The Best Herbs to Gain Weight

Gaining weight when you're underweight can be just as difficult as losing weight. Learn about the best herbs to help promote weight loss in this article.

Reviewed and approved by psychologist Valeria Sabater.

Written by Valeria Sabater

Last update: 04 August, 2022

Are you underweight and looking for ways to gain weight naturally? Many people need to gain weight either because their doctors recommend it or because they find their thinness unpleasant or uncomfortable. In this article, we’ll take a look at why one may need to gain weight as well as natural herbs to gain weight.

A person may need to gain weight due to health problems, periods of stress or other illnesses that have made him or her lose a significant amount of weight. On the other hand, it may be simply due to a genetic predisposition towards being thin.

So how can you gain weight in a healthy and balanced way?  

Nutritionists often warn that gaining weight can be even more complicated than losing weight. After all, many aspects must be controlled:

• You have to make sure excess calories don’t come from processed industrial foods.
• In addition, you must also make sure you have enough appetite to follow through with all the prescribed meals, and even take care of any related digestive problems.  

With this in mind, let’s take a careful look at all of these aspects as well as point out the best herbs to gain weight naturally and healthily.

Why are there people who can’t gain weight?

There are several possible reasons why someone may not be able to gain weight:

• Genetic causes: There are people who can’t eat more than a limited amount of food. Once it hits their stomach, they secrete a series of hormones that satiate their appetite and stops them from continuing to eat.
• More muscle fiber: Sometimes, genetic composition and a person’s heredity has given them more muscle fibers. This makes them burn more energy while resting, making weight gain more difficult.
• Character and personality: There are people who are nervous and restless by nature.  They are incapable of sitting still,  and are constantly active, even while sitting. All of this movement makes them burn more calories.
• Difficulty in absorbing nutrients: This is a key factor that’s important to keep in mind, since the body stops receiving its necessary daily energy contribution.
• Certain diseases such as hyperthyroidism, anorexia, bulimia, chronic diarrhea, depression, or stress, among others.

Herbs to gain weight naturally

Fenugreek

You might not be familiar with it, but fenugreek stands out as one of the most efficient herbs to gain weight. In fact, it’s known for helping make breasts and glutes larger.

Believe it or not, fenugreek contains properties similar to female estrogen. It’s also perfect for lowering cholesterol and stabilizing glucose in the blood. Plus, thanks to its fiber, it prevents constipation.

So how do you consume it?

Overall, you can also consume it in the following ways:

• By using its seeds in recipes.
• Taking capsules or pills sold in natural food stores.
• Through its flour, by making a type of bread.
• In powder form, for flavoring different dishes.
• As a tea or infusion.

Without a doubt, the most common way of consuming it is as a tea made from its seeds when you wake up and during mid-afternoon.

Here’s how to make it:

1. Boil one cup of water, place 5 seeds in it, and drink it once it has steeped for a few minutes.
2. Make sure to drink a lot of water throughout the day, as this will increase your appetite.  

Fenogreek also contains saponins, which help improve digestion and improve digestive enzymes. This will help promote weight gain. However, the key is to always remember to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

Dandelion

Dandelion primary acts as an appetite-increasing tonic. Thanks to its sweet flavor, it stimulates the flow of bile, thereby improving digestive enzymes.

Here’s how to make it:

1. Boil four flowers in one cup of water.  
2. One it has steeped, you can drink it.
3. A half an hour later, you should eat a banana. Eating a banana a day will also help you gain weight in a healthy way.

In order for dandelion to have an effect on you, you should drink it up to three times a day, with the first time just after waking up.  

Gentian, among the best herbs to gain weight

Gentian is an excellent herb that can help you gain weight. It’s a very effective natural remedy for people who have been recovering from an illness.

Its properties come from its ability to improve food absorption and increase appetite. Because of this, the proteins and calories consumed are appropriately synthesized, which helps you go up a few sizes naturally and healthfully. In addition, gentian also promotes better gastric secretion and enzyme absorption.

Don’t hesitate to try it.  You can find it in natural food stores in tea or capsule form.