Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsMagnesium-Rich Food SourcesImportance of MagnesiumFood vs. SupplementsImproving AbsorptionMagnesium-Forward MealsToxicity
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Magnesium-Rich Food Sources
Importance of Magnesium
Food vs. Supplements
Improving Absorption
Magnesium-Forward Meals
Toxicity
Eating foods high in magnesium is crucial if you want to stay energized and healthy. Magnesium keeps nerves and muscles working and regulates your heartbeat and blood pressure. This essential mineral also strengthens your bones and immune system.
Though magnesium is readily found in foods like whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, leafy greens, and seafood, most adults in the United States don’t meet the daily requirement of this vital nutrient.
The highest sources of magnesium are healthy foods that contribute to a well-balanced diet. Here are the top 10 foods, their overall nutritional value, and the amount of magnesium in a typical serving.
1. Seeds
Seeds are small but they’re good sources of magnesium, with one serving providing a significant portion of the recommended daily intake.
Here’s the magnesium and the percentage of the daily value (DV) found in a 1-ounce serving of three types of seeds:
As a group, seeds are sources of fiber, protein, minerals, and heart-healthy unsaturated fats.
2. Nuts
Adding nuts to your daily diet boosts magnesium. This is the amount you’ll get in a 1-ounce serving of three good sources:
You can also get magnesium from nut butters. Two tablespoons of peanut butter have the same amount as a serving of whole peanuts.
The healthy unsaturated fats in nuts may also lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.
3. Beans
Beans are good sources of magnesium, with a one-cup serving (cooked) providing:
Beans also provide B vitamins, iron, potassium, plant protein and fiber, including soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar.
4. Soy Products
Soy is filled with nutrients, including magnesium. Here’s the amount of magnesium in various soy products:
Soy is also one of the few plant sources of high-quality protein, which means it contains all the essential amino acids.Other nutrients in soy include folate, calcium, potassium, andzinc.
5. Seafood (fatty fish)
Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, and trout are known for their healthy omega-3 fatty acids, but they also provide magnesium.
This is the magnesium in a 3-ounce serving of four types of fatty fish:
Healthy fatty fish are high in protein and one of the few food sources of vitamin D.
Should You Take Magnesium and Vitamin D Together?
6. Whole Grains
Whole grains are important sources of dietary fiber and magnesium. Boost your daily magnesium with the following:
Choosing whole grains ensures you get a wide range of nutrients, such as B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, and zinc.By comparison, white flour and white rice (refined grains) lose the fiber and most of the nutrients during milling.
7. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens (spinach, kale, romaine, collard greens, watercress, and Bok choy, to name a few) contain varying amounts of magnesium.
Kale and spinach illustrate the range of magnesium in one serving of leafy greens and the difference between fresh and cooked greens:
Leafy greens are a good choice for increasing your daily intake of fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, E, and K, iron, and potassium.
8. Fruits
The fruits highest in magnesium, bananas, raisins, and avocados, are also good sources of potassium and B vitamins.
9. Dairy Products
Dairy products made from whole and low-fat milk deliver the following amount of magnesium:
Milk-based products also rank among the best sources of calcium. They’re also high in proteins and contribute to your daily potassium.
10. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is a good source of magnesium. One ounce has 42-65 mg of magnesium, which is 10-15% of the DV.You’ll get the most magnesium from dark chocolate with the highest percentage of cocoa content.
Chocolate is made from cocoa beans. Dark chocolate is labeled with the percent of cocoa it contains. By comparison, milk chocolate isn’t labeled with a percentage because it retains significantly less cocoa.
Cocoa beans are packed with beneficial plant-based substances called flavonoids. Flavonoids may reduce inflammation, protect nerves, and help lower the risk of heart disease and cancer.Like magnesium, the higher the cocoa content, the more flavonoids in your dark chocolate.
Beverages High in Magnesium
In addition to consuming magnesium from food sources, some drinks can offer similar benefits, including:
Reasons to Pay Attention to Magnesium Intake
The organs in your body need magnesium to function properly.But estimates suggest that roughly 60% of adults in the United States don’t consume enough of this vital nutrient.
Though it’s rare, if you have a chronic magnesium deficiency, it’s possible to experience symptoms such as:
What’s the Best Way to Get Magnesium: Food or Supplements?
The best way to get magnesium depends on several factors, like age, diet, and health. Most people should be able to get enough magnesium from their diet alone. Others may require a magnesium supplement to help boost nutrient levels.
If you’re looking into supplementation, keep in mind that there are different forms of magnesium supplements. Supplements to increase magnesium if your diet falls short typically contain magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide, and magnesium chloride.
Magnesium’s form and uses include:
Check with a healthcare provider before introducing any new supplements into your routine.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements the way it regulates prescription drugs. That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says. Whenchoosing a supplement, look for independently tested products and consult a healthcare provider, registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN), or pharmacist.
How to Improve Magnesium Absorption
Certain medical conditions and medications can reducemagnesium absorption, which means it’s harder for your body to maintain adequate levels of the mineral. The following individuals are at higher risk for problems with magnesium absorption:
To help improve the way your body absorbs magnesium, experts may recommend:
Magnesium-Forward Meal Ideas
To incorporate more magnesium into your diet, experts recommend the following options:
Risks of Too Much Magnesium
The magnesium obtained from food doesn’t put you at risk of getting too much magnesium.However, it’s possible to develop dangerously high blood levels from magnesium supplements.
Since magnesium is a natural laxative, you may have diarrhea and cramping if you get too much from supplements.High blood levels of magnesium may also lower your blood pressure.
While this may be a health benefit for those with hypertension, it can cause side effects if your blood pressure is in the healthy range. A sudden drop in blood pressure due to magnesium supplements may cause dizziness, confusion, and fainting.
While rare, magnesium can become toxic if you consume extremely large doses (more than 5,000 mg a day) through supplements.Signs of toxicity include dizziness, nausea, and an irregular heartbeat.
Summary
Magnesium is a mineral that your body needs to function. It’s found in various foods, like vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and dairy. However, many adults in the United States don’t get enough of this nutrient in their daily diet.
Experts recommend making some simple adjustments to your diet to boost magnesium levels. Check with a healthcare provider before adding a magnesium supplement to ensure the quality and dosing are right for you.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Magnesium in diet.Workinger JL, Doyle RP, Bortz J.Challenges in the diagnosis of magnesium status.Nutrients. 2018;10(9):1202. doi:10.3390/nu10091202National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Magnesium.MyFoodData.Sunflower seeds.Michigan State University.Seeds are healthy sources of fiber.MyFoodData.Dry roasted peanuts.Glenn AJ, Aune D, Freisling H, et al.Nuts and Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: A Review of the Evidence and Future Directions.Nutrients. 2023 Feb 11;15(4):911. doi:10.3390/nu15040911.MyFoodData.Kidney beans, baked beans, lima beans.Mullins AP, Arjmandi BH.Health Benefits of Plant-Based Nutrition: Focus on Beans in Cardiometabolic Diseases.Nutrients.2021 Feb 5;13(2):519. doi:10.3390/nu13020519.MyFoodData.Soy nuts, firm tofu.Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Straight Talk About Soy.MyFoodData.Canned white tuna, cooked yellowfin tuna, cooked Atlantic mackerel, cooked Atlantic salmon.National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D.Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Whole Grains.US Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service.Dark green leafy vegetables.MyFoodData:Kale.MyFoodData:Spinach.MyFoodData.Dark Chocolate.Ullah A, Munir S, Badshah SL, et al.Important Flavonoids and Their Role as a Therapeutic Agent.Molecules. 2020 Nov 11;25(22):5243. doi:10.3390/molecules25225243.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Soy milk.MedlinePlus.Magnesium deficiency.MedlinePlus.Magnesium oxide.MedlinePlus.Magnesium citrate.Kieboom BCT, Ligthart S, Dehghan A, et al.Serum magnesium and the risk of prediabetes: a population-based cohort study.Diabetologia. 2017;60(5):843-853. doi:10.1007/s00125-017-4224-4Sleep Foundation.Using Magnesium for Better Sleep.Gröber U.Magnesium and drugs.Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Apr 28;20(9):2094. doi:10.3390/ijms20092094
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Magnesium in diet.Workinger JL, Doyle RP, Bortz J.Challenges in the diagnosis of magnesium status.Nutrients. 2018;10(9):1202. doi:10.3390/nu10091202National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Magnesium.MyFoodData.Sunflower seeds.Michigan State University.Seeds are healthy sources of fiber.MyFoodData.Dry roasted peanuts.Glenn AJ, Aune D, Freisling H, et al.Nuts and Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: A Review of the Evidence and Future Directions.Nutrients. 2023 Feb 11;15(4):911. doi:10.3390/nu15040911.MyFoodData.Kidney beans, baked beans, lima beans.Mullins AP, Arjmandi BH.Health Benefits of Plant-Based Nutrition: Focus on Beans in Cardiometabolic Diseases.Nutrients.2021 Feb 5;13(2):519. doi:10.3390/nu13020519.MyFoodData.Soy nuts, firm tofu.Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Straight Talk About Soy.MyFoodData.Canned white tuna, cooked yellowfin tuna, cooked Atlantic mackerel, cooked Atlantic salmon.National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D.Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Whole Grains.US Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service.Dark green leafy vegetables.MyFoodData:Kale.MyFoodData:Spinach.MyFoodData.Dark Chocolate.Ullah A, Munir S, Badshah SL, et al.Important Flavonoids and Their Role as a Therapeutic Agent.Molecules. 2020 Nov 11;25(22):5243. doi:10.3390/molecules25225243.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Soy milk.MedlinePlus.Magnesium deficiency.MedlinePlus.Magnesium oxide.MedlinePlus.Magnesium citrate.Kieboom BCT, Ligthart S, Dehghan A, et al.Serum magnesium and the risk of prediabetes: a population-based cohort study.Diabetologia. 2017;60(5):843-853. doi:10.1007/s00125-017-4224-4Sleep Foundation.Using Magnesium for Better Sleep.Gröber U.Magnesium and drugs.Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Apr 28;20(9):2094. doi:10.3390/ijms20092094
MedlinePlus.Magnesium in diet.
Workinger JL, Doyle RP, Bortz J.Challenges in the diagnosis of magnesium status.Nutrients. 2018;10(9):1202. doi:10.3390/nu10091202
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Magnesium.
MyFoodData.Sunflower seeds.
Michigan State University.Seeds are healthy sources of fiber.
MyFoodData.Dry roasted peanuts.
Glenn AJ, Aune D, Freisling H, et al.Nuts and Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: A Review of the Evidence and Future Directions.Nutrients. 2023 Feb 11;15(4):911. doi:10.3390/nu15040911.
MyFoodData.Kidney beans, baked beans, lima beans.
Mullins AP, Arjmandi BH.Health Benefits of Plant-Based Nutrition: Focus on Beans in Cardiometabolic Diseases.Nutrients.2021 Feb 5;13(2):519. doi:10.3390/nu13020519.
MyFoodData.Soy nuts, firm tofu.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Straight Talk About Soy.
MyFoodData.Canned white tuna, cooked yellowfin tuna, cooked Atlantic mackerel, cooked Atlantic salmon.
National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin D.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Whole Grains.
US Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service.Dark green leafy vegetables.
MyFoodData:Kale.
MyFoodData:Spinach.
MyFoodData.Dark Chocolate.
Ullah A, Munir S, Badshah SL, et al.Important Flavonoids and Their Role as a Therapeutic Agent.Molecules. 2020 Nov 11;25(22):5243. doi:10.3390/molecules25225243.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.Soy milk.
MedlinePlus.Magnesium deficiency.
MedlinePlus.Magnesium oxide.
MedlinePlus.Magnesium citrate.
Kieboom BCT, Ligthart S, Dehghan A, et al.Serum magnesium and the risk of prediabetes: a population-based cohort study.Diabetologia. 2017;60(5):843-853. doi:10.1007/s00125-017-4224-4
Sleep Foundation.Using Magnesium for Better Sleep.
Gröber U.Magnesium and drugs.Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Apr 28;20(9):2094. doi:10.3390/ijms20092094
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