Magnesium is an important mineral that helps regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, creates energy, and is important for bone health. However, magnesium deficiency is rare among healthy individuals, while those at risk are people with alcoholism issues or who take certain medications. Let’s see which ingredients are richest in magnesium.
Foods rich in magnesium
According to New York City dietitian Bianca Tamburello, some magnesium-rich foods include pumpkin and chia seeds, salmon, almonds and almond butter, peanuts and peanut butter, raisins, and chickpeas. Below is a breakdown of magnesium levels in these foods:
- Pumpkin seeds (1 oz): 74 mg of magnesium
- Chia seeds (1 oz): 95 mg of magnesium
- Salmon (3 ounces): 23 mg of magnesium
- Almonds (1 oz): 79 mg of magnesium
- Peanut butter (2 Tb): 51 mg of magnesium
- Raisins (½ cup) 23 mg of magnesium
- Chickpeas (½ cup): 39 mg of magnesium
What is the fruit richest in magnesium?
According to Tamburello, the guava is one of the fruits richest in magnesium at 36 mg per 1 cup. However, if you were thinking it’s not a fruit commonly found at the supermarket, you are right. Other fruits that are easier to find and have a high magnesium content are bananas (1 medium banana has about 32 mg of magnesium) and dried figs (½ cup has 50 mg of magnesium).
What is the vegetable richest in magnesium?
If you want to find magnesium in vegetables, look for green leafy ones. Spinach is one of the vegetables richest in magnesium with 79 mg per ½ cup when cooked. Swiss chard is also rich in magnesium at 75 mg per ½ cup.
How to quickly increase your magnesium
One of the fastest ways to increase magnesium intake is through a supplement. However, taking too much magnesium can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, and stomach ache, which is why it is always important to talk to your doctor.
Is magnesium important for calcium and potassium?
Magnesium is important in the body’s process to properly absorb calcium and potassium, two other important minerals. Magnesium is responsible for the movement of calcium and potassium in and out of the body’s cells for regular functioning. For this reason, having low levels of magnesium often causes low levels of calcium and potassium. Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese are an excellent source of calcium, as well as leafy green vegetables, beans, anchovies, edamame, and almonds. Foods rich in potassium include dried fruits, beans, lentils, potatoes, and also leafy green vegetables like spinach and chard, which are also rich in magnesium, as seen earlier.
Foods with magnesium and potassium
According to Tamburello, the following foods are rich in magnesium and potassium:
- Chard: one cup of cooked chard offers a significant amount of both potassium (961 mg) and magnesium (150 mg). Swiss chard is also rich in calcium.
- Salmon : well known for being packed with nutrition, another reason to eat salmon is that it also provides potassium (309 mg) and magnesium (23 mg).
- Edamame: Edamame (young soybeans) is rich in magnesium and potassium with 338 mg of potassium and 50 mg of magnesium in ½ a cup. Edamame is also an excellent source of plant-based protein.
Source Sfgate.com
