Boost your energy levels by adding these magnesium-rich foods to your daily diet! You can use these high-magnesium foods to build healthy, balanced meals that you will enjoy and that will fuel your body with the nutrients you need naturally!
If you lack energy and vitality, then it may turn out that you don’t get enough magnesium on a daily basis. This essential mineral is crucial for our health because it supports hundreds of chemical reactions in the body.
It is responsible for converting food into energy as well as creating proteins from amino acids.
Magnesium also helps muscles to contract and relax in a proper way. Getting enough magnesium can also alleviate symptoms of depression while maintaining a healthy nervous system and repairing DNA and RNA.
Taking in less magnesium can lead to a deficiency where the most common symptoms are muscle cramps and twitches, fatigue as well as irregular heartbeat.
Although the easiest way to boost magnesium intake is by taking supplements, it is much better to consume magnesium-rich foods, because they’re a great source of other important nutrients as well.
The recommended daily intake of magnesium for women is 320 mg while men need 420 mg of this mineral a day.
So, if you want to get more of this nutrient naturally, here’s a list of foods high in magnesium to include in your daily menu.
1. Spinach (157 mg per 1 cup cooked)
There can hardly be any list of healthy foods without the mighty spinach. Just one cup of cooked spinach will cover half of your daily needs, which makes it one of the best magnesium-rich foods. But it’s also a great source of provitamin A, folate and vitamin K. You can add spinach to your salads, smoothies, soups or stews.
2. Pumpkin Seeds (152 mg per 1 oz/28.3 gr)
Although often overlooked and underrated, pumpkin seeds are a great source of magnesium! Snacking on just 1 oz will get you 50% of your magnesium for the day.
Pumpkin seeds are also rich in manganese, vitamin K, zinc as well as phosphorus.
You can sprinkle them both on soups and salads or just eat them as they are for a healthy snack.
3. Black Beans (120 mg per cup cooked)
Black beans together with other types of beans and legumes are also among the foods high in magnesium. Moreover, they are rich in fiber, plant-based protein, iron, folate and zinc.
You can make a yummy bean soup, use them in salads, wraps, stews or dips.
4. Quinoa (118 mg per cup cooked)
Although quinoa has been cultivated in South America for centuries, it has become popular all over the world pretty recently.
This ancient grain is gluten-free and one of the magnesium-rich foods that you can easily include in your menu.
It is packed with complete protein, fiber as well as antioxidants and is really delicious and easy to cook.
Just boil it for a few minutes, add salt and spices to taste, and then serve as a healthy side. You can include quinoa in salads, stir-fries or just like rice.
5. Chia Seeds (110 mg per 1 oz/28.3 gr)
These tiny black seeds were a staple in the Mayan and Aztec diet! They are super nutritious and so rich in magnesium that only 1 oz will provide you with 1/3 of the recommended daily intake.
Chia seeds are loaded with antioxidants, omega-3’s, zinc, iron, B vitamins and protein. If you want to be healthier, adding them to your daily diet is really a no-brainer.
Soak them in milk of choice overnight to make chia pudding or use them to make overnight oats. Then add some fresh fruit to serve the perfect breakfast or a healthy dessert.
6. Almonds (80 mg per 1 oz/28.3 gr)
Almonds, being one of the most popular nuts are high in magnesium and can easily be found in every store. When raw, they are rich in monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, zinc, fiber, iron as well as protein. Enjoy them as they are for a quick nutritious snack or blended in smoothies or dressings.
7. Cashews (74 mg per 1 oz/28.3 gr)
Having a handful of cashews (around an ounce) will deliver as much as 22% of your daily needs. Moreover, these nuts are a good source of copper, iron, zinc, manganese as well as healthy fats.
Cashews are absolutely delicious and can be added to salads, desserts, stir-fires and can be used to make dairy-free milk, cheese and dressings.
8. Flaxseed (40Mg Per Tbsp)
Flaxseed is pretty amazing! It is one of the best magnesium-rich foods, yes, but also an amazing source of omega-3’s, fiber, protein, zinc and iron.
Consuming these tiny seeds regularly can help improve your fasting glucose levels, lipid profile and insulin resistance. Furthermore, it can lower blood pressure, enhance wound healing and skin health.
Not only that, but the flax plant has been used, since pretty much the beginning of time, to make high-quality textiles like linen. And we thought recycled plastic bottles in sportswear was the dream (like who doesn’t want to be wrapped in plastic?).
Make sure you have those flax seeds ground and sprinkle them over salads, or do like me and add them to your smoothies!
9. Dark Chocolate (64 mg per 1 oz/28.3 gr)
Can there be a more indulgent way to get your magnesium? Yes, chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa is one of the best food sources of magnesium. Just a small piece of 1 oz will provide you with about a fifth of your recommended daily dose of magnesium.
You can enjoy dark chocolate as is or use it to make raw or baked desserts like cookies, brownies, no-bake bars and energy balls.
10. Avocado (58 mg per avocado)
Although avocados are fruits, we consume them as vegetables. Together with many other benefits, they are a great source of magnesium, too. Just one middle-sized avocado will provide as much as 18% of your daily requirements for magnesium.
Moreover, avocado is rich in healthy fats that help improve heart health while the Vitamins C, K, and E strengthen the immune system. Slice or mash an avocado and add it either to your salad or wrap and enjoy!
11. Brown Rice (79 mg per cup cooked)
If you love rice and want to eat healthily, then choose the brown variety. It is a whole grain with multiple health benefits, among them being one of the easiest magnesium-rich foods that you can incorporate into your menu.
Brown rice is so versatile that you can use it in various side or main dishes, such as risotto, pilafs, salads, curries, etc.
12. Tofu (74 mg per cup)
If you stick to a vegan or vegetarian diet, then you certainly know that tofu can be a great substitute for meat and an excellent source of plant-based protein. But did you know that it can add a good amount of magnesium to your meals, as well?
One cup of tofu will deliver about a third of the recommended daily intake together with loads of calcium, manganese as well as copper. You can either bake or fry it and then serve with veggies for a tasty, complete, low-carb meal.
13. Bananas (32 mg per banаna)
And last on the list of foods high in magnesium come bananas. They are well-known for their high potassium content but can be a good source of magnesium and fiber, too. That makes bananas beneficial for both heart and gut health.
Their creamy texture and sweetness make them supper filling and tasty. They can be eaten as a healthy snack, or used in your fruit salad, an energy-boosting smoothie, banana bread or other no added sugar desserts.
Conclusion and More
Well, now we have the list of naturally magnesium-rich foods! Add some of these to your diet and see how your energy levels and your health and fitness improve!
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