Calories, according to pure science, are units of energy. That means that calorie is a unit of energy or heat that could come from a variety of sources, such as coal or gas. However, when it comes to nutrition, calories are vital energy products which the body needs to work properly. Every kind of food, whether carbohydrates or fats and oils or whatever, are important sources of calories.

Calories supply nutrients to the body, to the brain, to our muscles in terms of energy. When these nutrients are supplied in low quantity, it can lead to harmful results in the body including lean muscles and having low energy levels during the day. Having said this, it is important to also note that high-calorie foods should be eaten with care and caution, just like everything else.
If you want to improve your calorie intake, here are 5 Nigerian foods you should look at eating.
- Boiled Or Roasted Corn

Ever wondered why you keep going back to that roasted corn joint in your neighbourhood? It is likely because apart from the sweet taste it has, it is also a large source of energy for your body. A large size corn of between 7 to 9 inches contains about 123 calories and 80% carbohydrates while a medium-sized one of between 6 - 7 inches contains about 88 calories and 80% carbohydrates.
- Pounded Yam

Pounded yam is not just "heavy" in mass, it is heavy in energy supply. In fact, it is one of the Nigerian foods with the highest amount of calories and carbohydrates. According to research, if you splitted a bowl of pounded yam into cups, each cup would contain 400 calories! Little wonder when you eat this meal, you just sleep off, there is too much energy.
- Jollof Rice

Rice in itself id rich in carbohydrates and calories. Then, adding other ingredients which also are sources of calories to the mix can shoot up. When you eventually add up to about 868 calories depending on what is added to the rice.
- Eba/Garri

Garri is one of the most popular foods in Nigeria, virtually every home has a bowl of it at least once in a while. If you are Yoruba or Igbo, then you'd also have it as Eba. It is also a rich source of calories too. The calories in Garri can amount to about 360.
- Stew

The basic Nigerian stew can have a cummulative calorie value of 293. This can either be less or more, depending on the ingredients you add to the stew in the process of making.
Also, meats are rich in calories too and can help in bulding body weight. Eating foods that are high in calories can help increase general body weight. However, as pointed out earlier, it should be done in moderation because of diseases such as diabetes.