An essential mineral, magnesium is a cofactor for 300 biochemical reactions in the human body. Thus, one must include the natural sources of this mineral in one’s diet. This NutriNeat write-up lists out the food items that are rich in magnesium.
Magnesium is an essential mineral that is required for keeping the muscles, nerves, and bones healthy. It also helps regulate the levels of blood glucose. It also plays an important role in the synthesis of proteins and the production of energy. It is needed for the production of new cells, relaxation of nerves and muscles, manufacture of bone protein, and clotting of blood. Though there’s a lot of furore over getting enough calcium, and cutting back on sodium, hardly much stress is put on magnesium, despite the vital role it plays in the normal functioning of the human body. It must be noted that the deficiency of this mineral can cause a number of health problems, including, but not limited to, irregular heart beats, muscle weakness, high blood pressure, fatigue, diabetes, insomnia, and anxiety. Before you rush to pop a supplement though, it’s important to understand that consuming foods rich in magnesium and potassium can help in upping the levels of this vital nutrient.
List of Foods Rich in Magnesium
The following chart lists out a few food items that are good sources of this essential mineral. These are easy to include in any balanced diet. Also, many of them are low in calories. A number of vegetables and fruits figure in any given magnesium-rich foods chart, and including these to your diet will ensure that you feel full, while keeping the calorie count in check.
Fruit Sources
Vegetable Sources
Nut/Seed/Grain Sources
Meat/Fish/Dairy Sources
| Good Sources of Magnesium | |
| Food (100 g serving) | Magnesium (in mg) |
| Brazil nuts | 376 |
| Cashews, raw | 292 |
| Almonds | 270 |
| Pine nuts, dried | 251 |
| Pumpkin and squash seeds, roasted | 262 |
| Hazelnuts | 163 |
| Walnuts | 158 |
| Pistachio | 121 |
| Mackerel, Atlantic, cooked | 97 |
| Spinach, raw | 79 |
| Black beans, cooked, boiled, without salt | 70 |
| Brown rice, long grain, cooked | 43 |
| Kidney beans, cooked, boiled, withour salt | 42 |
It must be noted that fats aid in the absorption of minerals such as magnesium. So, instead of using fat-free dressings on salads, pick dressings that contain healthy fats such as olive oil or canola oil, and give the fat free mayonnaise a miss. In addition, if weight loss is your aim, but you also need to increase your magnesium levels, cut down or avoid processed food. Such food items have a high glycemic index, and are proportionately high in empty calories.
Deficiency of magnesium could occur in individuals affected by gastrointestinal problems, type 2 diabetes, chronic alcoholism, etc. At times, the prolonged use of certain drugs could make one susceptible to this nutritional deficiency. Under such circumstances, the food items mentioned in these charts should be included in one’s diet.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.