Sodium, potassium, and magnesium are the most important minerals to keep our cellular function at its best. It is essential for several metabolic reactions and maintains our health in many organs and body systems. Our muscle, the blood vessels and cardiac system, the brain and even the bone tissue benefit from magnesium. There are over 300 enzymes that depend on magnesium to work correctly, and their cell functions range from cellular maintenance to the synthesis of new proteins.
Throughout the years, magnesium has been used to treat various health conditions, such as preeclampsia, muscle cramps, arrhythmia, migraine, hypertension, and even stroke and other serious problems. But more than half of Americans do not consume magnesium properly, or at least do not reach the recommended daily levels.
The best way to increase our daily intake of magnesium is through magnesium-rich foods. Our recommended daily intake is 420 mg for males and 320 mg for females, which is not very difficult to reach if we follow balanced nutrition. That’s why in this article we will provide an extensive list with the recommended foods you can include in your diet if you’re planning to increase your magnesium intake naturally.
Rice Bran
There are many ways to use rice bran, as in breakfast cereals and baked goods. The benefits of consuming whole-grain foods are that they keep the germ and the bran, which contain several nutrients such as phytosterols, tocotrienols, and a significant amount of dietary fiber. But what about magnesium? If you consume a single cup of rice bran, which is around 118 grams, you will get around 992 mg of magnesium, which is way more than your daily requirement.
Molasses
It is a thick syrup that’s taken out of sugar beets. It is used as a sweetener, and it has a broad nutritional potential when compared to sugar. It is usually appropriate for people with diabetes, and it may improve certain conditions like anemia because molasses contain a lot of vitamins and minerals while giving a sweet taste to foods and drinks. An exciting plus we can find in molasses is an abundant content in calcium, which works synergistically with magnesium to maintain your bones healthy and strengthened. You only use a little bit as a sweetener, but as a reference, 1 cup of this syrup contains 820 mg of this mineral.
Pumpkin Seeds
These seeds taste fantastic if you roast them and add a little bit of salt. They can be a delicious treat and a nutrient-packed snack. If you eat only half a cup of roasted pumpkin seeds a day, you will get a whopping 382 mg of magnesium, which is near the recommended intake for males and more than the recommended daily intake for females. They also contain plenty of zinc and a lot of antioxidants. As a piece of advice, when you roast pumpkin seeds do not exceed 20 minutes because this would cause a series of molecular changes in the nutrient molecules.
Cottonseed Flour
Instead of regular flour, you can use cottonseed flour, which contains 670 mg of magnesium for every single cup. Besides, you will not only get a bunch of carbohydrates but also nutrients such as phytosterols, tocotrienols, tocopherols, and many others. You may need to adapt to the taste and feel, but it’s worth it.
Sesame seeds
If you don’t have or do not like pumpkin seeds, another healthy option is sesame seeds. Half a cup of sesame seeds contains almost 260 mg of magnesium, which is quite a lot considering the daily recommended intake. Additionally, you would get a lot of nutrients with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential. No wonder why some people use sesame seeds to reduce their cardiovascular risk and prevent atherosclerosis.
Brazil Nuts
Another helpful seed is called Brazil nuts. Half a cup contains 250 mg of magnesium, and it also has selenium, a mineral that is not quite common in foods, it is considered a rare trace mineral, and it has an impressive antioxidant property. Thus, Brazil nuts are thought to be anti-cancer foods, and they are even thought to improve your mood.
Almonds
If we are talking about nuts we can´t possibly forget almonds, which may be regarded as the number one nutritious nut. Almonds are filled with fiber, vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, and even dietary proteins. They also include healthy fats to your diet, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential that would also do its part to reduce your risk of cancer. Half a cup of almonds would give you no less than 215 mg of magnesium.
Cocoa Powder
The famous chocolate powder, cocoa powder has the same health effects chocolate has without the extra sugar. It is a nutritious mix of antioxidants, flavonoids, and a rich load of magnesium. A cup of cocoa powder (around 86 grams) would provide you with 430 mg of magnesium.
Lima Beans
If you’re looking for magnesium-rich legumes, you can turn to lima beans, and they will give you no less than 299 mg of magnesium for each cup. They combine the magnesium content with potassium and folate, two potent allies of your cardiovascular health. So, if you want to increase your magnesium intake to protect your heart and blood vessels, consider lima beans as a must.
Quinoa
One of the most nutritious starchy cereals, and a wheat-free alternative, quinoa does not only have carbs but also anti-inflammatory molecules, phytonutrients, and all of the amino acids you need to boost protein synthesis. You will get 340 mg of magnesium for every single cup of quinoa, which surpasses the recommended daily intake for women.
Conch
It has been regarded as an aphrodisiac for many years, but it is also a nutritious food with vitamin B, vitamin E, copper, phosphorus, and magnesium. One cup filled with sliced conch would give you around 300 mg of magnesium, which is a considerable amount for such a small portion.
Turkey
What if you’re looking for magnesium-rich meat? Turkey should be your number one option, especially if you’re trying to care for your heart health and want to avoid all that extra fat from other types of meat. Turkey is also rich in phosphorus, zinc, and selenium. It depends on the size, but one breast of this meat would likely give you around 300 mg of magnesium.
Oats
A typical breakfast for some people, and a must-have addition if you want to increase your magnesium intake and improve your bowel function. Oats improve your cardiac health by maintaining cholesterol levels under control and improving your blood sugar. It contains 275 mg for each cup, and it tastes so good that you could easily eat two of those every single day.
Peanuts
If you can’t afford or do not like almonds, peanuts are also a healthy snack packed with magnesium. Half a cup of roasted peanuts would give you near 275 mg of magnesium. They will provide you with phosphorus, manganese, and copper, and peanuts are one of the best sources of biotin in the world.
Malt Syrup
Another healthy sweetener you can choose from is malt syrup. This one is made from malted barley and does not only provides carbohydrates but many other vitamins and minerals. It contains vitamin A, riboflavin, and 240 mg of magnesium for each cup. Even though you’re not meant to use a whole cup but just a bit as a sweetener, this small bit will be filled with extra magnesium.
Sisymbrium Seeds
We can see sisymbrium seeds as hedge mustard in some markets. It is a popular plant in Europe, and they are used to create mustard, a condiment that goes fantastic with many different foods. Impressive enough, raw hedge mustard contains a lot of potassium and magnesium. We can calculate some 230 mg of magnesium for each cup. However, keep in mind that processed hedge mustard (as in mustard pastes) takes out a significant amount of nutrients in the process, so we can’t say mustard pastes are heart-friendly as sisymbrium seeds are.
Corn
It is both affordable and very tasty, but it also contains a lot of nutrients, from vitamin B to fiber and minerals such as magnesium. Corn will improve your bowel movements; it is a staple food with carotenoids and a substantial antioxidant potential. One cup of corn contains more than 200 mg of magnesium, which is significant given how affordable and convenient it is.
Radish
This edible root goes excellent with salads, giving them a spicy and very particular taste. They have diuretic properties, which means they promote and increase the function of the kidneys to produce extra urine. Therefore, they may help you keep your blood pressure under control while giving you extra magnesium. You would get near 200 mg of magnesium for each cup of radishes. They are useful to treat urinary tract infections, so it’s a good idea to keep them around and learn a few tasty recipes.
Spinach
Green leafy vegetables are a great source of various nutrients, but none like spinach. This nutritional superstar has vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, iron, potassium, and plenty of magnesium. For each cup of spinach, you will get 160 mg of magnesium or more. So, consider spinach and radish for your next salad if you want to increase your magnesium intake.
Garbanzo Beans
Another tasty legume with plenty of magnesium is garbanzo beans. It is adapted all over the world in many different dishes, and it is the main ingredient to make hummus. Garbanzo beans are very high in fiber and contain plenty of proteins. But you also get many different vitamins and several minerals like zinc and magnesium. You will get 160 mg of magnesium for each cup of garbanzo beans, which is significant if you combine them with other magnesium-rich foods.
Prickly Pear
We may also find prickly pear with the name tuna, Nopal cactus tree, or just nopal. It is a very special fruit native to the Americas. It is basically the fruit of cactus trees and contains a whole lot of nutrients, including vitamin B, C, calcium, magnesium, potassium, flavonoids, among others. You would get more than 125 mg of magnesium for each cup of prickly pear, and it will improve not only your cardiovascular function, but your immune function, your digestion, and even your risk of certain degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Black Beans
Another legume you can find quite easily is black beans. This one will give you not only a good source of magnesium but also plenty of fiber and phytoestrogens. Just one cup of black beans contains near 120 mg of magnesium.
Tamarind
It is a pod-like fruit with a sweet and tasty pulp that’s been used for a very long time in traditional medicine. The tamarind tree is cultivated all over the world, but it probably comes from Africa. This fruit contains iron, thiamin, phosphorus, and a potent antioxidant called tartaric acid. But we are here to talk about magnesium, and one cup of tamarind will provide 110 mg of magnesium.
Bananas
Another affordable and very convenient food we are all familiar with. People usually look for bananas when they need an extra source of potassium, but little they know bananas contain a lot of magnesium as well. One cup contains around 100 mg of magnesium, and they provide prebiotics as well, which are carbohydrates that promote a healthy gut microbiota.