List of Magnesium Rich Foods
Below is a list of foods containing magnesium
Foods High in Magnesium
Serving Size
Magnesium (mg)
Beans, black
1 cup
120
Broccoli, raw
1 cup
22
Halibut
1/2 fillet
170
Nuts, peanuts
1 oz
64
Okra, frozen
1 cup
94
Oysters
3 oz
49
Plantain, raw
1 medium
66
Rockfish
1 fillet
51
Scallop
6 large
55
Seeds, pumpkin and squash
1 oz (142 seeds)
151
Soy milk
1 cup
47
Spinach, cooked
1 cup
157
Tofu
1/4 block
37
Whole grain cereal, ready-to-eat
3/4 cup
24
Whole grain cereal, cooked
1 cup
56
Whole wheat bread
1 slice
24
USDA Nutrient Database for Standard References, Release 15 for Magnesium, Mg
(mg)
Magnesium Benefits - Magnesium Supplements
There are many health benefits of magnesium and according to the National Institutes
of Health, Magnesium may be Involved in the Prevention or Treatment of the Following
Diseases:
Magnesium and Osteoporosis
Magnesium deficiency may be a risk factor for osteoporosis4 because magnesium
deficiency alters calcium metabolism and the hormones that regulate calcium.20 Several
human studies have suggested that supplementing with magnesium can improve your
bone mineral density.4 In a study of older adults, a greater magnesium intake
maintained bone mineral density to a greater degree than a lower magnesium intake.56
Diets with recommended levels of magnesium are beneficial for bone health, but further
investigation on the exact role of magnesium in bone metabolism and osteoporosis is
needed.
Magnesium and High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
Magnesium may play an important role in regulating your blood pressure naturally. 4
Diets including plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are good sources of potassium
and magnesium, are consistently associated with lower blood pressure. 31-33 The DASH
study suggested that high blood pressure could be significantly lowered by a diet that
emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods. This kind of diet is high in
potassium, magnesium, and calcium, and low in sodium and bad fats. 34-36
A Harvard study examined the effect of various nutritional factors on incidence of high
blood pressure in over 30,000 US male health professionals in 1992. This four year
study found that a lower risk of hypertension was associated with dietary patterns that
provided more magnesium, potassium, and dietary fiber.37
Foods high in magnesium are usually high in potassium and dietary fiber too. This
makes it difficult to evaluate the independent effect of magnesium on blood pressure.
However, newer scientific evidence from DASH clinical trials is strong enough that the
Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High
Blood Pressure states that "diets with high magnesium are positive lifestyle
modifications for individuals with hypertension." This group recommends the DASH diet
as a beneficial eating plan for people with hypertension and for those with "prehypertension" who desire to prevent high blood pressure.39-41
Magnesium and Diabetes
Magnesium plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism, so it influences the
release and activity of insulin, the hormone that helps control blood glucose levels. 13
Low blood levels of magnesium are frequently seen if you have type 2 diabetes. This
low magnesium state worsens insulin resistance, a condition that often precedes
diabetes. If you have insulin resistance, you do not use insulin efficiently and require
greater amounts of insulin to maintain blood sugar within normal levels. Your kidneys
lose their ability to retain magnesium during periods of severe hyperglycemia (elevated
blood glucose). Losing magnesium through your urine results in lower blood levels of
magnesium.4 If you are an older adult, correcting magnesium depletion may improve
your insulin response and action.42
The Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals' Follow-up Study follow more
than 170,000 health professionals through biennial questionnaires. Women were
followed for 18 years and the men were followed for 12 years. Over time, the risk for
developing type 2 diabetes was greater in men and women with a lower magnesium
intake. This important study supports the dietary recommendation to increase your
consumption of major food sources of magnesium, and to supplement any shortfall in
your diet with a good magnesium supplement such as AlgaeCal®.43
In the Iowa Women's Health Study, an examination of almost 40,000 women,
researchers also examined the association between magnesium intake and incidence of
type 2 diabetes over an average of 6 years. Among women who were overweight, the
risk of developing type 2 diabetes was significantly greater among those with lower
magnesium intake.45 Numerous other studies support diets high in magnesium
containing foods and magnesium supplementation for diabetics or pre-diabetic
conditions.
Magnesium and Cardiovascular Disease
Magnesium is your key to insulin sensitivity and blood pressure regulation, and
magnesium deficiency is common in individuals with diabetes. The associations
between magnesium metabolism, diabetes, and hypertension increase the chances that
magnesium influences cardiovascular disease.49
Some studies have associated higher blood levels of magnesium with lowering your risk
of coronary heart disease.50-51 Also, some dietary surveys have suggested that higher
magnesium intake may reduce your risk of having a stroke.52 There is also evidence
that low body stores of magnesium increases your risk of abnormal heart rhythms,
which increases the risk of complications after a heart attack.4 These studies suggest
that consuming recommended amounts of magnesium may be beneficial to the
cardiovascular system.
Several small studies suggest that magnesium supplementation may improve clinical
outcomes in individuals with coronary disease. In one study, 50 men and women with
stable coronary disease were randomized to receive either a placebo or a magnesium
supplement that provided 342 mg magnesium twice daily. After 6 months, those who
received the oral magnesium supplement were found to have improved exercise
tolerance.54
In another study, researchers examined whether magnesium supplementation would
add to the anti-clotting effects of aspirin in 42 coronary patients.55 For three months,
each patient received either a placebo or a supplement with 400 mg of magnesium two
to three times daily. After a four-week break without any treatment, treatment groups
were reversed so that each person in the study then received the alternate treatment for
three months. Researchers found that supplemental magnesium did provide an
additional anti-clotting effect.
These studies are encouraging, but involved fairly small numbers. Additional studies are
needed to better understand the relationships between magnesium intake and heart
disease. Your doctor can test your magnesium status when above-mentioned medical
problems occur, and determine your need for a magnesium supplement.