Magnesium is a vital and essential mineral, that plays a fundamental role in hundreds of enzymatic reactions within the human body. Magnesium can help you maintain adequate and optimal health by strengthening your immune system, improving sleep quality, and increasing natural testosterone levels. Magnesium is rich in a variety of foods and with a well-rounded nutrition plan you can easily hit your recommended daily intake of 400mg a day.

What Is Magnesium And What Does It Do?

Magnesium is a common mineral essential for overall human health involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. Magnesium is an essential cofactor for many enzymatic reactions especially those that are involved in energy metabolism, and neurotransmitter synthesis.  

Studies have shown that adequate magnesium intake has been linked to numerous health benefits, including the ability to fight inflammation, improving immunity health, relieving constipation, improving sleep quality, and lowering blood pressure.

RELATED ARTICLE 6 Reasons Why You Need A Magnesium Supplement

Magnesium Benefits  

Magnesium deficiency has been linked to several health deficits, including hypertension, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Getting an adequate amount of magnesium rich foods through your diet, is important for optimal health and wellness.

Lowers Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of heart attack and stroke. Studies have shown that Magnesium deficiency is inextricably linked to high blood pressure regardless of BMI or weight. Research indicates that blood pressure can be reduced by correcting for magnesium deficiencies.

Improves Bone Health

As we age, your bones progressively lose density and become frail. Studies have shown that greater intakes of magnesium can increase bone density through conserving skeletal muscle mass, which helps prevent bone frailty and age-related diseases such as sacropenia and osteoporosis [R]. Eating foods rich in magnesium and/or taking a high-quality magnesium supplement, that has 100% of your recommended daily intake, is crucial for preventing bone frailty and potential fractures, especially in high impact sports, or high intensity functional training regimens. 

Improves Sleep

Poor quality and quantity of sleep, not only affects the way you feel, productivity, and mental processing, but it can also adversely affect your metabolic function and cardiovascular system. Ever wonder why you can’t lose weight despite eating healthy and fitnessing daily? Your sleep plays a huge role. 

Sleep and wake cycle is regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the brain, which also coordinates the circadian rhythms in other tissues through the body. Studies suggest that Magnesium can help improve insomnia symptoms, sleep duration and improve sleep quality. If you don’t get adequate levels of sleep, it can be detrimental to your entire quality of life. Personally, if I don’t get good a good nights rest with high-quality sleep, my entire next day, is literally ruined.

Magnesium Rich Foods

1. Pumpkin Seeds

Serving Size 1 oz, 168 mg

Pumpkin seeds may be small, but they’re the most magnesium dense food, packed with 168mg in just one ounce. Adding a handful of pumpkin seeds to your cereal, oatmeal, or yogurt, will get you nearly 40% of your daily recommended value of magnesium. Pumpkin seeds also contain antioxidants like carotenoids and vitamin e, helping reduce inflammation and free radical damage.

2. Almonds

Serving Size 1 oz, 80 mg

Almonds are highly nutritious and rich in healthy fats, fiber, antioxidants, and minerals like Magnesium. A unique fact about almonds, is that 10-15% of their calories are not fully absorbed because certain fats are inaccessible to digestive enzymes. Almonds like pumpkin seeds are also loaded with antioxidants and vitamin e not to mention, 20% of the daily recommended intake of magnesium.

3. Spinach

Serving Size ½ cup, 78 mg

Spinach is part of the amaranth family and is related to beets and quinoa. Spinach is loaded with essential vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, and magnesium. Just one-half cup of spinach has nearly 20% of your daily intake at 78mg.

4. Cashews

Serving Size 1 oz, 74 mg

Cashews are sourced from the cashew tree, native to Brazil. Cashews are low in sugar and rich fiber, healthy fats, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals. In addition to magnesium, cashews have a ton of copper an essential mineral for energy metabolism and brain development with nearly 70% of the daily value.

5. Peanuts

Serving Size ¼ cup, 63 mg

Peanuts and yes, that includes peanut butter is rich with magnesium. Peanuts have a significant amount of healthy fats, as well as essential minerals. Adding a scoop of peanut butter to your favorite snacks is an easy and delicious way to ramp of your magnesium intake.

6. Soymilk

Serving Size 1 cup, 61 mg

Soymilk is an amazing and healthy milk alternative. Made from soybeans and water soymilk contains around 80 calories per cup with seven grams of protein and 4 grams of fat and carbs. Soymilk is free of cholesterol and lactose and loaded with essential vitamins and minerals.

7. Black Beans

Serving Size ½ cup, 60 mg

Dubbed with superfood status, black beans are a great source of fiber, protein, folate and magnesium. One cup of black beans has an impressive 15 grams of fiber, 15 grams of protein and 30% of the daily recommend intake of magnesium. Throwing some black beans in a taco salad, or in your weekly meal prep is a great way to get more magnesium in your diet.

8. Edamame

Serving Size ½ cup, 50 mg

Edamame are one of the most protein packed and powerful beans on earth. Edamame are processed into a variety of foods such as soy protein, tofu, miso, and tempeh. One cup contains nearly 20g of protein and unlike most plant protein sources, edamame provides all of the essential amino acids making it a complete protein. Edamame are also a great source of essential vitamins and minerals, with large amounts of folate, vitamin K1, manganese, and magnesium.

9. Avocado

Serving Size 1 cup, 44 mg

With most fruit heavily consistent of carbohydrates, avocados mainly consist of healthy fats and fiber. Avocados contain a wide variety of essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin k, folate, vitamin c, b vitamins and of course magnesium. One interesting fact is that studies suggest those who include avocados in their diet are much healthier than those that do not eat this fruit. Avocados are the perfect addition, to your salad, sandwich, taco, or smoothie.

10. Potato

Serving Size 3.5 oz, 43 mg

Believe it or not, potatoes are a complex carbohydrate. Potatoes are controversial due to their starch content and the fact that they’re used as the base of many not-so-healthy foods like chips and fries. One thing you may not know however, is that potatos contain resistance starch which is a type of starch that is not digested by the small intestine, and extremely beneficial for nourishing gut health.

11. Rice

Serving Size ½ cup, 42 mg

Not just any rice will do. White rice is stripped of fiber and nutrients missing the hull, the bran, and it’s nutrient rich core the germ. Although white rice is not bad for you, when compared nutritionally white rice vs brown rice are substantially different. Brown rice contains 11% of the daily recommended intake of magnesium while white rice contains 2%.

12. Yogurt

Serving Size 8 oz, 42 mg

Yogurt is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat, rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Low in calories while high in protein, yogurt is a great food for weight loss. Yogurt also contains healthy probiotics which can significantly improve digestive health and immune health.

Magnesium Rich Foods: Takeaway

Adding more magnesium rich foods to your diet, can possibly support better sleep quality, maintain blood pressure and ensure efficient biological function. Adding foods like black beans, almonds, spinach, and yogurt can improve overall magnesium levels and potentially aid in better quality of life. If you're looking for a way to improve sleep quality, considering taking a magnesium supplements, specifically magnesium glycinate. Studies have shown this form of magnesium is best for sleep. Supplementation will ensure you get the adequate dose of magnesium in addition to the magnesium rich foods in your diet, for optimal wellness. 

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