Did you know that having high levels of magnesium can reduce our risk of sudden cardiac arrest by 40%? There’s more. Getting the appropriate levels of magnesium can reduce or eliminate PMS symptoms. It can also help with migraines, depression, muscle pain, diabetes type 2 prevention, and many other important functions in our body.
Generally speaking, magnesium is great for our bones. We actually store 50% of the total magnesium in our body, in our bones. It’s also great for our muscles, nerves, DNA, neurons and, of course, our heart and circulation.
Unfortunately, the average person in the U.S. is not getting enough magnesium in their diets. This is because the best sources of magnesium are whole-plant foods. In fact, someone following a diet high in animal-based protein and low in plants is at a higher risk of deficiency. And taking magnesium supplements is probably not the best idea since supplements with over 350 mg of magnesium may lead to toxicity. Instead, we can eat as many whole-plant foods rich in magnesium as we want, and our body will simply excrete any excess.
The great news is that getting our recommended magnesium intake and then some is easy when we eat plenty of whole-food plants, because magnesium is present in different food groups, especially in legumes, dark leafy greens, grains, and different nuts and seeds.
Scroll down to see what’s the minimum amount of magnesium you and your family should be getting through your diet and discover some of the best food sources! Plus, learn more about the benefits or magnesium and other interesting facts.
Top Whole-Food, Plant-Based Sources
Hover over each food below to see how much magnesium you can get with one serving. Click on each food’s picture to visit its interactive page with a personalized calculator of all the nutrition you can get from one serving, more information about how it supports our body, tips to choose and prepare it, interesting facts, and more!
Magnesium Personalized Calculator
See how much magnesium you and your family members need, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
* The Upper Intake Levels (ULs) are lower than the Daily Value (DV) and the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for many groups because the ULs only apply to magnesium supplements and medications, which can lead to toxicity. DV and RDAs take into consideration dietary sources of magnesium which do not result in toxicity no matter how much we ingest.
Terminology:
- Daily Value (DV): The recommended amount of nutrients to consume each day for individuals who are 4 years old or older.
- Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA): The recommended amount of nutrients to consume each day according to the individual’s age, gender, and whether a woman is pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Upper Intake Level (UL): The highest amount of nutrient intake that will not pose adverse health effects on most individuals.
Important Things to Know
Comparison of Magnesium Sources
You may be wondering about other potential sources of magnesium, such as supplements and animal-based products. Below, we make a quick and simple comparison between the three choices.