Which Food Has High Magnesium? Best Foods to Boost Your Levels Daily
You may have heard that magnesium is a big deal.
But if you’re like most people, you have no clue whether you’re actually getting enough of it.
In fact, magnesium deficiency is much more prevalent than most healthcare providers mention.
It does not always appear on a routine blood test, and the symptoms can be so easily dismissed — a cramp here, a poor night of sleep there — that most people never make the connection.
The remedy for this, in many instances, is found in your kitchen.
Food is one of the most potent — and underutilized! — tools for bringing your magnesium levels back to healthy levels, and once you know what foods to concentrate on, it's surprisingly doable.
This guide explains exactly which foods have high magnesium, how much you actually need, and what happens when your body starts running low.
The Importance of Magnesium for Your Health
Magnesium is one of those minerals that snares the headlines but keeps everything running under the radar.
It participates in over 300 enzymatic reactions (1) within the body, from how your cells generate energy to how your muscles contract and relax.
It helps in regulating blood sugar, making sure your blood pressure is healthy, and actually plays a direct role in protein synthesis.
Your nervous system will thank you.
Your heart depends on it.
Your bones, too — roughly 60 percent of your body’s magnesium is stored in them.
The recommended daily intake is about 310 to 320 mg for adult women and 400 to 420 mg for adult men.
As essential as this mineral is, studies constantly reveal (2) that a significant percentage of people fail to meet those target daily amounts.
Soil depletion, processed-food diet,s and high-stress lifestyles are all contributing factors as to why so many people are inadvertently running low.
What is the highest magnesium food?
High Magnesium Foods: Nuts and Seeds
If you had to choose one food that would immediately boost your magnesium intake, it’s hard to beat pumpkin seeds.
Just one ounce provides about 150 mg — over a third of our daily recommended intake in a single handful.
Chia seeds are another nutritional powerhouse and are often overlooked for this benefit.
(A one-ounce serving of chia seeds delivers about 95 mg magnesium, plus the fiber and omega-3 fatty acids that make them worth eating for a number of reasons.)
Almonds are close behind at about 80 mg per ounce, and they’re probably already in your cupboard.
Cashews provide around 74 mg per ounce, and their naturally creamy texture lends itself to everything from stir-fries to snacking.
Walnuts are lower on the list, with about 45 mg per ounce, but they add meaningfully as well — especially since most individuals eat them fairly regularly regardless.
And Brazil nuts deserve a shoutout as well — some sources peg the sulfide content at more than 100 mg per ounce, although the serving size is generally small due to their high selenium levels.
Leafy Greens and Vegetables
Cooked spinach is among the richest sources of this nutrient.
One cup of cooked spinach contains about 157 mg of magnesium, impressive for a food most people already have in their refrigerator.
Swiss chard is also very good; it gets close to 150 mg per cup cooked.
It has a bit more of an earthy flavor than spinach, and it stands up beautifully when sautéed with olive oil and garlic.
Edamame is a snack many people neglect to include in this discussion — one cup contains about 99 mg.
Black beans are a good one to keep in rotation, with about 120 mg per cooked cup and enough versatility that they can easily be worked into just about any meal.
Avocado could be eye-opening to folks here, coming in at about 58 mg per fruit, along with other healthy fats and potassium.
Whole Grains and Legumes
Quinoa has garnered a superfood reputation for good reason.
One cooked cup gives you about 118 mg of magnesium, along with all nine essential amino acids.
Brown rice has around 84 mg/ cooked cup, much less than white rice.
Oats are neck and neck, with about 61 mg per cup, and they’re still one of the most practical, low-cost breakfast choices for hitting daily magnesium targets.
Lentils provide about 71 mg per cooked cup, in addition to a hearty serving of plant-based protein and iron.
They’re underused in most Western diets and merit a far larger place on the plate.
Fish and Meat Sources
The star is mackerel, with about 97 mg per three-ounce serving.
It’s not the fish most people eat all that frequently, but at least a few times per month, it’s worth working into the rotation for its nutritional profile.
Salmon, for example, provides about 26 mg per three-ounce serving — less than mackerel but still a steady contributor, especially in light of its other perks.
Chicken breast alone delivers about 22 mg for a three-ounce portion and is a lean, versatile protein that works well with most diets.
Fruits with Magnesium
Fruits aren’t the most concentrated source of magnesium, but many provide a significant amount.
Bananas have about 32 mg apiece and, unlike any nut butter or meat snack, are one of the most portable and accessible foodstuffs on the planet.
Dried figs are about 50 mg for every half-cup serving (figs taste sweet even though there is no added sugar, making them a great snack).
Dried apricots follow close behind at about 43 mg per half-cup and are portable, making them a smart choice for anyone who has to eat around the time they travel.
Avocado pulls double duty here — it’s technically a fruit, and its 58 mg per serving is hard to argue with.
Know Your Foods Rich in Magnesium and Potassium
Both magnesium and potassium are electrolytes, and the body uses both in conjunction for many of the same functions.
Both minerals work in tandem to support muscle contractions, fluid balance, and nerve signal regulation.
When either is low, the effects can manifest as fatigue, cramping, or poor cardiovascular function.
The best foods that have meaningful quantities of each are spinach, avocado, black beans, lentils, and salmon.
Eating a variety of these foods regularlyminimizes thes risk of deficiency in either mineral.
High Magnesium Drinks: What To Drink?
Not all magnesium needs to be derived from whole foods.
Some mineral waters offer between 50 and 100 mg per liter, depending on the brand, and it takes no more than reading the label to find one that fits.
Coconut water is about 60 mg per cup, and readily available; it could be an easy swap in place of regular water for those after workout hours or warm-blooded days.
A spinach-banana-spinach smoothie with almond milk can easily pack 100 mg or more into a single glass.
Dark cocoa powder is another underappreciated choice — two tablespoons incorporated into a smoothie or warm beverage contributes about 64 mg.
Herbal teas brewed with nettle leaf have also been mentioned as containing trace magnesium, but the concentration depends on the preparation.
How to Achieve 100% of Your Recommended Daily Amount of Magnesium
It is entirely possible to get sufficient magnesium from food, but it typically takes some intention.
Eating oatmeal in the morning, with chia seeds on top and a small handful of almonds, already takes you over 200 mg before lunch.
Another way to accrue that number significantly is to add a cup of cooked spinach or black beans to lunch or dinner.
Replacing processed afternoon snacks with pumpkin seeds or a handful of mixed nuts is one of the easiest single-switch changes a person can make to narrow the gap.
For those who typically come up a bit short, even despite good eating, magnesium glycinate and some forms of magnesium citrate (the less-gassy kind) are both pretty easy to absorb and usually gentler on the GI than not.
Something else that very few people pick up — if you take magnesium at the same time as large amounts of calcium, absorption of both can get reduced, which makes it worth spacing them during the day.
7 Signs That Your Body Needs More Magnesium
Another early warning sign of a magnesium deficiency is muscle cramps and spasms, especially at night.
Ditch the old idea that any fatigue or low energy that doesn’t improve with rest is a flag, definitely worth taking seriously.
Having difficulty falling or staying asleep at night has a known relationship with magnesium levels (3), especially when considering how the mineral impacts melatonin and cortisol regulation.
Increases in anxiety, agitation, or a general feeling of nervous tension could sometimes be related to low magnesium intake.
An irregular heartbeat or unexplained heart palpitations (4) are more serious symptoms and should always lead to a discussion with your doctor.
Can magnesium help reduce the frequency of recurring headaches or migraines?
Some studies have noted the potential for magnesium supplementation to relieve frequency in susceptible individuals.
Numbness or tingling in the extremities — especially the hands and feet — illustrates just how much magnesium impacts nerve function across the body.
Final Thoughts
Magnesium is among the most important minerals in the body, and many people are not getting enough of it from food alone.
Some of the most valuable sources include pumpkin seeds, cooked spinach, black beans, and quinoa mackerel.
But fruits, nuts, whole grains, and legumes all add up when you eat them consistently.
Being aware of the early warning signs of deficiency — cramps, poor sleep, fatigue, anxiety — can give you an opportunity to intervene before the issue escalates.
It doesn’t have to be perfection; it just has to be consistent.
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FAQs on Foods with High Magnesium
What food is the richest in magnesium?
Pumpkin seeds rank at the top, with nearly 150 mg per ounce.
Cooked spinach and black beans come in a close second: each delivers well over 100 mg per serving.
Are walnuts high in magnesium?
Per ounce, walnuts have 45 mg, lower than almonds or cashews,s but enough to include regularly.
Which nuts have the most magnesium?
Brazil nuts, almonds, ds, and cashews dominate the group, though pumpkin seeds technically outrank them if you include seeds in the category.
What fruits have magnesium?
The very best fruit sources are avocado, bananas, dried figs, raisins, and dried apricots, with one serving of avocado containing the most concentrated amount.
How much magnesium do I need to take per day?
According to nutritional authorities, adult women require around 310 to 320 mg and adult men around 400 to 420 mg of magnesium daily.
Related Studies
1. Title: Magnesium Basics
This peer-reviewed reference confirms that magnesium is a cofactor in more than 300 enzymatic reactions essential for physiological functions including heart rhythm, vascular tone, nerve function, and muscle contraction and relaxation.
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4455825/
2. Title: Magnesium — Health Professional Fact Sheet (NHANES 2013–2016 Analysis)
An analysis of NHANES 2013–2016 data found that 48% of Americans of all ages consume less magnesium from food and beverages than their respective estimated average requirements.
Link: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
3. Title: The Effect of Magnesium Supplementation on Primary Insomnia in Elderly: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial
A double-blind randomized clinical trial found that magnesium supplementation significantly increased sleep time, sleep efficiency, and serum melatonin levels, while also decreasing cortisol concentration in elderly participants with primary insomnia.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23853635/
4. Title: Low Serum Magnesium and the Development of Atrial Fibrillation in the Community: The Framingham Heart Study
In a longitudinal study of 3,530 community participants followed for up to 20 years, those in the lowest quartile of serum magnesium were approximately 30% more likely to develop atrial fibrillation, even after adjusting for known risk factors.
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3541701/
