Magnesium in food

Magnesium regulates many biochemical and physiological processes in our body. Thus, it is important to know which foods contain magnesium, so that our carbohydrates, fats and amino acid metabolism works normally. Magnesium is also important for the work of the muscles and nervous system, which is why people who have a physical job and athletes need a larger amount of this mineral due to its relaxing effect on the muscles. The national recommendation for magnesium intake is 320-380mg per day. 

By eating a varied diet, we have several foods on our table that contain magnesium - oatmeal in the morning, broccoli at lunch and, for example, a banana or a handful of nuts for a snack. 

Below is a little more detail on what food contains magnesium - morning oatmeal (300g 120mg Mg) and boiled buckwheat eaten for lunch or dinner (300g 153mg MG) already provide almost the entire daily magnesium requirement and, with a balanced diet, the daily grain group requirement of an average female office worker.

Bananas are rated as a good post-workout snack due to their fast carbohydrates, magnesium and potassium content. At the same time, one 120g medium banana (31.9mg magnesium, 422mg potassium) covers the whole day's fruit needs, and fructose in the case of overabundance tends to accumulate in the body as fat. Those who limit themselves to only one banana per day should still consume other fruits from time to time in terms of variability.

Talking about magnesium in food, my favorite example is chocolate. Chocolate may not only satisfy emotional hunger (calming effect) but also a signal of magnesium deficiency. If you think about what chocolate consists of - sugar, fat and cocoa. Now that you think about it, cocoa is what we crave, and the most convenient way to get it is in chocolate. However, if cocoa powder is added to breakfast porridge or mixed with a little yogurt, the body can meet its magnesium needs in a more friendly way. 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder contains 26 mg of magnesium.

Looking further into what foods contain magnesium, we find pumpkin and sesame seeds on the list, where one daily portion (10g) contains 46 and 44mg of magnesium, respectively. Nuts, on the other hand, contain slightly less. 

It does not make sense to simply list which foods contain magnesium, it is also important whether it coincides with the recommended daily intake of food groups. In other words, by eating, for example, 70g of pumpkin seeds, we can fulfill the recommended daily norm, but we exceed the required amount of unsaturated fatty acids many times over. Therefore, it is important to cover the daily magnesium requirement with versatile food, because magnesium-rich foods can be found in every food group - even, for example, just one potato provides 30 mg of magnesium. If you have doubts about whether you eat enough variety to cover your daily magnesium needs with food, you can contact a nutritionist, who will help you diversify your food selection with menu analysis and recommendations if necessary. Sometimes you also need to take a magnesium food supplement, which is a useful addition for athletes, trainers and physical workers in case of muscle pain. As a dietary supplement, magnesium is taken in the evening, and the only symptom of excessive consumption is diarrhea.

Nutritional therapist 

Kendra K Vaino