Magnesium is another important substance for our body, the lack of which we can observe almost tangibly. Magnesium deficiency will manifest itself in muscle cramps, fatigue, nervousness and lack of concentration, and that's just the beginning. That's why it's better to supplement, either in food or through supplements. Let's take a look at which foods are rich in magnesium and how to include them in our diet.
Why is magnesium important for our body?
Magnesium is very important for our body and organism. It affects our health both mentally and physically. If you have enough magnesium in your body, you will reduce excessive fatigue, improve the functioning of your nervous system and muscles.your metabolism will be in good shape, you will also contribute to the health of your bones and teeth and you will be in electrolyte balance. But magnesium is also important for protein synthesis and is involved in cell division.
As you can see, having enough magnesium in your body is really important and we can feel a magnesium deficiency quite quickly. That's why it's ideal if you learn to include foods in your diet that will help you replenish it. After all, it's not just about what you eat regularly. You can also replenish magnesium when you eat snacks - just fry instead of eatchips in the evening in front of the TV, reach for some nuts, or maybe a bowl of chips. Just instead of nuts and seeds. These are full of vitamins and other beneficial substances, not just magnesium. They will also give you protein or fibre. Some also have antioxidant properties. So what foods have the most magnesium?
Foods rich in magnesium
Foods rich in magnesium definitely include nuts and seeds, which contain the most magnesium per 100 grams of food. So we can write that if you like to munch on nuts, seeds or almonds, you are supplementing magnesium regularly and in abundance. However, some fruits and vegetables, legumes, as well as fish and some meats will also replenish magnesium. Now let's take a look at each food step by step. For a better overview, we've divided them into several sections so that it's clear in advance where you'll find the most magnesium, and also so that you can make your diet more manageable.
Nuts seeds
Nuts and seeds are definitely foods you should include in your diet, whether you want to supplement magnesium or not. This is because they are also high in fibre and protein, including vitamins and other beneficial substances for the body.
|
Nuts and seeds |
Magnesium content per 100 g of food |
|
Steam nuts |
377,40 mg |
|
Almonds |
275.19 mg |
|
Cashews - roasted |
271.60 mg |
|
Pine seeds |
255, 80 mg |
|
Peanuts |
176,40 mg |
|
Hazelnuts |
162,30 mg |
|
Walnuts |
158.70 mg |
In our table you can clearly see which nuts contain the most magnesium. It is the Brazil nuts that have 377.40 mg of magnesium per 100 grams of food. So if you treat yourself to a bag of steamed nuts in the evening in front of the TV, you're set for the day. But you can also mix and match the nuts. Roasted cashews, peanuts, hazelnuts and walnuts are also excellent. If you like almonds, you can also supplement magnesium with them quite easily. Pine seeds are also great. You can eat them just for taste, but you can also add them to yogurt, salad, etc.
You don't have to eat just pine seeds, although they do contain the most magnesium. You can combine them with pumpkin, flax or chia seeds, sunflower seeds are also suitable. These foods don't just contain magnesium. They are also rich in iron, omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats. They will also give you a decent fibre supplement, plus they contain antioxidants to help your body get rid of toxic substances.
Vegetables and legumes
Vegetables and legumes may have slightly less magnesium, but they're still among the foods that replenish your magnesium levels very well. Plus, both vegetables and legumes are healthy. Vegetables are full of vitamins and legumes are also rich in fibre. In addition, they have a low glycaemic index. Legumes will help you lower your cholesterol, improve your blood sugar levels and also help reduce the risk of heart or blood vessel disease.
|
Vegetables and legumes |
Magnesium content per 100 g of food |
|
Cooked spinach |
87.2 mg |
|
Raw spinach |
80 mg |
|
Cooked artichoke |
60 mg |
|
Soybeans - cooked |
60 mg |
|
Cooked lentils |
35.90 mg |
|
Cooked peas |
28.10 mg |
|
Beans (boiled or canned) |
26 mg |
|
Raw broccoli |
22,60 mg |
|
Tomato paste |
23,20 mg |
Of the vegetables, spinach has the most magnesium. Surprisingly, cooked spinach contains more of it - 87.20 mg per 100 grams of food, but even if you eat it fresh spinach in a salad or in a smoothie, you'll replenish part of your daily magnesium intake. Cooked artichoke or tomato paste is also great for supplementing magnesium. Broccoli isn't bad either, but it contains 22, 60 mg of magnesium in its raw state. When cooked, the content may drop.
As mentioned above, legumes are also rich in magnesium. Of these, soybeans are the best, with 60 mg of magnesium per 100 grams when cooked. Lentils and peas - in cooked form, or in beans - have slightly less magnesium. These can be consumed both cooked and canned, where you just need to heat them up. They still contain 26 mg of magnesium per 100 grams of beans.
Fruits
If you like fruit, it's just as well. When it comes to magnesium content, dates contain the most. We probably don't include these in our diet very often, but bananas are certainly not lacking. They have 27.10 mg of magnesium per 100 grams of food, and in addition they contain fibre, vitamins C, B6 and manganese. In addition, they are high in potassium, which reduces the risk of heart disease and blood pressure. Raspberries or blackberries are also good for magnesium.
|
Fruits |
Magnesium content per 100 g of food |
|
Dates |
43.40 mg |
|
Banana without peel |
27.10 mg |
|
Raspberries |
22 mg |
|
Blackberries |
20.10 mg |
Meat and fish
Meat and fish must not be missing from our diet. The great thing is that even in meat we can find a relatively high magnesium content, we just need to choose the right kind of meat. Fish is the best choice. For example, pikeperch contains 72.90 mg of magnesium per 100 grams. It is followed by cooked tuna and cod. Swordfish and salmon are also rich in potassium. They have just over 30 mg of magnesium.
|
Meat and fish |
Magnesium content per 100 g of food |
|
Candied |
72.9 mg |
|
Tuna - cooked |
63,50 mg |
|
Cod |
50 mg |
|
Swordfish |
34 mg |
|
Salmon |
31 mg |
|
Lamb |
28.20 mg |
|
Turkey - roasted |
28,20 mg |
|
Chicken breast - cooked |
24,30 mg |
|
Beef tenderloin |
22,4 mg |
Some meats have slightly less magnesium than fish. Lamb meat comes out the best, containing 28.20 mg of magnesium per 100 grams of food. So is roast turkey, but it's probably not as often a part of our diet. A substitute can be chicken breast, in this case boiled, or beef tenderloin. If you want meat that not only provides magnesium but also protein and other substances needed by the body, choose mainly lean, fat-free meats, ideally chicken or turkey without skin, which also contains a high proportion of fat.
A little tip for vegetarians - if you don't like meat, tofu can also provide magnesium. It contains 53 mg of magnesium per 100 grams of food. So it can be a great substitute.
Eggs and dairy products
Milk and dairy foods also contain magnesium. However, its digestibility and absorption can be a problem. Dairy products also contain high levels of calciumwhich can compete with magnesium for absorption. As a result, much less magnesium may be absorbed into your body from these foods, even though they may contain enough magnesium. By all means include dairy products in your diet. However, magnesium should also be supplemented in other foods or through supplements.
|
Eggs and dairy products |
Magnesium content per 100 g of food |
|
Parmesan cheese |
40 mg |
|
Cheddar cheese |
28.20 mg |
|
Eidam |
28 mg |
|
Condensed, skimmed milk |
27 mg |
|
Soy milk |
24.90 mg |
|
Yoghurt - White, low-fat |
17.20 mg |
|
Eggs - cooked |
11,50 mg |
Parmesan cheese is excellent in terms of magnesium, containing 40 mg of magnesium per 100 grams of food. Cheddar and Eidam or Eidam-type cheeses contain slightly less. Skimmed condensed milk also contains magnesium - 27 mg, and soya milk a little less.
But you can also get magnesium in yoghurt, ideally white and low-fat. And eggs shouldn't be missing from your diet either. They too contain magnesium. Although there is no longer such a large amount of it that eggs are one of the foods with the highest magnesium content, we have included them for example. So that you know how much magnesium eggs contain, as they are important for our diet from another point of view.
Magnesium in food supplements
Magnesium is very important in our bodies, but at the same time, it is poorly replenished and we are often deficient in it. This can be felt primarily in muscle cramps. This is especially true for athletes, who usually try to supplement magnesiumnot only by eating a varied diet and choosing the right food, but also by taking supplements.
You can find a lot of dietary supplements with magnesium on our market. Just go to the pharmacy and get advice from the pharmacist? It is possible, but remember that pharmacists are also first and foremost salespeople. Magnesium is often found in forms that the body cannot process properly. So even if you take the recommended daily dose of that product, your body may not absorb enough of it.
We have addressed this issue in detail in an article where we compared the best magnesium supplements. Here you will find not only a ranking of the best products, but also reviews and ratings, why a given product is suitable and what you will benefit from taking it. So we won't go into detail here about which magnesium supplements are the best. However, we will list the three that ranked highest - Reflex - Magnesium Bisglycinate, Czech Virus - Supreme Magnesium and Prom-IN - Magnesium Chelate.
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