Magnesium Benefits and Plant-Based Sources

Did you know that having high levels of magnesium can reduce our risk of sudden cardiac arrest by 40%? Yes, magnesium is a key nutrient for our heart. It’s also vital for our brain, playing a key role in our cognitive health and our mood. Thus, it can help prevent and treat depression, improve our learning and memory, and help prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. 

We store 50% of our total magnesium in our bones. It’s also important to our muscles, DNA, and metabolism. In addition to all this, magnesium can help reduce or eliminate PMS symptoms, and it helps with migraines and muscle pain too.

Unfortunately, the average person in the U.S. is not getting enough. This is because the best sources of magnesium are whole, plant-based 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-based foods rich in magnesium as we want, and our body will simply excrete any excess. 

The great news is that getting our recommended intake and then some is easy when we eat plenty of whole plants, because magnesium is abundant in legumes, dark leafy greens, grains, and in 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.