Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Doctors give unbiased, trusted information on whether Amoxicillin can cause or treat Appetite: Dr. Pinkham on amoxicillin appetite increase: Pedialyte is extremely low in calories. These medications are:Dronabinol is a cannabinoid medication. All rights reserved. Different factors can cause poor appetite, including mental and physical illness.If your lack of appetite lasts for more than a couple of days, it can cause weight loss or malnutrition.Not having an appetite can be frustrating for anyone, especially people who are underweight and trying to gain weight or build mass.This article lists 16 easy ways to increase your appetite.Eating three full meals might seem like a challenging task when you don’t have a healthy appetite.A more motivating way to eat is to divide your three main meals into five or six smaller meals.As your appetite improves, you can start increasing the portions of these meals, or adding more ingredients to consume more calories throughout the day.For example, if you’re eating a tuna sandwich, incorporate some veggies and cheese to add more calories and nutrients.People with poor appetites tend to eat empty calories like candy, chips, ice cream and baked goods to Even though these kinds of foods might seem more appetizing and contain high amounts of calories, they’re a bad idea since they provide very few nutrients.Instead, concentrate on foods that provide you with calories and a wide array of nutrients like protein and healthy fats.For example, instead of ice cream for dessert, you can eat 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt. The pedialyte should not be used more than 24-48 hours without another food source. In some cases, you can also stimulate appetite with lifestyle changes.Some of the most common reasons for a decrease in appetite include:Some causes are specific to certain populations, such as very young children or older adults. Being able to eat meals with friends or family, or in a social environment such as a care facility cafeteria rather than in your private room, may positively affect appetite.If you’re living in a community or nursing care facility and have difficulty with limited food choices or you dislike the food flavors, ask if there are cafeteria-style dining options rather than a prefilled tray. This is true even when you do not like the food all that much (In other words, you could eat more food if you serve it in a larger dish. When your food has a pleasant smell and taste, it can trigger your appetite (Bitters tonics are another type of herb preparation, which can help increase appetite by stimulating the production of digestive enzymes. This may increase the risk of There are other classes of medications often used as appetite stimulants, but these haven’t been FDA-approved for this use. Some depression drugs may cause you to gain as much as 24 pounds in a year. Zinc © 2005-2020 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. Remembering to eat may be a concern for some older adults. These medications include: There are a number of ways to help increase your appetite besides taking medications or supplements. Add some berries and cinnamon for sweetness.Similarly, if you feel like eating pizza, you can make your own and add extra veggies and some protein for extra nutrients.Another way to increase your appetite and ensure you’re eating enough during the day is to add more calories to your meals.One way to do this is to cook your foods with calorie-dense ingredients like butter, nut butters, olive oil or whole milk.Simple additions like these can pack more healthy calories into your meals and increase your total calorie intake.Cooking and eating a meal with others may help stimulate your appetite more than eating alone.To make foods more pleasant to eat, you can invite friends and family over for meals. In fact, a study showed that eating with friends can increase food intake by 18%, and eating while watching TV could increase it by 14% (Turning meals into occasions for socialization and entertainment may help you enjoy your food more and could increase your appetite.If you have a poor appetite, seeing big portions of food can be overwhelming and discouraging.A way to avoid feeling overwhelmed is to trick your brain into thinking you are still eating small portions. Consult a physician before giving supplements to young children. It’s possible to increase appetite with appetite stimulant medications, supplements, and lifestyle changes. Examples of bitters tonics include gentian, blessed thistle and centaury (You can introduce some of these herbs, spices or bitters into your diet by cooking with them, or you can consume them as teas or tinctures.During exercise, your body burns calories to sustain your energy levels. So avoid eating snacks close to mealtime, because it could affect your appetite.The logic for this rule is pretty simple — choose foods you like.When you sit down in front of a meal you know you will enjoy, you’re probably much more inclined to eat it than a dish you find unappealing (In fact, research shows that if you can choose what to eat, you will tend to eat more of it and more often than if you did not have the option to pick your foods (To ensure you consume more of those foods, it is important you take some time to plan and prepare them ahead of time so you can always have them available.However, if your favorite foods are not healthy — such as from Some foods can delay digestion and produce gas, which can result in a “heavy stomach” feeling and reduce your appetite.A type of seasoning called carminative herbs and spices can help Some examples of carminative herbs and spices are fennel, peppermint, black pepper, coriander, mint, ginger and cinnamon (As well as helping reduce the “heavy stomach” feeling, these herbs and spices can help make your meals more appealing.