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I've read somewhere that if you eat the right combination of fruits and veggies you can actually gain weight. So will eating 2,000 calories worth of fruits and vegetables make you gain weight as if you ate 2,000 calories of beef, chicken, or pork?

If yes, I have a follow-up question: I am aware that 2,000 calories of fruits and veggies are harder to consume in large quantities so if your purpose is to gain weight, what's better: juicing it or eating it?

If no, then what do you suggest is the optimal way to gain weight without relying much on meat?

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Are you talking about increasing fat, or muscle? – John C Oct 27 '11 at 17:26
Well, generally gaining "healthy" weight that's not necessarily building up muscles like going to the gym. – IMB Oct 27 '11 at 19:17
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I suggest you think more about what you want to achieve. There's really only two things that are easily increased in the body, fat or muscle (bones can become slightly denser through exercise). If you eat enough sweet fruits/grain-based carbohydrates, you may increase your fat, but that's not exactly healthy. And I don't know of any foods that will increase muscle without also working out the muscles. (Note that doesn't require a gym - many fitness routines use only body-weight, easy to do at home). – John C Oct 28 '11 at 14:39
Weight gain == calories in > calories out. That's it. – Dave Newton Oct 29 '11 at 16:00
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@DaveNewton, not according to Gary Taube's Good Calories, Bad Calories. The type of calory does matter. – John C Oct 31 '11 at 13:40
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4 Answers

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Disclaimer: I can't back any of this up with science.

Eating a lot of fruit and vegetables, particularly juiced, and then not working out (as noted in your comment) might gain you some weight. (I bet it will be fat.) Foods are not fungible.

If you want to gain weight without eating meat, take a look at questions on the topics of getting enough protein as a vegetarian, high calorie vegan diets, and pescetarian/ethical-eater weight gain. (Hint: in order to gain weight that's not all fat, you'll need to work out.)

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You forgot major protein sources...nuts and grains. With them added you certainly gain weight, but also build good muscle if you work out good enough.

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I know about the cases with nuts. The idea is the same as for usual methods of getting weight: protein and carbohydrate windows after physical exercises.

But anyway if you only start to be vegetarian you will loss weight at the beginning. But it is not an issue because you will lose "low-quality" weight.

And again it is about nuts, not only vegi and fruits.

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Juicing it is better, However, It would also be beneficial to monitor RMR,BMI, and calories burned. Then you would have some accuracy in determining and adjusting your diet for weight gain or loss.
Online calculators are available for RMR, BMI & Calories Burned. Enter your age, weight, height and activities you have done during the day. The calculator will do the rest and tell you how many calories you use for the whole day and when at rest. This could help you to know how to adjust your diet to either gain weight or lose weight.

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Why is juicing better? – Dave Liepmann Dec 6 '12 at 21:19

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