Give Your Body a Boost of Magnesium with These 6 Foods

Magnesium is a really important mineral that serves a lot of functions in our body. From keeping the immune system in good condition to cutting down the risk of heart attack- magnesium is one great ingredient to good health. But unfortunately, with our diet full of processed foods, we hardly get the dose of magnesium we need.

Here are some foods that are rich in magnesium. Add these to your meals to give your body’s magnesium level a boost.

1.         Soybeans

These leguminous seeds contain lots of vitamins, minerals and fiber and amino acids. So it is a good protein source for vegetarians. But what very few of us know is that just half a cup of dry roasted soybeans can supply almost half the magnesium requirement of your body per day. So next time you feel hungry, go munch on some dry soybeans instead of a sugary snack.

2.         Dark green leafy vegetables

Green, leafy vegetables are superfoods because they contain high concentrations of iron, vitamins and- surprise!- magnesium. Try to use low fat cooking methods like steaming or boiling for a short time, instead of tossing in loads of butter or coating in cream. Collard greens, Swiss chard, kale are great sources of vitamins. You can also eat young leaves raw in salads.

3.         Bananas

Just one medium-sized banana can give you 31 mg of magnesium along with other important vitamins and minerals. It gives you an energy boost as well but contains only 100 calories. You can chop up some frozen bananas and blitz them to make a great smoothie or even make a low-fat, magnesium-rich milk shake with yogurt, whole milk and bananas as all three of these ingredients are full of magnesium.

4.         Dark chocolate

This is probably the most delicious and sinful food in the list. It is important to find the darkest chocolate possible, as milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolates are loaded with sugar and milk which translate to more harm than benefits. Dark chocolate contains about 13 mgs of magnesium per 1.45 ounce bar. So eat a little bit everyday to reap its health benefits and also give your tongue a sinful pleasure.

5.         Brazil nuts

Brazil nut is another superfood that grows in the deep reaches of the Amazon Forest. A half cup serving of Brazil nuts contains a staggering 250 mg of magnesium, which is well over 60 percent of the required daily magnesium requirement. However, it is high in calories (the same serving contains about 460 calories), so those who are watching their weight should supplement a small part of their magnesium intake with Brazil nuts.

6.         Fish

Fish is a really good choice of protein as it contains less calories than meat but contains omega 3 fatty acids, which is a good kind of cholesterol and vitamin D. But some fishes like halibut, wild salmon, mackerel and tuna are also rich in magnesium. A half fillet of Salmon contains 53 mg of magnesium while a half fillet of halibut contains 170 mg of magnesium.

Now that you know what good magnesium does to you, and food are the good sources of the mineral, be sure to include this much needed mineral in your daily diet!