Cheap Carbs for Weight Gain: Aloo, Shakarkandi and Kela
Aloo, shakarkandi and kela are the cheapest ways to add energy to a thin person’s day. Roughly 100 g of boiled potato gives around 85 kcal, sweet potato about the same, and one ripe banana around 100, so the choice comes down to taste, cost and how your body handles them.
Quick facts
- Per 100 g (approximate): boiled potato 85, baked sweet potato 90, banana 90 kcal.
- Per piece: a medium banana is about 100 kcal, a medium potato about 150 to 170.
- Best cooking trick: roast with a spoon of oil instead of deep frying.
- Be careful with: diabetes, kidney disease, and green or sprouted potatoes.
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Unexplained weight loss, or failing to gain despite eating well, needs a doctor first: thyroid, diabetes, TB, coeliac disease and low mood are common causes. Cheap carbs help people who are healthy but eat too little. They do not replace a check-up.
Which is better for weight gain: potato, sweet potato or banana?
On calories they are close, so none of them wins by itself. What differs is how easy they are to eat, how long they keep and what else they bring. Figures below are rounded and vary with size and variety.
| Food | Per 100 g | Per piece | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potato, boiled | about 85 kcal | 150 to 170 (medium) | Filling, goes with anything |
| Shakarkandi, baked | about 90 kcal | 130 to 180 (medium) | Sweet snack, more fibre |
| Kela (banana) | about 90 kcal | about 100 (medium) | No cooking, travels well |
The costs change by city and season, so compare in your own market: ask the price of one kilo, then divide. A kilo of potatoes is about 850 kcal boiled, so a rupee-per-100-kcal comparison is easy with a calculator. Seasonal produce is usually cheapest.
How does the cooking method change the calories?
Boiled is the lightest. Roasted with a teaspoon of oil adds roughly 40 kcal per teaspoon and gives a better taste, which matters for small eaters. Fried (chips, pakora) adds a lot of fat quickly and tends to be eaten with a lot of salt. Mashed with a little ghee or butter is an easy middle path.
The NHS Eatwell Guide suggests basing meals on starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, bread and rice, choosing higher fibre types where you can. Leaving the potato skin on, once well scrubbed, keeps more fibre.
The roasting tray trick
Cut shakarkandi and aloo into similar chunks, toss with 1 tablespoon of oil, salt and a pinch of chaat masala, and roast at about 200 C for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once. A tray reheats well and works as a snack, not only a side dish.
What does a one tiffin side look like?
- Roast one small potato and one small shakarkandi as above, about 250 g together.
- Pack with 2 rotis, one katori of daal and a boiled egg.
- Add a ripe banana for the ride home.
- Drink water with the meal, not a big glass before it.
Picking, roasting and storing shakarkandi is covered in shakarkandi: how to pick, roast and store.
How many bananas a day is reasonable?
One to two a day is a sensible food amount for most people, ideally with other foods. Because a banana does not need cooking, it is the easiest grab-and-go calorie. For banana timing questions related to weight loss, see is banana good for weight loss; here the point is only that bananas fit the gain plan too.
Which cheap carb is safest to store and eat?
Potatoes turn green and sprout when kept in light or warmth. The green parts and sprouts can make you ill, so cut away generously or bin the potato if it is very green or bitter. The details are in green potato and sprouts: new vs old. Keep potatoes in a cool, dark place and not in a plastic bag.
Diabetes and prediabetes need a plan from your doctor or dietitian, since sweet potatoes and bananas still raise blood sugar; see is shakarkandi good for diabetes and gaining weight safely with diabetes. People with kidney disease are often advised to limit potassium, and potatoes, sweet potatoes and bananas all contain it, so ask your doctor before eating more. See a doctor if you keep losing weight, feel unusually thirsty, or have swelling or very low urine output.
Are cheap carbs enough on their own?
No. Starch gives energy but little protein. Pair every carb with daal, egg, dahi, chicken or paneer so the extra calories help build muscle and not only fat. A few bodyweight exercises a few times a week help the gain land where you want it. Aim for about 0.25 to 0.5 kg a week; faster is mostly fat and water.
Questions about cheap carbs for weight gain
Does eating potato make you gain weight?
Yes, if you eat more energy than you burn. Potatoes are filling and affordable, and roasted or mashed with a little oil or ghee they add calories without much effort.
Is sweet potato better than potato for weight gain?
Not for calories, since they are close. Sweet potato has more fibre and a sweeter taste, which some thin people find easier to finish.
How many bananas a day to gain weight?
One or two a day alongside regular meals is a reasonable amount. Eating many more tends to replace other foods and does not help balance.
Aloo khane se wazan barhta hai?
Haan, agar aap rozana zaroorat se zyada energy lein. Aloo ke saath daal, anda ya dahi lena zaroori hai taake sirf charbi na barhe.
How many calories are in shakarkandi?
About 90 kcal per 100 g baked, so a medium one is roughly 130 to 180 kcal. Size and cooking method change this.
How many calories are in boiled potato?
Around 85 kcal per 100 g. A medium boiled potato is about 150 to 170 kcal before any oil or ghee.
What are the cheapest carbs for bulking on a budget?
Potatoes, rice, roti and seasonal bananas usually cost least per calorie. Compare prices per kilo in your own market, since they change often.
Is it safe to eat green potatoes?
No. Green skin and sprouts can make you ill. Peel and cut away green areas generously, and discard the potato if it is very green or tastes bitter.
Can people with diabetes eat these for weight gain?
Only with a plan from their doctor or dietitian, because all three raise blood sugar. Portion and timing need to be set individually.
More plans are in Desi Weight Gain.