3, 4}

Potatoes

Potatoes contain at least some amount of almost all the vitamins you might need. They are a good source of potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, vitamin C, and most B vitamins. In addition, they are a complete protein, meaning they contain all of the essential amino acids. Just make sure to eat potatoes with the skin on to benefit from all these nutrients. 100g of potatoes (about ½ of a large potato) has 85 calories.⁵

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes have 90 calories per 100g and are one of the most nutrient-dense starches. They contain over 100% of your daily value of vitamin A and vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese, copper, and potassium. They also contain important antioxidants and soluble fiber to help your gut microbiota thrive.⁶

Quinoa

Quinoa has a caloric density of 120 calories per 100g. Quinoa is a gluten-free grain and has gained popularity due to its high nutritional value compared to many other grains. It contains more protein and fiber than other grains, such as brown rice. It is a good source of vitamins B6, E, folate, copper, iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. Quinoa also contains several plant compounds that serve as antioxidants in the body.⁷ 

Bananas

Bananas contain 90 calories per 100g, making them a high-calorie fruit. They contain various nutrients, including vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus, and are also rich in fiber, especially soluble fiber. Green bananas contain a high amount of resistant starch. Soluble fiber and resistant starch can support healthy gut bacteria, improve digestion, and balance blood sugar levels.⁸

Red Meat

Red meat is a calorically dense food, with 254 calories per 100g. Beef, the most common type of red meat, contains very high amounts of zinc, selenium, niacin, iron, and B12, a vitamin only available from animal sources. Beef is also a complete protein, and the vitamins in meat, such as beef, are generally much more bioavailable to humans than vegetables. While red meat is rich in nutrients, it is high in saturated fat, and eating high amounts of red meat, especially processed meats, has been linked to some diseases, such as heart disease. Therefore, try to choose unprocessed, lean cuts when possible.⁹

Salmon

Salmon has 182-200 calories per 100g, depending on if it is wild-caught or farmed. Not only is salmon high in protein, but it is packed with vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids. A 100g serving of salmon contains 127% of the Daily Value (DV) of B12, 85% DV of selenium, 63% DV of Niacin, 56% DV of vitamin B6, and is also a great source of pantothenic acid, thiamine, and phosphorus.¹⁰

Yogurt

Plain yogurt made from whole milk has roughly 70 calories per 100g, depending on the brand and type. This equates to about ½ cup. Yogurt is a great staple to have on hand, given its numerous health benefits. One cup of yogurt has 50% of your daily value of calcium and is also rich in vitamin B12, riboflavin, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. These nutrients are essential for various processes in your body, such as metabolic pathways, blood pressure regulation, and maintaining healthy bones. 

Yogurt is also very high in protein, with roughly 9 grams of protein per cup. Greek yogurt can get even higher with up to 13 grams of protein per cup and only 80 calories. Some types of yogurt also contain probiotics, which benefit your gut microbiome. Therefore, yogurt can be a great food for those trying to build muscle mass, improve their gut health, and balance their blood sugar levels.¹¹

<p class="pro-tip"><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href=salmon-metabolic-health>Is Salmon Actually Good For Your Metabolic Health?</a>.</p>

Learn More About Creating a Healthy Diet for Your Body With Signos’ Expert Advice

Whether you are trying to lose weight, build muscle mass, improve your nutrition, or optimize your metabolic health, knowing what steps to take to reach your health goals can be tough. The Signos program can make this easier by helping you discover how your daily actions affect your body. 

Signos shows you how the foods you eat, workouts, and lifestyle affect your glucose levels and help guide you toward the right habits. With insights from the Signos CGM and Signos experts’ advice, you can achieve weight loss, better metabolic health, and more. You can learn more about glucose levels on Signos’ blog. Not sure if you’re a good fit? Find out by taking a quick quiz.

<p class="pro-tip"><strong>Learn More: </strong><a href=what-to-eat-before-bed-to-lose-weight>What to Eat Before Bed to Lose Weight: Best 12 Foods</a>.</p>