Older males, adolescents, and other people with sure GI situations (like Crohn’s illness), kind 2 diabetes, and alcohol use dysfunction are at larger threat for magnesium deficiency, so members of these demographics may wish to “pay a little bit additional consideration” to ensure they’re getting sufficient, Dada says.

What are the perfect magnesium-rich meals?

Should you’re making an attempt to extend your magnesium consumption, the very first thing it’s best to know is that some meals pack a lot, far more of the mineral than others. Right here’s a number of of the perfect choices.

Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds, often known as pepitas, are a superb pure supply of magnesium, in line with Tsui. (And, contemplating that Halloween is quick approaching, one which’s each seasonally applicable and available proper now.)

Only one cup of dried pumpkin seeds comprises round 764 mg of magnesium, in line with the USDA—so even 1 / 4 cup or so can play an enormous function in assembly your every day wants, Tsui says.

You possibly can eat the seeds uncooked or roast them to carry out a little bit extra taste. From there, snack on them on their very own, or sprinkle them on to your meal for extra oomph. Tsui likes to make use of them as a topping so as to add “some additional taste, texture, and vitamin” to mix-in-ripe dishes like yogurt, porridge, granola, and salads.

Chia seeds

Subsequent up is one other kind of seed: One ounce of chia seeds (roughly ⅛ cup) comprises 95 mg of magnesium, in line with the USDA. What’s extra, the seeds include a bunch of different helpful vitamins, together with protein (which helps construct muscle and enhance restoration post-workout), fiber (which prevents constipation and makes pooping simpler), antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids, Dada says.

Chia seeds additionally work nicely in tons of dishes, making them tremendous simple to cook dinner with. You possibly can add some to any salad for a little bit lunchtime crunch, or stir them into smoothies, puddings, or in a single day oats for a low-effort and travel-friendly breakfast choice, in line with Dada. Oats with chia seeds, fruit, milk, and peanut butter makes a “nice car to get all of that vitamin in,” she says. And should you’re pressed for time or don’t have any oats readily available, you possibly can at all times mix the chia seeds with scorching water to show them into a fast on-the-go meal.

Nuts

Like seeds, nuts are usually excessive in magnesium. One ounce of uncooked cashews and almonds (roughly ⅛ cup) comprises 83 and 78 milligrams, respectively, in line with the College of Rochester. For a fair larger punch, make them the Brazil form. A 2022 research revealed within the journal Meals discovered that Brazil nuts had the best magnesium content material out of all 10 kinds of nuts analyzed. One cup packs 500 mg, in line with the USDA.

You don’t have to eat nuts uncooked to reap these advantages, both. Nut butters like almond butter, peanut butter, and sunflower seed butter also can ship a hearty dose. Simply two tablespoons of peanut butter comprises 54 mg, for instance.

Soy merchandise

Should you choose a non-dairy cereal choice within the morning, you may simply have one wealthy supply of magnesium sitting in your fridge: soy milk. One cup comprises 37 mg of magnesium, in line with the USDA. (Per Dada, common dairy can truly be a superb supply of magnesium, too. For instance, one seven-ounce container of plain Greek yogurt comprises 22 mg of it.)