Magnesium in food: the top 10

For fear of a magnesium deficiency many people take magnesium tablets. Why this is not necessary in most cases and with which foods you can cover your daily needs, you will learn here.

Why magnesium is so important?

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in the diet, because although it cannot be produced by the body itself, it fulfills essential tasks. Among other things, magnesium is needed for the body’s own protein production. In addition, the mineral controls the transmission of stimuli, which regulates the contraction and relaxation of your muscles – from the biceps and heart muscle to the skeletal muscles. Only with enough magnesium can the body perform at its best during exercise.

If too little magnesium is taken in with food, not only the energy metabolism suffers from it. The hormonal balance and the health of the bones are also impaired.

How much magnesium do I need per day? 

How much magnesium you need per day depends on your gender and age. For adults, the requirement is between 300 and 400 milligrams a day. Men over the age of 25 are recommended to take 350 milligrams of magnesium daily (from 15 to 25 it is 400 milligrams).

Ensuring your daily magnesium needs is not difficult, because there are numerous foods containing magnesium. So no one has to resort to pills or powders.

But: Only a part of the magnesium ingested with food is absorbed in the intestine, i.e. taken in. Therefore, you need to take more magnesium – about three times the amount – to really cover your needs. However, this is no problem at all. Magnesium is found in many foods, including whole grains, cereals, seeds, seeds and nuts. Milk and dairy products, meat, fruit and vegetables also contain the sports mineral. Thus, it is really not difficult to cover its needs, provided you eat a balanced diet and not unbalanced.

How to recognize a magnesium deficiency?

If you don’t consume enough magnesium, you will notice this in typical symptoms such as calf cramps, muscle twitching, fatigue and headaches. Persistent stress, being overweight or underweight and excessive alcohol consumption can also promote a magnesium deficiency. To prevent this, you should eat plenty of magnesium-rich foods.

But what are the top foods with the highest magnesium content? In our top 10 ranking, we show you the best natural sources of magnesium.

Rank 10: Chia seeds

The exotic seeds can now be found in every supermarket, health food store, health food store. They are also an indispensable ingredient in bread and cookies. There’s a good reason for that, because the inconspicuous seeds have it all: per 100 grams, they contain plenty of magnesium, 26 grams each of healthy, unsaturated fatty acids, 34 grams of fiber and 17 grams of protein.

Caution: Since chia seeds have a high swelling capacity, you should make sure to drink enough. Otherwise, the small seeds can lead to constipation. Sprinkle the seeds over muesli or your salad. Even better: let them swell in water for a few minutes beforehand.

Rank 9: Cashews

Cashews are the top source of magnesium in the “nuts” category. In addition to magnesium, cashews contain a lot of protein, 18 grams per 100 grams.

However, since nuts contain plenty of calories at the same time, you should not eat them in large quantities. Perfect as a topping in muesli or salads.

But other nuts also have high magnesium values, provided they are not roasted and unsalted:

• Pine nuts: 235 mg
• Peanuts: 160 mg
• Brazil nuts: 160 mg
• Hazelnuts: 155 mg
• Pecans: 142 mg
• Walnuts: 130 mg
• Macadamia nuts: 108 mg

Rank 8: Amaranth

Amaranth is a so-called pseudocereal. This means: At first glance, you might think that amaranth is a cereal, like oats or wheat. It is also used in the same way, for example as a substitute for pasta or rice. 

But the small, light-colored grains are the seeds of a foxtail plant – and not a grain. In addition, amaranth does not contain gluten like many grains and can therefore be eaten by people with gluten intolerance and celiac disease.

By the way: At about 16 percent, amaranth is one of the highest protein pseudocereals.

Rank 7: Poppy seed

There are a number of myths surrounding poppy seeds. The ancient Greeks believed that poppy seeds had a healing and soporific effect. But do not panic: After a piece of poppy seed cake, you won’t fall off your chair from tiredness. Because the poppy seed, which is freely available in our shops, is totally harmless. Its aromatic taste enhances not only cakes, but also rolls and bread.

In addition to magnesium, poppy seeds contain plenty of protein, healthy fats and a good portion of iron, calcium and potassium.

6th place: Linseed

The nutty-tasting, small flax seeds can be sprinkled over muesli or used in cakes and breads during baking.

They contain up to 60 percent omega-3 fatty acids and provide magnesium as well as many other vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins (e.g. B6) and potassium. Flaxseeds are also considered a real miracle weapon against digestive problems, such as constipation. Because flaxseeds are real fiber bombs: The mucilage they contain stimulates digestion in the intestines and transports the contents of the intestines towards the “final destination.

By the way: By the way, ground flaxseeds can support digestion much better, because they have a larger surface area and thus swell better.

5th place: Sesame

In addition to plenty of magnesium, the seeds contain a lot of healthy calcium, zinc and vegetable iron.

Although it is not as easily absorbed by the body as iron from animal products, sesame is still a good source of iron for vegetarians and vegans – especially when combined with foods rich in vitamin C. Because in this way the iron is better absorbed. There are white and black sesame seeds, with the black ones being more nutritious and aromatic than the white seeds.

Tip: Use sesame seeds as a topping in Asian dishes. The small seeds go perfectly with soy sauce, as well as tamarind and fish sauce.

Rank 4: Sunflower seeds

Plus: In addition to healthy unsaturated fatty acids, the ingredients also include vitamins A, B, D, E, F and carotene. In addition, the seeds also provide the minerals calcium and iodine. Sunflower seeds also contain a whopping 5.2 milligrams of zinc per 100 grams. Additional advantage: They are very inexpensive compared to other kernels, such as pine nuts.

Tip: Sunflower seeds taste particularly delicious, for example, in green salads or in a pasta salad with dried tomatoes and arugula.

3rd place: Pumpkin seeds

In addition to magnesium, pumpkin seeds contain unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E and beta-carotene, as well as iron, zinc and selenium. The high fat content should not deter you, because as with nuts, it is the healthy unsaturated fatty acids, which are very healthy in moderation. Pumpkin seeds also contain so-called phytosterols. These are secondary plant substances that can prevent or alleviate prostate problems and bladder problems.

Tip: Pumpkin seeds are suitable, among other things, as a quick topping for salads or soups, but also taste good in muesli. Lightly roasted, they are even more aromatic: Simply put the pumpkin seeds in a coated pan and roast them without additional oil until they are fragrant.

Rank 2: Cocoa (heavily de-oiled)

Dark, strongly deoiled cocoa powder contains a lot of magnesium. Soluble cocoa drink powder, on the other hand, contains only 150 milligrams, but all the more sugar. Deoiled cocoa powder also scores with other ingredients such as serotonin, tryptophan and phenylethylamine. These have a mood-lifting effect. By the way, dark chocolate contains significantly more cocoa and thus more magnesium than milk chocolate.

It is best to use Raw cocoa nibs, to replenish your magnesium stores. They taste pure or in muesli, intensely chocolaty – but completely different from normal dark chocolate. Just give them a try. 

1st place: Wheat bran

Wheat bran has a slightly dusty image, somewhere between grandma’s kitchen cupboard and the health food store. The reason for this is probably its main area of application: bran is often used for constipation. The intestines are stimulated by high-fiber wheat bran.

1-2 teaspoons of bran are suitable, for example, as an ingredient in muesli or yogurt.