10 Best High-Calorie Low-Fiber Foods (Dietitian Approved)

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If you are on a weight gain journey, eating high-calorie foods that don’t make you feel overly full can help you achieve a caloric surplus (eating more calories than your body needs to maintain its weight).

High-calorie, low-fiber foods can help you add calories without feeling too stuffed throughout the day. These foods allow you to eat enough to reach your daily calorie goals without making you feel sluggish or uncomfortable.

While fiber is great for those on a weight loss journey who may need to eat more filling foods to stay satiated, it’s not ideal for those looking to gain weight.

In this article, I will give you 10 foods that are high in calories and low in fiber, and explain their benefits.

What Defines Food High in Calories and Low in Fiber?

Defining High Calories

A food high in calories has a lot of calories in a small volume of food. High-calorie foods have more than 100 kcal per 100 g. 

For example, a cookie is a high-energy-dense food since it can have more than 400 kcal per 100 grams. On the other hand, a food like carrots has less than 50 calories per 100 grams. 

Both contain the same volume of food, but the cookie has more calories than the carrots. Therefore, the cookie is a high-calorie food.

Defining Low Fiber

A food low in fiber has less than 2 grams per 100 grams. This would represent less than 10% of the daily recommended value (20 to 30 grams). 

Fiber is a type of carb you cannot digest. When you consume fiber, it passes through your body fully intact. Since your body cannot digest it, it stays in your stomach longer, increasing your fullness levels.

While fiber is necessary to support healthy bowel movements and overall health, you might want to search for foods lower in fiber to help you reach your calorie budget, especially if you have a very high-calorie diet (like extremely active men who are trying to put on muscle mass). 

Key Takeaway

A food high in calories and low in fiber should have more than 100 kcal and less than 2 grams of fiber per 100 g. 

10 Best Foods High In Calories and Low In Fiber 

1. Honey

Honey is one of the best foods to add to your diet if you want to include more calories and less fiber. In 100 g of honey, you get 304 kcal and only 0.2 g of fiber. 

While honey might not be very high in nutrients, it is very high in antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation in your body. 

It is very easy to add to your diet. For example, you can add honey to a protein shake or smoothie, making it an excellent option for those who want to add calories without noticing the addition of the honey. 

If you are not keen on honey, you can add other similar foods like table sugar or maple syrup. 

2. Corn Flakes

If you are looking for a quick breakfast that is high in calories and low in fiber, corn flakes cereal is a great addition. For example, 39 g of the 365 Whole Foods Market Corn Flakes offer you 150 kcal and only 1 g of fiber.

Since corn flakes are high in calories and carbs but low in fiber, they make a great pre-workout snack. Add it along with some milk 30-60 minutes before training, and it can give you that much-needed energy boost. 

You can also add some fruit to increase the calories and nutrients, but stick to low-fiber fruits like cantaloupe to keep the fiber content low. 

Furthermore, corn flakes cereal doesn’t give you a lot of nutrients, so don’t make it a habit to consume every morning. Make sure to add variety to your meals with various carb, protein, and fat sources to prevent nutrient deficiency in the long run. 

3. Pasta

Pasta is another great option to increase your calories without adding too much fiber. In 100g of pasta, you get 157 kcal and 1.8 g of fiber. 

This is an excellent option for those looking to increase their carb intake. It’s especially ideal for athletes looking to do a carb load, which is a strategy to increase your muscle glycogen (energy your muscles provide) before a competition. 

By increasing your energy stores, you can boost your performance. 

4. Jam 

Jam is another great option for adding more calories without a lot of fiber. In 100 g of jam, you get 278 kcal and 1.1 g of fiber. 

Adding some jam to your favorite piece of toast can help increase the calories without making you feel too stuffed. 

On top of that, since jams are made of fruit, they provide you with the nutrients from the fruit used.

For example, strawberry jam is high in vitamin C, which can help you boost your immune system. 

5. Salmon

Salmon is an excellent protein option that is high in calories and very low in fiber. In 100 g of salmon, you get 142 kcal and 0.0 grams of fiber. 

Adding salmon can provide you with health benefits. One of the biggest benefits is that it provides omega-3 fatty acids. Your body cannot produce them, so they have to be provided through your diet. 

A high intake of omega-3 fatty acids can decrease your inflammation levels. 

Also, salmon is a source of antioxidants and selenium, which help increase your immune system. 

6. Eggs

Another great protein source that adds calories to your diet without adding fiber is eggs. In 100 g of eggs, you get 143 kcal and 0.0 grams of fiber. 

Eggs are an excellent source of high-quality protein. This means that they provide you with all the essential amino acids your body needs. 

They can also help increase your HDL (good cholesterol). A study showed that people who consumed two boiled eggs daily for seven days saw an increase of 10% in their HDL cholesterol levels. 

Eggs can also help decrease your triglyceride levels. A study showed that people who consumed five eggs enriched with omega-3 saw a decrease in their triglyceride levels by 16-18% after three weeks. 

7. Feta Cheese

Cheeses are very high in calories and low in fiber. In 100 g of feta cheese, you get 265 kcal and 0.0 g of fiber. 

Feta cheese is high in calcium since it provides 14% of the daily recommended value. A good calcium intake helps your bone health. 

Feta cheese can also help you reach your protein requirements. In 100 g, you get 14 g of protein, which is the same as having 2 large eggs. 

If feta cheese is not your favorite thing, you can add other cheese options that are also high in calories and low in fiber, such as cheddar cheese, blue cheese, or mozzarella. 

8. Butter

Butter is a food that can help you reach your caloric intake without adding too much fiber. In 100 g of butter, you get 717 kcal and 0.0 grams of fiber. 

It is made entirely of fats, so it’s an excellent option for those following a ketogenic diet. With that said, if you are not following a keto diet, you can still add it to increase the calories in your diet. 

Butter is high in vitamin A since it provides 14% of the daily recommended value. Research shows that consuming vitamin A can help boost your immune system. 

Also, a study showed people with the highest levels of vitamin A in their blood had a 6% decrease in their risk of fractures. 

9. Olive Oil

Olive oil is an excellent addition to increasing calories without adding fiber to your diet. In 100 g of olive oil, you get 884 kcal and 0.0 grams of fiber. 

Not only is it high in calories, but it is also high in antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation in your body. 

Olive oil also can help protect your heart. A study showed that those who consumed olive oil regularly for one month saw a 48% reduction in the dosage of their blood pressure medication. 

• Related Article: Can You Put Olive Oil In Protein Shakes?

10. Avocado Oil

Finally, one of the best foods you can add to increase your caloric intake without adding fiber is avocado oil. In 100 g of avocado oil, you get 884 kcal and 0.0 grams of fiber. 

While whole avocados are very high in fiber, consuming avocado oil is the best option to increase your calories without increasing your fiber intake. 

It is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which along with the high antioxidant content, can help reduce inflammation in your body. 

Tips on How To Increase Your Calorie Intake Without Increasing Fiber

1. Choose Fats or Proteins

Fiber is found in foods that provide you with carbs. If you want to increase your calorie intake without adding more fiber, look for foods containing high amounts of fat and protein. 

For example, olive oil doesn’t have carbs, making it an excellent option to increase your calories without fiber. 

Protein doesn’t tend to have carbs either, making most protein sources excellent choices for those looking to increase their caloric intake without adding fiber. A low-fiber protein bar is also a great option for increasing calories and protein without increasing fiber.

When adding meat sources, look for those with a fattier cut (salmon, pork chops, and high-fat cheese) since they will provide you with the most calories. 

However, remember that fatty protein sources also have saturated fats, meaning you need to compensate for the rest of the day by having a low saturated fat intake. 

A high intake of saturated fats can lead to heart disease, so you need to be careful not to consume more than 7% of your calories from saturated fats. 

2. Eat Processed Foods

Processed foods like white bread, pasta, cookies, pastries, and cake are lower in fiber and high in calories. 

The fiber is removed during the process when you go from whole grains to refined grains, like in whole-wheat flour to white flour. 

When you are looking for foods that are higher in calories and lower in fiber, go with a refined grain. For example, instead of having whole wheat bread, choose white bread. 

That being said, remember you still need to reach your 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily. Don’t rely on processed foods in every meal, and add them just once per day. 

3. Add Sugar

Added sugars like table sugar, honey, and syrup are an excellent way to increase your calories without adding fiber. 

Add some of these sweeteners to your smoothies to increase your calories without feeling too stuffed throughout the day. 

However, be careful with how much sugar you add. Make sure you don’t consume more than 10% of your calories from sugar to avoid any chronic complications (like diabetes). 

• If you want to keep an eye on your sugar intake, there are several ways you can gain weight without eating sugar.

Reasons To Include High-Calorie, Low-Fiber in Your Diet

Weight Gain

One of the reasons you might be looking for a food high in calories but low in fiber is when you are in a weight gain phase. 

When you are looking to add calories, you need to reach a caloric surplus, which means consuming more calories than your body needs to maintain your weight. 

For some people, reaching a very high caloric intake can be challenging. 

For example, if you can maintain your weight by eating 2,000 calories a day, but you need to consume 2,500 to 2,800 calories to gain weight, it might become a struggle to add more food to your diet. 

To avoid getting too stuffed, adding foods high in calories and low in fiber can help you reach your goals. 

Gastric Issues

Another reason why you might want to consume foods high in calories and low in fiber is that you have gastric issues. 

For example, for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulitis, and Chron’s disease, a low-fiber diet is often used to treat flare-ups. 

A low-fiber diet is also advised if you have diarrhea. High-fiber foods can make your symptoms worse since they can get fermented in your gut. This causes more bloating and draws more water into your intestines, making you have more diarrhea. Low-fiber foods can help because they are easier on your stomach, not causing any gastric problems. 

However, if you have very high-calorie requirements, you might still want to consume high-calorie foods so you can stay on track with your goals. Thus, adding high-calorie and low-fiber foods can help you control your symptoms without affecting your overall caloric intake.

Other High Calorie Foods

• Foods High In Calories But Low In Sugar
• Foods High In Calories But Low In Saturated Fat
• Foods High In Calories But Low In Sodium
• Foods High In Calories But Low In Protein

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