Top 10 Foods High In Calories But Low In Sugar

Those who are looking to gain weight need foods that are high in calories, but not completely full of junk, like sugar. 

Eating high-energy-dense foods that are not high in sugar prevents insulin levels from spiking. Managing to keep your insulin levels low while eating high-calorie food helps avoid any fat gain.

This is important when consuming high-calorie foods to gain weight, as you want the weight gain to come from muscle, not fat.

Below, I will share with you the top 10 foods to add to your diet to increase your caloric intake without adding too much (or even any) sugar. I also created a meal plan that puts all of these foods into an easy-to-follow day of eating. 

Download the High Calorie, Low Sugar Meal Plan (PDF).

Key Takeaways

• When looking for low-sugar food, check the nutrition label to ensure it has less than 5 grams of sugar per serving.

• High-fat foods like nuts, seeds, olive oil, and avocado are low in sugar and can help you increase your daily caloric intake without increasing your sugar intake.

• If you need to keep your carbohydrate intake high but don’t want to consume too much sugar, opt for carb sources such as yams, oatmeal, and pasta.

What Defines A Food High In Calories and Low In Sugar?

The most important question is how to define low-sugar, high-calorie foods. 

A food is high in calories when it has more than 100 calories in 100 grams. 

Additionally, for a food to be classified as low sugar, it needs to have less than 5 grams of sugar per portion size.

Why 5 g of sugar? 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the recommended daily intake is to have less than 10% of your daily calories coming from sugar. 

On average, for a 2500-calorie diet, this means no more than 25 g of sugar per day. 

Thus, a reasonable amount for low sugar is to have 5 g per meal, which represents 20% of your total sugar intake based on the 25 g of sugar per day. 

“Sugar provides empty calories, so a diet high in sugar often has too many calories, leading to a lot of problems, including weight gain.”

Lori Chong, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian with Ohio State Wexner Medical Center

Added Sugar vs Natural Sugar In High-Calorie Foods

There is a big difference between natural sugars found in food and added sugars. 

The recommendation given previously by the World Health Organization comes from added sugars. Those that are added artificially to increase the taste of the food.

Foods tend to have naturally occurring sugars, which in most cases, don’t have the same effect as added sugars. 

If food has natural sugar, the recommended intake can be slightly higher. 

Best Foods High In Calories Low In Sugar 

The top 10 foods high in calories but low in sugar are: 

• Hummus
• Yams
• Oatmeal
• Pasta
• Peanut butter
• Avocado
• Almonds
• Cheddar Cheese
• Salmon
• Olive Oil

1. Hummus

Hummus is a great option when looking for high-calorie, low-sugar snacks. Since hummus is made from chickpeas, hummus is an excellent choice that provides carbs and has plant-based protein.

In 100 g of hummus, you can find the following nutritional value.

• Calories: 243
• Carbs: 14.9 g
• Sugar: 0.3 g
• Protein: 7.4 g
• Fats: 17.1 g

As you can see, hummus is a very energy-dense food. It has 2.4 kcal per gram of food. Since it has less than 1 g of sugar per serving size, it is also considered a low-sugar food.

Hummus is a good option for those following a plant-based diet and looking to add on calories without too much sugar. You can have it with some homemade pita chips or some veggie sticks. 

2. Yams

Yams are an excellent carb option that is high in calories. They provide your body with the necessary energy if you live an active lifestyle.

In 100 g of yams, you can find the following nutritional value.

• Calories: 116
• Carbs: 27.5 g
• Sugar: 0.5 g
• Protein: 1.5 g
• Fats: 0.1 g

Another energy-dense food provides more than 100 calories per 100 g of product. It has less than 1 g of sugar per serving size.

However, yams are mostly carbs. If you are looking to increase your fat and protein intake, yams might not be the way to go. You need to add other options like chicken (protein) and avocado (healthy fats). 

3. Oatmeal

Oats have a lot of calories in a small volume. In 100 g of oats, you find the following nutritional value.

• Calories: 379
• Carbs: 67.7 g
• Sugar: 1.0 g
• Protein: 13.2 g
• Fats: 6.5 g

If you are looking to add carbs to your diet without adding sugar, oats are the way to go. It also has a lot of protein, which is ideal for those looking to add some more plant-based protein.

However, be careful about what toppings you add. Honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar (some of the most common toppings), could jeopardize what you are trying to achieve by adding sugar. 

4. Pasta

One of my favorite high-calorie and low-sugar foods is pasta. Thanks to it being energy-dense, it helps athletes achieve their total caloric intake without adding too much sugar. In 100 g of cooked pasta, you find the following nutritional information.

• Calories: 157
• Carbs: 30.6 g
• Sugar: 0.6 g
• Protein: 9.8 g
• Fats: 0.2 g

A bowl of pasta is the perfect dish for those that need to increase their caloric intake without adding sugar. Have it along with some protein and a veggie dish, and you have a complete meal that is high in calories and low in sugar. 

5. Peanut butter

Fats, by nature, tend to be energy-dense and low in sugar. Peanut butter is an excellent choice when looking to add calories without too much bulk and not much sugar. In 100 g of peanut butter, you have the following nutritional information.

• Calories: 590
• Carbs: 21.8 g
• Sugar: 9.3 g
• Protein: 24.0 g
• Fats: 49.9 g

Although it has 9.3 g of sugar, those are natural from peanuts. The type of sugar we need to be on the lookout for is added sugar. 

However, always make sure to read the nutrition label of peanut butter. In some cases, sugar and oils are added to the mix. Whenever possible, opt for natural peanut butter or make it homemade by adding some peanuts to a food processor.

6. Avocado

Like peanut butter, an avocado is a good option when increasing your caloric intake without adding sugar. In 100 g of avocado, you find the following nutritional information.

• Calories: 160
• Carbs: 8.5 g
• Sugar: 0.7 g
• Protein: 2.0 g
• Fats: 14.7 g

As you can see, avocados have less than 1 g of sugar per serving size. It is low in carbs and high in fats. You can add it to your main meals (breakfast, lunch, or dinner), or to your snacks to increase your overall calories. Add a protein along with avocado to make the most more balanced. 

7. Almonds

Nuts and seeds are a great way to add calories without adding sugar. Since they are found in the fat group, they are mainly composed of fats with little to no sugar. In 100 g of almonds, you find the following nutritional information.

• Calories: 579
• Carbs: 21.6 g
• Sugar: 4.4 g
• Protein: 21.5 g
• Fats: 49.9 g

Almonds are one of the most energy-dense foods available. In 100 g of almonds, you get over 500 calories. The sugar found is almonds’ natural sugar.

Stay away from almonds that are covered with anything (like chocolate or sugar) since it can increase the sugar content in your diet. 

8. Cheddar Cheese

Cheese tends to be very every-dense (unless it is low-fat). Cheese is usually high in protein and fats, making it an ideal food to increase calories without adding sugar. You find the following nutritional information in 100 g of cheddar cheese.

• Calories: 410
• Carbs: 2.1 g
• Sugar: 0.0 g
• Protein: 24.2 g
• Fats: 33.8 g

For those looking to increase their calories and protein intake, cheddar cheese is the way to go. It doesn’t have any sugar available, and it offers a substantial amount of calories per serving size. 

9. Salmon 

Another great option to increase calories and protein without adding sugar is salmon. In 100 g of raw salmon, you find the following nutritional information.

• Calories: 127
• Carbs: 0.0 g
• Sugar: 0.0 g
• Protein: 20.5 g
• Fats: 4.4 g

Although it doesn’t contain as many calories as cheddar cheese, it is an excellent option to increase calories without adding too much sugar and healthy fats.

The fats (omega-3) found in salmon have anti-inflammatory properties, which help reduce inflammation in your body—making it recover and function better. 

“Salmon truly is a superfood. It’s a high-quality protein and is rich in heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats. In addition, salmon is a quality source of vitamin D, selenium, and antioxidants like carotenoids.”

Mandy Enright, Registered Dietitian

• Read our guide on the Best Fish For Bodybuilding for more choices.

10. Olive Oil

Finally, olive oil is one of the top foods you might want to add when looking to add calories without adding sugar. In 100 g of olive oil, you have the following nutritional information.

• Calories: 884
• Carbs: 0.0 g
• Sugar: 0.0 g
• Protein: 0.0 g
• Fats: 100.0 g

All of the calories found in olive oil are from fats. Therefore, you don’t need to worry about how much you consume and how much sugar it is going to have. Add olive oil to your favorite dishes to increase your caloric intake. 

You can even add olive oil to your protein shake.

Sample Menu: High Calories, Low Sugar

It is very easy to build a menu that is high in calories and low in sugar. You can find a sample menu with foods high in calories but low in sugar in the following table. 

This is just an idea on how to add all top 10 foods in a day to have a higher caloric intake without adding too much sugar. 

Remember to add a protein source in every meal to balance everything, and add veggies to increase your nutrient intake. 

• If you want high-calorie foods while eating out, then check out our resource section on Eating Fast Food When Bulking. 

How To Increase Calories Without Sugar

If you are looking to include your caloric intake without adding too much sugar, here are a couple of tips that might help you out.

Choose High-fat Foods

High fats foods like nuts, seeds, olive oil, and avocado are very energy-dense and low in sugar. 

Thus, you can increase your daily calories without adding any additional sugar. 

Opt for Sugar-free Foods

If you are looking for something sweet, like ice cream, opt for sugar-free ones. 

That way, you get all of the calories from the ice cream without adding too much sugar to your diet. 

Sugar substitutes are a great way of satisfying that sweetness without increasing your daily sugar.

Choose Whole Grains

If you are looking to add carbs to your diet, choose those less processed or refined. 

These foods are energy-dense but low in sugar. 

Thus, opt for options like sweet potato, quinoa, rice, or lentils to increase your calories without adding sugar.

Stay Away from Beverages

Beverages are high in calories, mostly coming from sugar. 

Thus if your goal is to stay within a daily sugar limit, you should stay away from sugary beverages. 

Choose beverages low in sugar (less than 5 g per serving size) or, hopefully, one that doesn’t have any added sugars.

Stay Away From Fruit Juice

What about fruit juices? If you have fruit juice, make sure to make it yourself from fresh fruit. 

Even if fruit juices might not have any added sugar, they still offer natural sugar that comes from fruit. 

Reasons To Include High-Calorie Foods Low In Sugar In Your Diet

You’re Looking To Gain Weight

Your caloric needs are going to be greater in a weight gain phase. 

Thus, you need to find foods that provide a lot of energy without adding too much volume (i.e. foods that don’t make you feel stuffed all the time). 

That is when foods high in calories but low in sugar come into place. They provide the necessary calories without significantly impacting your insulin levels.

For those in a weight gain phase and have diabetes, reaching their total calories without spiking their sugar levels is crucial. 

When consuming high-sugar foods, having hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) can be critical for someone with diabetes. 

• Related Article: Can You Build Muscle With A Bad Diet?

You’re An Athlete

Athletes tend to have a significant caloric intake. 

On average, an athlete’s caloric intake could reach 3000 kcal. 

Even if they are not in a weight gain, their calories are usually very high due to their increased activity levels.

In my experience, most athletes have a hard time finding ways to add calories without adding too much sugar. 

But why? Increasing sugar levels could lead to a sugar rush, followed by a crash. 

This means that you get a spike in your glucose, followed by a decrease in your sugar levels. This could lead to making you feel hungry and sluggish.

Having a steadier energy release during the day is better for an athlete. 

You Use Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you have windows of eating and periods where you don’t eat. 

It can be either 12, 16, or even 18 hours of fasting with the remaining part of the day dedicated to eating.

Since you are eating fewer meals per day, and generally have less time throughout the day to eat, you might want to find energy-dense foods to help reach your daily caloric intake.

Other High-Calorie Foods

Check out our other high-calorie food lists:

• Foods High In Calories But Low In Protein
• Foods High In Calories But Low In Sodium
• High Calorie Low Carb Foods
• High-Calorie Low-Fiber Foods

Reference

Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Belury MA, Andridge R, Malarkey WB, Glaser R. Omega-3 supplementation lowers inflammation and anxiety in medical students: a randomized controlled trial. Brain Behav Immun. 2011 Nov;25(8):1725-34. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2011.07.229. Epub 2011 Jul 19. PMID: 21784145; PMCID: PMC3191260.