Appetite and energy

There may be times when you lose your appetite and cannot eat as much as you normally do.

If this happens over a long period of time, you may lose weight, feel tired and have less energy to do the things you normally do.

You may not feel like eating; however, it is important to try to eat an energy- and protein-enriched diet.

If you are eating less, it is important to eat a nourishing diet.

This leaflet will help you to eat a nourishing diet and get the most out of small meals, drinks and snacks.

When you are well, foods that are high in energy, such as sugary and fatty foods, should be limited as part of a healthy diet. However, during periods of illness and/or poor appetite, these foods can be useful in preventing weight loss.

Foods can be categorised into five groups:

• protein foods (meat, fish and alternatives)
• dairy products
• carbohydrate (starchy foods)
• fruit and vegetables
• fats and sugary foods.

In this leaflet, each food group is discussed and suitable choices are given that can help to increase your energy levels.

Please note: If you have high cholesterol or diabetes, the information in this booklet may not be suitable for you. Please speak to your dietitian.

Top tips for a high-energy, high-protein diet

• try to eat three small meals and two to three snacks a day
• eat what you like, when you like
• keep snacks nearby
• avoid having drinks too close to meals, as this could fill you up
• drink full-fat milk and use it on cereals
• use full-fat dairy products
• have a pudding with your meals
• a small tipple of alcohol may help to stimulate your appetite. However, check with your doctor or pharmacist first, as alcohol cannot be taken with some medications.

Fortify your milk

Add four tablespoons of skimmed milk powder to one pint of full-cream milk.

Keep a jug in the fridge and drink it during the day. Use it in milky drinks, sauces, puddings, cereals and cooking.

Protein foods

Meat

• all meat and poultry are good sources of protein
• adding fat when cooking will increase the energy content, for example fry or roast meat using extra olive, rapeseed or sunflower oil
• do not remove excess fat from meat before cooking.

Fish

• choose tinned fish, for example tuna or sardines in sunflower oil instead of brine or water
• fry using olive, rapeseed or sunflower oil add cheese or milk-based sauces
• choose battered rather than breaded fish.

Eggs

• fry eggs in olive, rapeseed or sunflower oil
• add cheese or full-cream milk to omelettes.

Alternatives

• Quorn or soya-based products are good sources of protein
• pulses, for example chickpeas and lentils, are also high in protein
• snack on nuts – even a small handful provides a good source of protein and energy
• spread peanut butter or other nut butters on toast, crackers, biscuits or in a sandwich.

Protein is needed for growth and to repair cells in the body. It also aids healing.

Try to include two to three portions of protein foods each day.

Sample menu

Breakfast

• breakfast cereal with full-cream milk and sugar
• cooked breakfast with thickly buttered toast
• glass of milk or orange juice.

Mid-morning

• biscuits, cake or crisps
• glass of milk or a milky drink.

Lunch

• sandwich with cheese, cold meat or tinned fish
• buttered toast with baked beans and cheese
• milky pudding or cake.

Mid-afternoon

• small sandwich
• glass of milk or a milky drink.

Dinner

• meat, fish, egg, cheese or vegetarian
• dish potatoes with added fat, such as cheese, butter or chips
• vegetables with butter, cheese or a creamy sauce
• milky pudding, for example sponge with custard or cream.

Supper

• milky drink
• small bowl of cereal
• cheese and crackers.

Dairy products and dairy alternatives

Dairy products and dairy alternatives are high in calories (energy) and are also good sources of protein.

Milk

• use full-cream milk or full-fat dairy alternative drinks (for example rice or almond drinks)
• aim to have one pint per day – use in drinks, cereals and puddings, or have it on its own hot or cold
• add skimmed milk powder to full-cream milk to increase energy and protein content (two to four tablespoons per pint of milk)
• add evaporated or condensed milk to puddings, cereals and drinks
• add custard to fruit and puddings.

Cream

• add to milky drinks, puddings, cereals and soups.

Cheese

• use full-fat cheeses
• add cheese to foods such as mashed potatoes, omelettes, scrambled eggs, pasta and soups
• spread soft cheese on crackers
•  snack on small cubes of cheese.

Yoghurts

• choose full-fat varieties
• use as a pudding or a snack.

Fat and sugary foods

These foods are high in calories (energy).

Sugar

• add sugar to drinks, cereals and puddings
• use jam, honey and chocolate spread on bread and toast, or add them to puddings
• add flavoured syrups to milk
• snack on sweets, chocolate, cake, biscuits or ice cream between meals
• have a pudding after your meal
• avoid low-calorie or reduced-sugar squashes, diet fizzy drinks or artificial sweeteners.

Fats and oils

• add butter or margarine to vegetables and mashed potatoes after cooking
• spread butter or margarine thickly on bread or crackers
• dip bread or breadsticks into olive oil
• add oils when cooking.

Do not forget good oral health – brush your teeth.

Carbohydrate (starchy) foods

These foods can provide a slow release of energy during the day and supply some essential vitamins and minerals.

Aim to have some starchy carbohydrate food with each meal.

These foods include:

• bread and rolls
• pasta and noodles
• cereals
• potatoes
• rice
• chapatis
• crackers and crispbreads.

Bread, crackers and crispbreads

• add butter, margarine, cheese, soft cheese, peanut butter, jam or chocolate spread
• dip into olive oil.

Pasta and noodles

• add creamy sauces and cheese
• add olive or sesame oil, sun-dried tomatoes in oil, pesto, nuts such as cashews, or tinned fish in oil.

Cereals

• add full-cream milk, cream, evaporated milk, sugar or honey, dried fruit and nuts.

Potatoes

• add fat when cooking, for example oil for oven chips or roast potatoes, and milk and butter to mashed potatoes
• add butter, margarine or cheese to jacket or boiled potatoes.

Rice

• add creamy sauces
• fry cooked rice with sunflower, rapeseed or olive oil
• top with high-energy, high-protein foods, for example fried meat.

Fruit and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables are an important part of our diet as they are an excellent source of fibre and many essential vitamins and minerals.

However, they are not good sources of energy or protein.

To increase the energy and protein content of fruit

• choose tinned fruit in syrup
• add cream, ice cream, custard, condensed milk or evaporated milk to fruit
• add sugar or honey to fruit
• snack on chocolate-coated dried fruit.

To increase the energy and protein content of vegetables

• roast or fry vegetables using olive, rapeseed or sunflower oil when cooking
• serve vegetables with cream, milk or cheese-based sauces
• add grated cheese, butter or margarine to plain cooked vegetables
• dip raw vegetable sticks into dips, for example hummus, mayonnaise or full-fat yoghurt-based dips.