8 Tasty Foods High in Magnesium You Should Be Eating

Improve your health with these tasty foods high in magnesium, plus get 20 delicious magnesium-rich recipes!

Did you know that magnesium is one of the most important minerals for human health? It’s involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body and plays a vital role in everything from energy production to protein synthesis to cardiac function.

Unfortunately, many people are not getting enough magnesium in their diets. In this post, I’ll discuss the benefits of magnesium-rich foods and provide some tips on how to get more of this essential mineral into your diet!

This post contains affiliate links for products I recommend and personally use. If you purchase a product through these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!

Magnesium Health Benefits

Magnesium regulates blood pressure, is required for energy production, maintains bone health, supports a healthy immune system, and stabilizes your heart rhythm. It also regulates blood glucose levels, keeps you regular (we’re talking bathroom regular here), and helps maintain normal nerve and muscle function.  Health conditions magnesium might help with include:

Migraines

Research has suggested that up to 50% of people with migraines may be deficient in magnesium. Several studies suggest that magnesium may reduce the frequency of migraine attacks in people with low magnesium levels. The dosages typically used in studies were 600 mg/day.

If you suffer from migraines, as I do, try boosting your intake of magnesium-rich foods first to see if it lessens the frequency of your headaches. If not, you may want to consider trying a magnesium supplement.

Diabetes

Individuals with diabetes are typically magnesium-deficient, and some studies suggest that magnesium supplementation may improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control.

A 2015 double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 116 people with pre-diabetes found that magnesium supplementation improved blood sugar levels and insulin resistance. However, it’s important to note that only people with low magnesium levels showed significant improvement.

High Blood Pressure & Heart Health

Although reductions are small, some studies have suggested that supplemental magnesium may also help lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. The median magnesium dose in these studies was 368 mg/day.

In addition, epidemiological studies and meta-analyses have associated high magnesium intake with a lowered risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes, along with hypertension.

You may also like: Want to lower your blood pressure naturally? Get your free DASH Diet Printable ebook and meal plan and learn more about the best diet and lifestyle tips to reduce your risk of heart issues and other diseases.

Osteoporosis

Although studies are limited, bone mineral density may be increased in postmenopausal women with increased intake of magnesium-rich foods and magnesium supplements.

Constipation

Fluids, fiber-rich foods, exercise, two kiwi fruit per day, & fiber supplements, if needed, are my go-to recommendations for alleviating constipation in my clients with IBS. However, when that doesn’t work, I’ll recommend foods high in magnesium and a magnesium supplement to help with constipation.

Mood & Sleep

Did you know magnesium helps regulate melatonin, the hormone that regulates our sleep/wake cycle? In addition, magnesium may help dampen anxiety by binding to the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid).

While sleep studies with supplemental magnesium are limited, one study of 45 older adults showed improvement in subjective measures of insomnia after taking 500 mg of magnesium daily for eight weeks. In addition, and anecdotally, many of my clients find supplementing with magnesium at night helps them sleep better.

Learn more: The Ultimate Guide to Natural Sleep Tips for Better Health & Good Mood Food: Mood-Boosting Foods to Help You Feel Great.

Are you getting enough magnesium in your diet?

Dietary studies of people in the US have consistently shown that magnesium intake is below recommended levels. In addition, the following groups of people are at risk for magnesium deficiency:

• Gastrointestinal diseases, including Crohn’s and celiac disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Chronic alcohol abuse
• Older adults

The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for magnesium in healthy adults is as follows:

• Women 19-30, 310 mg/day
• Women 31+, 320 mg/day
• Pregnant Women 350-360 mg/day
• Lactating Women 310-320 mg/day
• Men 19-30, 400 mg/day
• Men 31+ 420 mg/day

What about magnesium supplements?

While it’s optimal to eat these foods high in magnesium listed below if you can’t meet your recommended daily allowance of magnesium through food sources alone, consider a supplement if needed-although it can be tricky choosing one.

• Magnesium oxide is inexpensive but not well absorbed and may cause diarrhea. Consider this form for constipation.
• Magnesium citrate is a good option that I typically recommend for constipation, as it tends to be gentler on your digestive system than magnesium oxide.
• Magnesium glycinate is my go-to recommendation for a well-absorbed magnesium supplement. Choose this form for health conditions other than constipation.
• Powdered magnesium, like Calm or OMG! Magnesium is another option if you don’t like taking pills. You can mix it in water and sip it throughout the day.

Important! Although supplemental magnesium is generally safe, check with your physician or registered dietitian first to determine if, what, and how much magnesium supplementation is needed, especially if you are taking diuretics, heart medications, or antibiotics.

Now that you have a pretty good idea of WHY magnesium is so important to your health, let’s talk about HOW you can get more of this marvelous mineral in your diet!

8 Delicious Foods High in Magnesium

For a “food first” approach, aim to get ~400 mg/day of magnesium from a combination of these magnesium-rich foods.

FOODS HIGH IN MAGNESIUM	SERVING SIZE	AMOUNT OF MAGNESIUM
Pumpkin Seeds	1/4 cup	190 mg
Spinach & Swiss Chard	1 cup (raw)	150 mg
Soybeans	1 cup	148 mg
Black Beans	1 cup	129 mg
Sesame Seeds	1/4 cup	126 mg
Quinoa	1 cup	118 mg
Cashew Nuts	1 cup	116 mg
Sunflower Seeds	1/4 cup	114 mg

Other delicious foods that are good sources of magnesium to eat regularly include:

• Almonds
• Avocado
• Bananas
• Brown rice
• Chia seeds
• Beans, especially lima beans, navy beans, and pinto beans
• Buckwheat and other whole grains
• Collard greens and other dark leafy greens
• Dairy products
• Dark chocolate. Yes, please!!!
• Salmon and other fatty fish
• Soy milk
• Tempeh

And, now that you know WHICH foods to eat, here are 20 tasty recipes featuring foods high in magnesium.

Foods High in Magnesium | Breakfast

• Chai Spice Pumpkin Seed Almond Muesli pictured above
• Warm Tropical Wild Blueberry Quinoa Breakfast Sundae
• Chia Pumpkin Seeds Oatmeal Power Bowl with Warm Peanut Butter Swirl
• Blissful Buckwheat Granola Clusters
• Nourishing Muesli
• Chipotle Black Bean & Rice Skillet

Foods High in Magnesium | Lunch & Dinner

• Super-Duper Raw Power Salad pictured above
• Eat the Rainbow Black Bean Quinoa Salad
• Acorn Squash Stuffed with Pumpkin Seed and Cherry Quinoa Pilaf
• Miso Quinoa Broccoli Salad
• Mango Avocado Black Bean Quinoa Salad Chili
• Black Bean Quinoa Chili
• Black Bean Enchiladas w/ Roasted Pepper Cashew Cream
• Asian Style Winter Greens

Foods High in Magnesium | Snacks & Desserts

• Black Bean Brownies w/ Walnuts  pictured above
• Homemade Chocolate Lollipops
• Buckwheat Cashew Puddin’ 
• Black Bean Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Pumpkin Seed Power Bars

Let’s Chat! Which of these foods high in magnesium do you eat regularly?  Do you get enough magnesium in your diet?  Do you supplement with magnesium to help with any health conditions? Which of these recipes would you most like to try??