Magnesium is one of the essential minerals that our body needs. It plays a vital role in 300 chemical reactions inside our body. Without magnesium, the body muscles couldn’t even move the way they should, your nervous system won’t work properly if you suffer from magnesium deficiency.
The amount of magnesium you need to consume depends on your gender and age. If you’re an adult male, your body needs 400 milligrams of magnesium per day, whereas 420 mg would be required for men older than 30 years of age. If you are a woman, you need 301 mg of magnesium a day whereas 350 mg would be required if you’re pregnant.
Magnesium deficiency can also lead to many diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypocalcemia, hypertension, and osteoporosis.
Essentially, if you want to remain fit and want a healthy living, you can’t think of anything else other than magnesium. That’s why we cannot undermine its importance.
Your body does not produce magnesium by itself, then you should consume magnesium-rich foods. For this, you need to see which of the following foods are good sources of magnesium so that you can easily meet the requirements of daily magnesium intake for your body.
Magnesium-rich Foods
If you’re unsure about where to start your magnesium intake journey, don’t worry. We have got you covered.
If you are suffering from magnesium deficiency, you must add a couple of magnesium-rich foods to your daily meals.
Spinach and Leafy Greens
Spinach and all the leafy greens are rich in magnesium. According to USDA, a cup of spinach (25g) provides 19.8 mg of magnesium. If you add 50g of spinach to your typical salad, then it will account for 39.5 mg of magnesium as a whole. Just squeeze half a lemon or the orange pulp in your salad. The vitamin C content helps the body to digest iron in the salads more quickly.
Whole Wheat
You can also opt for bread and other items that are made up of 100% whole wheat flour. If you add a whole wheat diet to your daily intake, then a slice of wheat bread will provide you with 27mg of magnesium in a single serving.
You can even prepare whole grains easily just by soaking them before cooking. Soaking whole grains will help in eliminating phytic acid from the grains, so your body will get a better response against absorbing nutrients.
Good choices for whole grains include: buckwheat, brown rice, quinoa, and oatmeal.
Culinary Nuts
Due to their healthy fat content, nuts are good to consume. They all are rich in minerals like magnesium. If almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews are your most favorite, then to get a daily magnesium content, you can have an ounce of almonds that contain 79.1 mg of magnesium. You can have 18 cashews to get 73.7 mg of magnesium. 4-5 kernels of brazil nuts will suffice for 105 mg of magnesium.
Dark Chocolate
If you are looking for a magnesium-rich diet, no other food beats cocoa. It contains a large percentage of magnesium RDA (64 mg) in just a 28g serving. Other than magnesium, it is a good source of iron, copper, manganese, and prebiotic fiber.
But to suffice your daily magnesium intake, you must look for the cocoa bars that contain up to 70% of cocoa and less amount of sugar. Otherwise, it would be high in calorie count that may affect your blood sugar level.
Avocado
Another tasty source full of magnesium is Avocado. This fruit is incredibly nutritious. It provides you with 58 mg magnesium that satiates your 15% of RDA. Avocados are high in monounsaturated fat that is healthy for your heart so no need to worry if you take an extra serving of avocados with your diet today.
Furthermore, avocados are rich in Vitamin K, B, potassium, and are a great source of fiber as well. Studies have concluded that adding avocados to your diet reduces inflammation, satiates the feeling of hunger, and improves cholesterol.
Tofu
Tofu is a good source of magnesium. People who suffer from magnesium deficiency should include Tofu in their daily diet. Adding 100 g of the cooked ingredient in your lunch will provide 58g of magnesium.
If you are struggling with low magnesium intake, you can blend peanut butter, bananas, or Greek yogurt with tofu to make a mineral-rich smoothie.
Fatty Fish
Not every fish comes with adequate magnesium content, but fatty fish like mackerel, salmon, and halibut are some of the exceptions. 178 grams/ half a filet of salmon is packed with 53mg of magnesium satisfying 13% of the RDI. It also provides 39 grams of protein, selenium, Vitamin B, and is rich in potassium as well.
If you consume a fatty fish, it helps in reducing many chronic heart diseases.
Peas
You may think that you can’t consume peas in a raw form. But their nutritional value can’t be neglected. A cup of peas alone provides you with 39 mg of magnesium in a single serving. Try adding a boiled cup of peas with your salmon this time. You won’t regret the combo.
Seeds
A tablespoon of stir-fried sunflower or pumpkin seeds may not seem to be nutritious, but they are more than enough to satisfy your daily magnesium intake. Adding just an ounce of sunflower seeds with hulls provides you with 19.4 mg magnesium. You should consume it in the morning breakfast with your oatmeal or yogurt.
Consuming half an ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds with your salad, provides you with 84 mg of magnesium.
The Bottom Line
Magnesium is one of the important minerals that your body needs to function properly. Thanks to nature for providing many healthy foods that complete our daily magnesium needs.
Be sure to have a balanced diet and add some magnesium-rich foods in your diet to keep your body healthy and strong.