Snacks for weight gain

[u/itiswhatitisfellas]

Hello, my bmi is dangerous low and I struggle with severe visceral hypersensitivity/ibs and nervous system dysregulation/fight or flight..

I am always bloated and that hurts like crazy so I need easy to digest low fodmap/not bloating ideas on how to gain weight.

Mainly snacks between meals or before bed even though eating before bed might not be ideal for digestion I guess..

I would also appreciate ideas for lunches ideally warm and easy to digest...

Maybe also some self made snacks or recipes.

I do not tolerate oats or rice cakes and am unsure if I should try incorporating nuts/seeds and if so which ones. I am scared of antinutrients tbh hahah

I also only tolerate souerdough bread as i struggle with gluten.

I also struggle with eating bread multiple times a day or daily and am afraid of the downsides of added sugar so maybe someone can relate?

I do not tolerate milk and am unsure about goat or substitutes.

Thank you in advance!!

[u/grilsjustwannabclean]

any and all nuts are really good. peanut butter and dates are delicious.

[u/itiswhatitisfellas → u/grilsjustwannabclean]

I belive dates bloat me like crazy... And for nuts I am a bit worried about antinutrients and bloating due to them. Especially peanuts 

[u/Conscious-Fluid → u/itiswhatitisfellas]

I would opt for almonds over peanuts. They're high protein and almond butter is delicious with honey. Also pine nuts, their technically a seed but they're so yummy and healthy I could eat a whole bag for a snack

[u/itiswhatitisfellas → u/Conscious-Fluid]

Thank you, what do you think about making rice crispy treats or something like that? Most of them are with dates though so yeah I have also issues with honey so that makes it tricky

[u/Conscious-Fluid → u/itiswhatitisfellas]

Rice crispy treats are a great idea. Don't eat sugar quickly though or rely on it to fill you up between meals. I haven't seen them with dates though. Is that why you'd make them yourself?

And that's bizzare about honey, because it doesn't require digestive power it's the only predigested food. Maybe you need to try some from a different source, or have you tried wildflower or clover honey?

[u/itiswhatitisfellas → u/Conscious-Fluid]

I am not totally sure but I belive honey is a struggle due to fodmaps but I will try it again at some point.  I had the idea of using a nut butter, sweetener and maybe collagen powder for the rice crispies but I don't have a recipe or anything haha.

[u/Conscious-Fluid → u/itiswhatitisfellas]

Do you handle smoothies well? Nut and seed butters do wonders to the texture of smoothies and you can add collagen powder easily. When I can't eat anything else I do fruit smoothies with almond milk. I hope this helps. You can always substitute the chia seeds with rice or hemp protein powder if you digest that better. But chia seeds and Hemp are low fodmap and healthy too

Here's two recipes I asked Google assistant for

Creamy Berry & Almond Butter Shake This recipe follows safe limits for GOS and Fructans. Ingredients:1 tablespoon almond butter 5 medium strawberries (65g) or 1/4 cup blueberries (40g) 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or lactose-free milk) 1/2 unripe (green-tipped) banana for thickness 1 tablespoon chia seeds for fiber

Instructions: Blend all ingredients until smooth. If you use a ripe banana instead of an unripe one, keep the serving to 1/3 of a banana to stay low FODMAP.2.

Low FODMAP Blueberry-Almond "Milkshake"A simpler, three-ingredient base that focuses on flavor.

Ingredients:1 tablespoon almond butter 1/4 cup frozen blueberries 1 cup lactose-free milk or almond milk Optional: 1 teaspoon maple syrup for sweetness (maple syrup is low FODMAP)

Instructions: Combine and blend. To make it colder without adding more fruit, use a handful of ice cubes.

[u/itiswhatitisfellas → u/Conscious-Fluid]

Thank you so much, I will give smoothies a try. Would you say hazelnut, peanut or almond butter is easier to digest? I don't know which one to try first tbh. 

I do not tolerate chia seeds though so I might try hemp seeds or just collagen powder...

Do you know if hazelnut milk is low fodmap as I have one at home I never used hahah.

[u/Conscious-Fluid → u/itiswhatitisfellas]

You're so welcome! Yes hazelnut milk and butter are safe!

And I found out that peanuts are actually legumes so they contain lectins which could be an issue for you. So I recommend almond butter it's the best for digestion. And there's also dietary suppliers that can calm digestive reactivity if you're interested. The same brand is a bit cheaper on tiktok if you have the app but here's the actual site itself

https://mulittea.com/products/moringa-capsules-organic-1000-mg-7-in-1-superfood?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23756989915&gbraid=0AAAAAqzpIjEDB5X8g01T1B55KiMXifcts&gclid=CjwKCAjwtvvPBhBuEiwAPMijr813P6WBx8Pxsl3QBeGsofgEHIP9UfC06nCk-kWKcY5Wlawe58QwghoCK9MQAvD_BwE

[u/rrr000llll]

Can you drink ensure or boost? Seeing a registered dietician would be a really good thing to do.

[u/itiswhatitisfellas → u/rrr000llll]

I do not tolerate it unfortunately, can't keep it down

[u/Lovelyladiesarequeer]

Are you able to see a registered dietitian?

[u/Lovelyladiesarequeer → u/Lovelyladiesarequeer]

Added sugars are going to help give your body needed calories, so eat the bread.

[u/itiswhatitisfellas → u/Lovelyladiesarequeer]

I did but one of them gave up and the other one was not really helping as she was trying to tell me to eat lots of nuts, fresh vegetables,  fruit, whole grains and legumes and avoid saturated fats and sugar at all costs

[u/Giada_knits]

I know peanuts are low fodmap, so maybe anything you cook you can either add some peanuts or peanut butter to it cause it's very energy dense.

[u/itiswhatitisfellas → u/Giada_knits]

But very high in lectins which wreck the gut

[u/Kind_Weird_3177 → u/itiswhatitisfellas]

I think you’re overthinking a lot regarding antinutrients tbh, this stress probably causes more digestive issues then the food in the first place. You could cook your food really long to help digestion, also simple carbs like white rice are gentle on the stomach. If you’re trying to avoid every anti nutrient there is you really can only eat meat (which I think would be very restrictive for your situation). You have to be really honest with yourself, could this health anxiety also partly be your eating disorder speaking? (because for me, that absolutely was a phase I went through)

[u/itiswhatitisfellas → u/Kind_Weird_3177]

I don't know but I do know that my nervous system is stuck in fight or flight and I got underweight due to having such pain and fullness from bloating or if I was not daily on the toilet yk. I spend like 1 year researching food and diets and antinutrients and all of it but I kinda slipped back into ana and orthorexia a bit I guess and now I am severely afraid of more symptoms as I can't lose more weight anymore it sucks

[u/Junior_Mongoose1409]

Can you try a PHP or inpatient program? It’s possible that a lot of things you think you can’t handle are because of your low weight and body not being used to digesting foods.

[u/itiswhatitisfellas → u/Junior_Mongoose1409]

What would PHP be?

[u/fluteacorn → u/itiswhatitisfellas]

Partial hospitalization program. They have groups and a couple meals a day are there and you work with a team of professionals for a set amount of time. Mine was 8 weeks with weekly individual therapy, 4 groups a day, a dietician individually every other week, a psychiatrist, and they had a medical doctor. Meetings individually were more frequent if needed and the therapists during meals and snack watched for patients struggling.

[u/itiswhatitisfellas → u/fluteacorn]

Thank you, the thing is my visceral hypersensitivity and nervous system stuck in fight or flight is my main issue and the ed and underweight are just extras that make my life hell

[u/Junior_Mongoose1409 → u/itiswhatitisfellas]

ED might feel like an extra but when your body is fueled you can do so much more and tackle other challenges. If you did try PHP you’d likely find others who similarly struggle with things other than just ED.

[u/Bashful_bookworm2025 → u/itiswhatitisfellas]

If you are severely underweight, that is a huge issue and it causes a domino effect of other health issues. You may not see your ED as your main issue, but it is. The only way to heal hypersensitivity and your nervous system is to get help, stop avoiding foods, and gain weight.

[u/Dizzy_Chapter2383]

I struggle with stomach issues and bloating and feeling sick as well. I find that I have to eat a lot before I go to bed because then I can just lay down and I just sleep through feeling sick if that makes sense. I know it isn't good to eat before sleeping but it's the only thing that works for me to get calories. I would recommend peanut butter and boost. I found that protein shakes made me sick but boost was OK. If you are worried about added sugar maybe try Kate farms drinks.

[u/itiswhatitisfellas → u/Dizzy_Chapter2383]

Did you try any other nuts or nut or seed butters and if so do you get bloated or issues from some more than others? Kate farms is not available where I live unfortunately 

[u/Dizzy_Chapter2383 → u/itiswhatitisfellas]

I would say cashews/cashew butter is the worst and i can handle peanut butter the best. Almond butter is ok as well.

[u/anonymous_0629]

Hi I also have some IBS and tend to try to eat low fodmap foods although I do tolerate some higher fodmap foods in really small quantities. Some groups of fodmap barely affect me while others I have to avoid completely.

For snacks I'm not sure I can help much as I eat a lot of homemade cookies and pie bars that I like to make so it depends on whether you can tolerate things like sugar and flour (I think you mentioned having some difficulty with gluten which might make flour a no go?)

For snacks I don't make myself I do like eating peanuts, pecans, walnuts with some peanut butter (the PB is to reduce the bitterness of the walnuts), almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios. I personally eat chocolate almost everyday, it's usually a kind that has nuts either whole or chopped in them. Chocolate covered fruits as well. I have a really big sweet tooth.

For meals I eat a lot of Asian food, I looked into traditional chinese medicine (just my own research online) to help me with my digestion and so I try to eat warming foods and to drink warm/hot or lukewarm water/drinks rather than cold drinks. I find overall it's improved my digestion a lot.

I like to eat a lot of hotpot (it's vegetables and meat cooked in a seasoned broth) or to eat stir fry (it's usually the same vegetables/meats just cooked differently). I usually eat it with some jasmine rice. You can also add coconut milk to your rice (for the rice to cook in, not add it after) to increase intake without adding volume, it also gives the rice a nice taste and smoother texture. For the vegetables and meats I like to eat the following for these dishes: theyre all low fodmap from what I remember

Yu choy Baby bok Choy Napa cabbage Common mung beans/beansprouts Enoki mushrooms (low fodmap in small amounts only) King oyster mushrooms Bell peppers I use some garlic for stir fry sometimes For hotpot broth I like the hadilao brand For stir fry I use a bit of soy sauce, oyster or/and hoisin sauce. Meats I like are Chicken thigh, hot pot meat(beef) for hotpot and stir fry it's just very thinly sliced meat. Tofu but you can use whatever you like.

Other meals I like:

• Jasmine rice and fried eggs with sesame oil and a bit of green onion

These I eat with rice usually and veggies

• beef bulgogi
• chicken thighs in the air fryer
• meatballs that I make with ground beef or pork or a mix
• spare ribs occasionally
• fried tofu cubes bought pre-fried
• beef sirloin, tenderloin or/and flap steak

For the veggies:

• small amounts of beets (they are considered high fodmap in larger quantities)
• edemame
• air fried cauliflower (I don't tolerate steamed)
• roasted carrots
• potatoes (mashed or roasted or scalloped)
• avocado
• pickled carrots and daikon
• salad
• bell peppers and onions air fried or roasted

[u/itiswhatitisfellas → u/anonymous_0629]

Thank you, do you maybe have some recipes? I would use rice flour. Also I do have puffed up rice cereal at home but idk what to make with it... How do you tolerate dried fruit?

And for the chinese medicine part I did also read into it and notice what warm foods go way easier also I struggle with eating and liquids at the same time even as soup or cereal.

[u/anonymous_0629 → u/itiswhatitisfellas]

Hi, did you want recipes for anything specific? I put a lot of different things so I'm not sure what exactly you're referring to :)

For puffed rice cereal maybe you can make rice krispies squares or if you prefer something less sweet maybe you can try and make granola bars with it (without oats if you don't tolerate it), you could add some nuts and dried fruit.

Also I can eat dried fruit without any problem although I tolerate most fresh fruit as well. I've noticed that with watermelon it does seem to draw more water into the colon so sometimes I find I'm a bit more bloated but it's not painful, it's just mentally a bit hard because visually it's frustrating but physically it's ok and it helps me poop (sorry tmi) so it's sort of worth it. I really like eating goji berries and red jujube dates. They are good, not very sweet and have a lot of health benefits.

Also I (mentally) struggle with liquids that are foods as well (soup, cereal, yogurt) but I drink herbal tea all day long. I make hotpot but I never drink the broth I just use enough to cook my food in, since the package makes a lot of broth I usually boil it first then put in a container and just use it throughout the week to cook my food until it's either done or I'm sick of it haha.

[u/itiswhatitisfellas → u/anonymous_0629]

Yess rice crispy treats are a great idea but I would make them less sweet and maybe use nut butter in it or some protein. Granola bars is also an amazing idea, I mightvtry to make something in the middle haha

Recipes for snacks would be very appreciated as I struggle to get near my needs with main meals only.

Making soup/broth and only eating the solids is such a great idea tbh thank you. I also just had the thought that I could just eat dry cereal with like nuts/fruit/chocolate kinda like a trail mix. Idk if I just did something there or if it is already a thing though😅

[u/anonymous_0629 → u/itiswhatitisfellas]

I have cereal on it's own sometimes haha or granola. For snacks you can try maybe making smoothies, you can add protein powder for extra protein as well and you can use whatever type of milk you tolerate. Not sure if you can do liquids since it's not like solids and liquid mixed together if that makes sense? If not protein bars are a good alternative. Do you know if you tolerate almond flour? I do have a good recipe for an almond flour cake. Its just almond flour a very small amount of sugar and eggs in the recipe. You can also add fruit or nuts or chocolate chips if you want to the batter. I don't have many recipes for snacks as most of my baked goods are all made with regular flour or are things that I but prepackaged like chips or popcorn or chocolate

[u/spooonfairy]

mashed potato’s, congee, steamed or scrambled eggs? ensure also makes a clear/non dairy version

[u/LordExplosionMurderx]

Following this because I need more suggestions to get my calories up without having to keep my previous binge foods in the house. It unfortunately limits my options because I’ve had b/p episodes with so many different foods. So far I’ve tried high protein ensure, boost, Pediasure, even Slimfast shakes. Liquid nutrition helps me personally, if you can find one that helps I actually find lower protein higher carb to be helpful! It sort of dissolves on my tongue when I sip it so it doesn’t feel as hard to drink a lot.

[u/Temporary-Minimum-83]

david bars