How frequently do you ponder the vitamins and minerals you’re ingesting throughout the day? For many, a detailed consideration of their nutritional intake is an afterthought, leading to potential deficiencies. Magnesium, a vital mineral, plays a crucial role in maintaining normal heart rhythms, muscle tone, and a healthy immune system. Getting the recommended daily intake (RDI) is really quite easy if you know the right foods. For women younger than 31, the RDI is 310 mg, and 31 and older it’s 320 mg. Men’s RDI is slightly higher with the younger than 31 crowd at 400 mg and 31 and older at 420 mg. Check out the 12 magnesium-rich foods below and see how you’re doing.
Cooked spinach
To get a great jump on the day, the Mayo Clinic recommends 1 cup of cooked spinach, which contains 150 to 160 mg of magnesium. For recipe ideas, be sure to check out these top low carb spinach recipes.
Sunflower seeds
If being like Popeye is just not for you, dry sunflower seeds aren’t a bad place to go instead.One-fourth cup of seeds will yield 128 mg of magnesium.
Black beans
One cup of cooked black beans yields 120 mg of magnesium. Other legumes are also rich in magnesium, but black beans seem to be the highest. If you are looking to incorporate black beans in your diet, try this vegan black bean and caramelized onion burger recipe.
Almonds
For 105 mg of magnesium, eat one-fourth cup of dry almonds.
Sesame seeds
Although the phrase “Open sesame” may open doors to hidden treasure, the seeds themselves are a treasure in and of themselves. One ounce of sesame seeds yields 101 mg of magnesium.
Cashews
Many nuts contain high amounts of magnesium, and cashews are right up there at the top. One ounce of cashews will net 82 mg of magnesium. They also make a great snack between meals.
Oatmeal
A great way to start the morning off is with a bowl of oatmeal. One cup of cooked oatmeal contains 57.6 mg of magnesium – not too shabby.
Tofu
For those who don’t mind this white soybean curd, you can get 53 mg of magnesium from a 3.5 ounce serving. For tofu recipe ideas, check out these top vegetarian tofu recipes. Of course, if you are a meat lover, you can easily make any of the recipes with meat!
Peanut butter
Great for sandwiches, with chocolate, or eaten by the spoonful, peanut butter has 50 mg of magnesium in a 2-tablespoon serving. For recipe ideas, be sure to check out these low carb recipes with peanut butter.
Bananas
One medium banana yields 33 mg of magnesium. You can make a peanut butter banana sandwich and get the benefits of both that way, or simply slather some peanut butter on the banana for a lower-carb treat.
Regular milk
Often, people stop drinking mild once they become adults. Milk isn’t just for kids. One cup of milk contains 32.8 mg of magnesium, an easy way to get this important mineral.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is great for a number of things. Its value in antioxidants and prebiotics (important for helping probiotics survive). Dark chocolate is also a rich source of magnesium. It contains 64 mg in a 1-ounce serving. Feel free to eat dark chocolate with a guilt-free conscience.
Magnesium is such an important mineral to the body’s health. Don’t skimp on it. Eat in a healthy manner. By being mindful of the foods above, you can easily track how much you’re getting. Eat healthy, and keep your body happy!
