Foods high in Magnesium
Cofactor in 300+ enzyme reactions, energy metabolism, muscle relaxation, blood pressure regulation.
About Magnesium
Magnesium is a cofactor in over 300 enzyme reactions, energy production, protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood-pressure regulation, and DNA repair. About half of body magnesium is in bone, the rest in soft tissue and a small but tightly-regulated blood pool.
The densest dietary sources are nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, and dark leafy greens. Refining grains strips most of the magnesium, bran and germ are the rich layers. Hard water also contributes a small but useful amount.
Surveys suggest a meaningful fraction of UK adults don't meet the 375 mg/day RI. Mild deficiency is usually asymptomatic; severe deficiency causes muscle cramps, fatigue, and irregular heart rhythm. Higher-magnesium diets are associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Foods high in magnesium, periwinkle (sea snail), samphire, spinach, and more
Ranked by how much you get per calorie, so foods are not rewarded for simply being dry or concentrated. Values from USDA FoodData Central, McCance & Widdowson's CoFID, ANSES Ciqual, and other public nutrition databases. Amounts in milligrams.
Per calorie is the default here because it answers what to eat: ranked purely by amount, a list of the richest foods fills up with dried and concentrated things nobody eats a plateful of. Switch to per 100 grams above if concentration is what you are after.
- Periwinkle (sea snail) 1,195.43mg per 100 grams
- Samphire, raw 592.52mg per 100 grams
- Spinach, baby, boiled in unsalted water 560mg per 100 grams
- Sauce, fish, ready-to-serve 500mg per 100 grams
- Dock, raw 468.18mg per 100 grams
- Dock, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt 445mg per 100 grams
- Dock, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 445mg per 100 grams
- Winkles, boiled 430.56mg per 100 grams
- Chard, swiss, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt 430mg per 100 grams
- Chard, swiss, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 430mg per 100 grams
- Chard, Swiss, boiled in unsalted water 430mg per 100 grams
- Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt 378.26mg per 100 grams
Common questions about Magnesium
- How much magnesium do I need?
- UK adult RI: 375 mg/day. A meaningful fraction of UK adults don't reach this, a quiet shortfall.
- What foods are highest in magnesium?
- Nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, and dark leafy greens. Refining grains strips most of the magnesium, bran and germ are the rich layers.
- What are signs of magnesium deficiency?
- Mild deficiency is usually asymptomatic. Severe deficiency can cause muscle cramps, fatigue, and irregular heart rhythm.
- Should I take a magnesium supplement?
- Most people don't need to. A varied whole-food diet usually supplies enough. Supplements may help in specific medical circumstances, best to ask a clinician.