Magnesium-rich foods: Boost your health with nutrient-packed choices
Benefits of magnesium for the body (photo: Freepik)
Ukrainian gastroenterologist and therapist Yevhenia Belinska stated that magnesium is involved in over 300 reactions in the human body, most of which are related to muscle and nervous system function. Certain foods contain the highest levels of this mineral.
The benefits of magnesium for the body are hard to overestimate, as it is necessary for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system, nervous system, bone strengthening, muscle function, and sleep improvement.
The availability of magnesium from food is about 50%. The daily requirement for women is 310 mg, for men 420 mg.
Foods rich in Magnesium:
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Leafy vegetables - kale, Swiss chard, and spinach
- Cocoa
- Chocolate
- Buckwheat
Magnesium content in foods (per 100 g):
- Pumpkin seeds - 535 mg
- Flax seeds - 392 mg
- Poppy seeds - 442 mg
- Peanuts - 270 mg
- Brazil nuts - 375 mg
- Walnuts - 120 mg
- Cocoa - 425 mg
- Buckwheat groats - 200 mg
- Beans - 180 mg
- Chocolate - 133 mg
- Brown rice - 42 mg
- Banana - 27 mg
- Farmed salmon - 26 mg
According to the doctor, if you decide to take a magnesium supplement, you need to choose the right form, as different forms have different bioavailability.
For example, magnesium oxide has a bioavailability of only 4%, while magnesium citrate has about 90%.
Side effects
Additionally, supplements can cause side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, intestinal cramps, and in some cases, even breathing problems and cardiovascular issues.
The doctor added that magnesium affects the absorption of certain medications, such as tetracycline antibiotics and fluoroquinolones.
Magnesium can also interfere with the absorption of iron or osteoporosis medications.
We also wrote about whether you need to take a break from vitamin D supplements in the summer.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
