Magnesium is often forgotten about but is a really important mineral for long term health. It is used in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body – check out my Facebook post on it. It is really concerning that most people that I do a food analysis on, are deficient in it when it is relatively easy to get from your food. The general public are not eating the correct foods in order to get magnesium from their diet. If you are deficient in any mineral or vitamin, you can end up suffering from your body not preforming properly.
Where can you get your magnesium from?
Here is a list of the top food sources for magnesium. It is important to eat a range of food that will nourish your body so that you are working at optimal levels. You should be full of energy each day and ready to take on the day.
Leafy Greens
These are extremely healthy and loaded full of nutrients for a healthy lifestyle. Those that are high in magnesium specifically are
Kale, Spinach, Broccoli, Green Beans, Asparagus, Cabbage and Brussel Sprouts
How to add into your diet – add these to your main meals or if you are doing a healthy protein shake pop some kale or spinach into your shake. Aim to have at least one green veg with your main meals each day.
Fatty Fish
Fish is fantastic for all round health due to its high protein content and Omega 3 levels (reduces inflammation) but some are great as a source of magnesium too.
Salmon, Mackerel, Halibut and Tuna are all great sources
How to add into your diet – aim to have fish at least once a week, ideally twice. Make sure that you cook it in a healthy manner as the cooking method can have a detrimental effect on the oils in the fish
Whole Grains
Whole grains are no only a great source of magnesium but also B Vitamins, Selenium, Manganese and Fibre. They are great at reducing inflammation in the body and decrease the risk of heart disease.
Whole grains high in magnesium are
Wheat, Oats and Barley. Buck wheat and Quinoa are also great and they have the added benefit of being gluten free.
How to add into your diet – have oats for breakfast, swap rice for quinoa, sprinkle quinoa on salads and in stir fries.
Seed
I used to think that seeds were for birds but not anymore. They are a fabulous addition to your diet.
Flax, Pumpkin, Chia and Sunflower seeds are all great sources of magnesium, with pumpkin being one of the best.
They are also fabulous for Omega3 oils, fibre and iron.
How to add into your diet – pop seeds on your porridge in the morning, sprinkle on a salad, have as a snack
Legumes
These are a great source of nutrients especially if you are trying to eat less meat in your diet. They are also a great source of protein and good for iron and potassium. They are packed full of fibre and are have a low GI which can help with weight management and cholesterol levels
Great sources are
Lentils, Beans (eg kidney, black etc), chickpeas, peas and soybeans
How to get into your diet – add chickpeas/lentils to curries, beans to chilli dishes,
Nuts
5 years ago the only nuts I would have eaten would have been salted peanuts or chilli nuts. I would never have eaten any other kind. Now I am totally different. I love most kinds of nuts. Cashews and Almonds are my favourites.
The great news is that nuts are so healthy in so many ways and a great source of magnesium. They are great for healthy fats and can help to stabilise your blood sugars. They are also a great source of fibre and can help to fight inflammation as well
Nuts high in magnesium are
Cashews, Almonds and Brazil nuts
How to get into your diet – use nuts as a snack along with fruit, pop on a salad, make breads and treats with them.
Avocado
Avocado is actually a fruit – it has a seed in it! It is a fabulous healthy food to have in your diet. Don’t be afraid of the fact that it is high in fats – they are healthy fats. They are also high in potassium, B vitamins and fibre. They are a great source of magnesium with a medium one providing 15% of the RDI of magnesium.
How to add into your diet – pop on a salad, great on toast with chilli flakes and a poached egg, add into your healthy protein shake
Tofu
Tofu is a regular ingredient in vegetarian/vegan meals and provides a great amount of magnesium
How to get it into your diet – replace your meat choices with tofu
Dark Chocolate
Yes, you did read right!!! Dark chocolate is actually very healthy. It is full of antioxidants so can help with ageing and free radical damage. It is important that you buy a good quality dark chocolate 70% and above and check the ingredients as well. Make sure that it isn’t too high in sugar as it will negate the health benefits
How to get it into your diet – use dark chocolate when baking at home, sprinkle onto desserts, dip strawberries into it, have a square or too
Bananas
Bananas are a really popular fruit throughout the world, probably because they are sweet and easy to eat. They are well known for their potassium content but they are also great for magnesium too. They are also high in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Manganese and Fibre. Be careful not to eat too many as they are very high in sugar.
How to get them into your diet – use as a snack, pop it into your protein shake (though not during fat loss), use in desserts.
You can see that magnesium is readily available in the food that is a around us. If you have read through the list and don’t like the foods mentioned, you need to consider taking a supplement. If you are lacking in Magnesium you may suffer from conditions mentioned in my post on Facebook
Magnesium is often overlooked but it is so important. I recommend that my clients take a magnesium supplement for at least 28 days to give their body a reboot. The supplement I recommend is one of the “cleanest” on the market. Not only does it have magnesium in it, but it also has Vitamin D (a lot of people are lacking in this too, especially over the winter period), calcium (which is essential for healthy bones and teeth) and Vitamin K2 (which is essential in order to get the calcium into the bones). There are no nasty fillers or binders in it and the effect of it is outstanding on people. If you would like details on the one that I recommend, drop me an email and I will send you a link for it.
If you have gained any benefit from reading this blog post, please give it a little like or share on social media so that others can benefit from it as well. Together we will help the nation to become healthier
Yours in Health and Happiness
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