Magnesium is extremely beneficial to human health. The essential mineral plays a vital role during many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure and making protein, bone, and DNA. Read on for 10 different foods you can eat to load up on magnesium.
You need magnesium to stay healthy; its reference daily intake (RDI) is 400 mg. Fortunately, it is available through common food items like avocados and chocolate! Here are 10 magnesium-rich foods that are delicious and easy to love:
A 1-ounce (28g) serving of dark chocolate provides 16% of the RDI for magnesium. The healthy treat is also beneficial for gut and heart health, and is loaded with antioxidants.
Avocados can be enjoyed in various forms and they're particularly magnesium-rich. A medium avocado provides 15% of the RDI for magnesium. Avocados also fight inflammation, improve cholesterol levels, increase fullness, and are packed with several other nutrients.
Nuts are commonly termed powerhouse of nutrients. The nuts that are particularly high in magnesium include almonds, cashews and Brazil nuts. In addition, nuts are anti-inflammatory, beneficial for heart health and can reduce appetite when eaten as snacks.
Legumes are a family of nutrient-dense plants that include lentils, beans, chickpeas, peas and soybeans. They’re very rich in many different nutrients, including magnesium.
Tofu is a staple food in vegetarian diets because it is highly proteinous. But, it is also a very rich source of magnesium; a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving has 53 mg of magnesium, which is 13% of the RDI.
Like nuts, seeds are concentrated sources of different nutrients and many of them contain high amounts of magnesium. However, flax, pumpkin and chia seeds tip the list with a 1-ounce serving of pumpkin seeds providing a whopping 37% of the RDI alone.
Whole grains like wheat, oats and barley, as well as pseudocereals like buckwheat and quinoa are very nutritious. A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of dry buckwheat provides 16% of the RDI for magnesium.
Fish is generally nutritious but this is more pronounced when they are fatty. Many types of fish are high in magnesium, including salmon, mackerel and halibut. Half a fillet of salmon provides 13% of the RDI for magnesium.
Bananas are among the most popular fruits in the world but did you know that they are potent sources of magnesium? Well, one large banana packs 37 mg, or 9% of the RDI!
Leafy greens with significant amounts of magnesium include kale, spinach, collard greens, turnip greens and mustard greens. For instance, a 1-cup serving of cooked spinach has 157 mg of magnesium, or 39% of the RDI.
There you have 10 common — and magnesium-rich! — foods that you can incorporate into your daily diet. Enjoy!