Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral needed by every cell in your body. Magnesium has more than 300 roles in your body. Its primary roles are to maintain muscle and nerve function, keep heart rhythm steady, and help calcium and vitamin D keep your bones strong. Magnesium also helps build protein and releases energy from your muscles.
How much magnesium should I get each day?
The recommended daily amount of magnesium is 420 milligrams per day for adult males and 320 milligrams per day for adult females.
Who may need extra magnesium?
If your body has more magnesium than it needs, your kidneys remove the extra magnesium
from your body.
People whose bodies don’t absorb magnesium well need to take in more magnesium. People who have chronic diarrhea or severe vomiting also need extra magnesium. People who pass large amounts of fat in their stool have a condition called steatorrhea (stee-AT-uh-REE-uh) and need extra magnesium. You can get extra magnesium in your diet or by taking supplements. Some medicines (like “water pills,” or diuretics) can make you lose more magnesium in your urine. If you are taking a diuretic, you may need additional magnesium.
Magnesium-rich foods
The best sources of magnesium include leafy green vegetables, like spinach. Nuts, seeds, and some whole grains are also good sources of magnesium.
Magnesium is present in many foods, but usually in small amounts. Eating a wide variety of foods — including at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily and plenty of whole grains — helps to ensure you are getting enough magnesium. The magnesium content of refined foods is usually low. Whole-wheat breads, whole-grain cereals, and wheat pasta have twice as much magnesium as white bread or other refined products.
Magnesium-rich foods
| All- Bran cereal |
1/3 cup |
62 |
| 100% Bran cereal |
1/3 cup |
81 |
| Quaker Oat Life Cereal |
3/4 ounce |
30 |
| Wheat germ |
1/4 cup |
69 |
| Oatmeal, instant cooked in water |
1 cup |
63 |
| Cream of Wheat, cooked in water |
1 cup |
19 |
| Oat bran |
1/4 cup |
55 |
| Spinach |
1/2 cup cooked |
78 |
| Soybeans |
1/2 cup cooked |
54 |
| Tofu, firm |
1/2 cup |
73 |
| Kidney beans, cooked |
1/2 cup |
37 |
| Lima beans, cooked |
1/2 cup |
40 |
| Chick-peas, cooked |
1/2 cup |
39 |
| Black beans, cooked |
1/2 cup |
60 |
| Broccoli, cooked |
1/2 cup |
16 |
| Carrots, cooked |
1/2 cup |
8 |
| Beet greens, cooked |
1/2 cup |
49 |
| Avocado |
1/2 medium |
29 |
| Potato, baked with skin |
1 medium |
48 |
| Cabbage, cooked |
1/2 cup |
11 |
| Almonds |
1 ounce = 23 nuts |
76 |
| Pumpkin seeds, roasted |
1 ounce = 85 whole seeds |
74 |
| Cashews |
1 ounce = 3 1/2 tablespoons |
83 |
| Mixed nuts, dry roasted |
1 ounce = 28 nuts |
64 |
| Peanuts, dry roasted |
1 ounce = 28 nuts |
50 |
| Peanut butter, smooth |
2 tablespoons |
49 |
| Bread, whole wheat |
1 slice |
23 |
| Banana |
1 medium (about 7") |
32 |
| Kiwi fruit |
1 medium |
12 |
| Raisins, golden seedless |
1/4 cup |
13 |
| Orange |
1 medium |
15 |
| Mango |
1 medium |
34 |
| Raspberries |
1 cup |
27 |
| Strawberries |
1 cup |
19 |
| Watermelon |
1 cup |
15 |
| Yogurt, vanilla, low fat |
1 cup |
39 |
| Soymilk |
1 cup |
36 |
Revised December 2010