If you are aiming to gain weight healthily and naturally, dry fruits are the ideal and safe choice. It has them all: healthy fats, proteins, fibre and nutrients, in small packages. dry fruits are energy-dense and can significantly support your weight gain efforts.
In this blog post, we'll discuss the best dry fruits for weight gain, their benefits and how to eat them properly in your everyday Indian diet.
Why Choose Dry Fruits for Weight Gain?
Dry fruits are dried fruits that maintain most of the nutrients as fresh fruits, but they are in a denser form. This makes them relatively higher in calories which is why they are good for people looking to increase their weight every day, and do not want to eat for long periods of time.
There are several reasons that dry fruits are ideal for increasing one's weight:
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High Caloric Density: A small serving size delivers high caloric density.
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Nutrient-Dense: Good source of vitamins, minerals, and high-antioxidant foods.
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Good Fats: Most nuts contain healthy monounsaturated fats.
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Easy to Utilise: Nuts can be eaten as a snack, eaten with food, or included in a smoothie.
Top 7 Dry Fruits for Weight Gain

Almonds (Badam)
Almonds are an energy bomb. Almonds are packed with healthy fats, protein, magnesium, and Vitamin E. About 23 almonds will give you around 160 calories.
How to eat:
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Soak 6-8 almonds overnight and eat them in the morning.
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Chop almonds and add them to smoothies or milkshakes.
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Use almond butter as a spread.
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Cashews (Kaju)
Cashews are high in calories and contain healthy fats and protein. They are one of the most rapidly effective dry fruits for gaining weight.
How to consume:
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Eat a handful (15-20 pieces) as a snack.
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Combine with other nuts for a home-made trail mix.
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Add to gravies or curries (common in many Indian dishes).
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Raisins (Kishmish)
Raisins are an excellent source of natural sugars such as fructose and glucose. They aid in increasing energy and stimulating the appetite.
Ways to consume:
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Soak a handful of raisins overnight and eat it the next morning.
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Or, add them to breakfast cereal or curd.
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Alternatively, use as toppings in any dessert, or even Indian sweets.
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Dates (Khajoor)
A date is one of the best dried fruit for people looking to gain weight due to the high sweet levels and fiber content. 100 grams of dates contains over 270 calories.
How to eat:
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Have 4-6 dates a day as a snack.
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You can stuff with nuts like almonds to increase calories.
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Blend into shakes or laddoos.
Walnuts (Akhrot)
Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, good fats, and proteins. They promote weight gain and are good for brain health.
How to consume:
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Eat 2-3 walnuts per day.
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Add to smoothies, salads, or oatmeal.
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Use in baking to add nutritional value.
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Figs (Anjeer)
Figs are high in iron, fiber and calories, and they also aid digestion, which helps with nutrient absorption.
Ways to eat:
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Soak 2-3 dried figs overnight and eat them on an empty stomach.
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Add to milk for an evening drink with additional nutrition.
Pistachios (Pista)
Pistachios are quite delicious, and they also provide protein, fibre, and healthy fats, which makes them perfect for healthy weight gain.
How to eat:
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Snack on roasted pistachios.
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Add to desserts like kheer and halwa.
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Combine with other dry fruits.
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Best Ways to Include Dry Fruits in Your Indian Diet
To maximise dry fruits’ benefits for weight gain, you must eat them consistently and in good amounts! Here are some easy and delicious ways to include them in your meals every day that will help you achieve your weight gain goals:
Morning Routine
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Soaked Dry fruits: Eat soaked almonds, figs, and raisins on an empty stomach as they are easier to digest, enhancing their absorption.
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Dry Fruit Milkshake: Blend milk with bananas, dates, almonds, and cashew nuts for breakfast and enjoy a calorie-dense morning meal!
Snacks
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Trail Mix: Do a mix of different dry fruits with your choice of seeds for a snack in the afternoon.
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Dry Fruit Bars: Make your energy bars with jaggery (raw sugar) and ghee!
Main Meals
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Curries: Ground cashews or almond paste can be used as thickening substitutes instead of cream in Indian gravies, as well as to enrich them.
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Rice: Pulao or biryani, topped with fried dry fruits such as raisins and cashew nuts, makes those dishes more luxurious!
Desserts
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Laddoos and Halwas: Many Indian sweets include dry fruits and in turn, may serve your cause well and fancy!
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Kheer: A milk-based dessert, which tastes great with added raisins, almonds, and pistachios.
Tips to Gain Weight with Dry Fruits
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Don't Overindulge: While dry fruits are nutritious, overdoing it will cause your digestive system to rebel or lead to unwanted fat gain.
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Pair with Protein: Pair your dry fruits with a dairy or plant protein to help you preserve or attain muscle mass.
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Stay Consistent: For optimal results, include dry fruits in your daily diet.
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Stay Hydrated: Drink fluids rich in water as you eat the dry fruits, especially if you are eating high-fibre content dry fruits like figs and raisins.
Read: 12 Powerful Dry Fruits Benefits You Should Know About
FAQS – Dry Fruits for Weight Gain
Can you gain weight by eating dry fruits?
Yes, dry fruits are energy-dense and contain good fats as well as carbohydrates which allow you to get more calories and promote healthy weight gain.
Which dry fruit is best for quick weight gain?
Dates and cashews are some of the best dry fruits for quick weight gain as they are high calorie and high fat.
How much dry fruit should I eat per day if I want to gain weight?
A handful (30-50 grams) of mixed dry fruit would be fine add daily. It is best to use different combinations of dry fruits for a variety of nutrients.
Should I soak dry fruits before eating them?
Yes, soaking almonds, figs, and raisins will help digestion and increase nutrient absorption.
Can I eat dry fruit at night to help with weight gain?
Yes, you can consume dry fruit milk (such as fig milk or date milk) at night to help add in calories.
Are dry fruits better than supplements for weight gain?
Yes, because dry fruits are a natural source of nutrition, dry fruits are generally safer than synthetic weight gainers or active supplements.
Final Thoughts
Adding dry fruits for weight gain in your Indian diet is an easy, natural, and effective approach. They will help you gain weight, and also help diversify your nutrition. Just remember, consistency is key.
If you're a student or you work or you're a fit person trying to bulk shall, take advantage of how dry fruits can assist you in this process. Eat a little, but be consistent and enjoy the tasty benefits.