8 Magnesium-Rich Foods That May Boost Energy and Prevent Inflammation
Time to make some dietary changes to boost energy and build a healthy immune system? While magnesium is considered a minor nutrient, magnesium superfoods play a significant role in your overall health and are essential to every function and tissue in the body.
In general, to provide magnesium foods to your body, look for those packed with dietary fiber, including:
- Almonds
- Avocado
- Black beans
- Bran cereal
- Brown rice
- Cashews
- Cereal (shredded wheat)
- Edamame
- Kidney beans
- Oatmeal
- Peanut butter
- Peanuts
- Potato with skin
- Pumpkin
- Raisins
- Soymilk
- Spinach
- Whole grain bread
- Yogurt
Not only do magnesium foods support a healthy immune system and improve bone health, they may help prevent the inflammation associated with certain cancers, according to a study published in June 2017 in the European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences. Magnesium-rich foods have been found to increase heart health, help prevent stroke, and could even cut your risk of dying from a heart attack. Additionally, magnesium foods help to support normal nerve and muscle function and keep your heartbeat in sync.
A study published in October 2017 in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research found that a nutritionally balanced vegan diet filled with fresh fruits and vegetables lowered triglycerides, insulin, and cholesterol in study participants when compared with a healthy, controlled omnivorous diet (both plant and animal foods). A plant-based diet includes magnesium-rich fruits, vegetables, beans and peas, grains, soy, seeds, and nuts. A vegetarian diet is plant-based, but a vegan diet excludes all meat, dairy, and animal products.
Some findings from Harvard University reveal that a high daily magnesium intake reduces the risk of diabetes by up to 33 percent; still other studies conclude that magnesium rich foods help ward off depression and migraines.
Magnesium supplements are available over-the-counter at most supermarkets and pharmacies, but experts say it is preferable to eat whole foods containing magnesium naturally to prevent a magnesium deficiency. While about 30 to 40 percent of the dietary magnesium consumed is usually absorbed by your body, low intakes or extreme losses of magnesium because of health conditions, alcoholism, or some medication use may lead to a magnesium deficiency.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), an American adult should get 380 milligrams (mg) of magnesium daily. Check out the following foods high in the macromineral magnesium, including dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds, fish, soybeans, avocados, bananas, dark chocolate, and fat-free or low-fat yogurt.
Dark Leafy Greens Prevent Magnesium Deficiency
Magnesium-rich foods include dark leafy greens, which play the role of the ultimate superfood, offering up crucial vitamins and minerals as well as a host of health benefits. Choose raw or cooked magnesium greens such as baby spinach, collard greens, kale, or Swiss chard. You can avoid a magnesium deficiency by stocking your body with dark leafy greens for very few calories.
Nuts and Seeds Keep Energy Up and Hunger Down
Just 2 tablespoons of dried pumpkin seeds contain 96 mg of magnesium or about 25 percent of the daily recommended dietary allowance. Other foods containing magnesium include almonds, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, cashews, pine nuts, flaxseed, and pecans. Combine your favorite magnesium-rich nuts and seeds in a healthy homemade trail mix — the perfect afternoon snack to keep your energy up and hunger levels down. Just remember that nuts are also a rich source of calories, so a little goes a long way, especially if you’re watching your waistline.
Salmon and Tuna Are Filled With Magnesium and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Add fish like mackerel, wild salmon, halibut, and tuna to your menu to boost your magnesium intake, as well as vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish like salmon and albacore tuna) at least two times (two servings) a week. This tangy magnesium-rich salmon salad is delicious, easy, and perfect anytime.
Soybeans and Edamame Increase Fiber and Magnesium
Soybeans are magnesium-rich foods that have a high amount of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids (the building blocks of protein). Snack on a half-cup serving of dry roasted soybeans, a rich source of energy, magnesium, and protein, or add fresh soybeans (edamame) to your shopping list. Other legumes containing magnesium include black beans, kidney beans, white beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and lentils.
Heart-Healthy Avocado Is Loaded With Nutrients
Avocados are a good source of magnesium, as well as being loaded with vitamins, heart-healthy nutrients, and disease-thwarting chemical compounds. Magnesium-rich avocados are one of the most nutritious and versatile produce picks around. Add one half of a sliced avocado to your salad or sandwich at lunch, and you’ll easily consume 15 percent of the recommended daily amount of magnesium. Like nuts, avocados are also rich in healthy fats, which makes them a concentrated source of calories. So keep portion size in mind when you’re enjoying this healthy delight.
Eat Bananas for a Magnesium-Rich Snack
Did you know that bananas contain magnesium too? Bananas may be better known for being rich in heart-healthy and bone-strengthening potassium, but a medium-size banana also provides 32 mg of magnesium, along with vitamin C and fiber. At only about 100 calories, this is a foolproof high-magnesium food to pop in your bag for a portable breakfast or an easy on-the-go snack. Of course, many other magnesium-rich fruits can be added to your diet, including strawberries, blackberries, grapefruit, tangerines, and figs.
Decadent Dark Chocolate Is Your Go-to Magnesium Food
Think of dark chocolate as your go-to magnesium rich food. One ounce of the sweet stuff provides 11 percent of the daily value of magnesium for only 153 calories, in addition to antioxidants that may help lower blood pressure, improve blood flow, and boost overall heart health. Paired with fresh fruit, this magnesium food makes a decadent and healthy after-dinner dessert.
Try Magnesium-Containing Nonfat or Low-Fat Yogurt for Breakfast
Magnesium-rich foods and foods high in calcium make a wonderful health duo, because when you’re getting foods high in magnesium, it’s easier for your body to absorb calcium and put it to good use. That’s why almost all milk products are recommended as foods containing magnesium; roughly 32 mg of magnesium are found in one container of low- or nonfat plain yogurt, which, along with a fiber-rich fruit, makes an easy breakfast choice.
