“What foods have magnesium in them?”| 6 Surprising Foods High In Magnesium 

TLDR: Magnesium is essential for the body, if you aren’t getting enough of it, you will start to notice. Eating foods high in magnesium is a great way to get more, scroll down to find out what they are.

At the weekend, I was telling my mum about magnesium and how it helps me sleep. She said, “What foods have magnesium in them?” I said to her, that sounds like a blog. So here I am. 

Choosing to eat magnesium rich foods before bed or for dinner could be the difference between a decent sleep and seeing every hour on the clock. 

First up, quick recap on what magnesium can do for you.

Magnesium is vital for the body, it’s an essential mineral and there are many benefits to taking magnesium. The National Institute for Health gives a pretty detailed description. But I’ll break it down for anyone looking for a speedy read. If you want more info, click the link here National Institute for Health. For those in a hurry, here’s the summary:

• Magnesium is part of protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, and blood pressure regulation
• Magnesium is needed for energy production.
• It contributes to the structure of bone
• It’s needed for the synthesis of DNA 
• It’s important for nerve impulse conduction, muscle control, and normal heart rhythm 
• It helps muscles relax 

Sounds pretty good, right? 

Now, how can we get more of it? Food and magnesium supplements. 

Let’s look at food high in magnesium. These are the foods you might choose to eat for dinner, before bed, or when you’ve got horrible period cramps (magnesium is great for periods… after all, magnesium helps muscles relax)

Foods high in magnesium 

1. Seeds

Seeds are a great source of magnesium. In 100g of sesame seeds you can get 370 mg of magnesium. Pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and chia seeds are magnesium powerhouses, too. 

2. Nuts 

Nuts often get a bad rap because they’re high in fat. These fats are healthy when consumed in controlled doses. In 100g of walnuts you’ll get 160 mg of magnesium. 

3. Lentils, beans and legumes 

Lentils and beans are a real staple in my diet. As a veggie, I replace lots of meat products with lentils and beans. Lentils will give you 26 mg of magnesium per 100 g, Edamame is 61 mg per 100g and chickpeas are 37 mg per 100 g. Add these to your meals to boost your magnesium levels. 

4. Leafy veg

Spinach is another food I always have in the fridge. Add it to any dish. Pasta, curry, mushrooms, stir fry, soups, pasta. It’s so diverse. Spinach will give you 112 mg per 100 g. I love it in smoothies too, as it doesn’t really have much flavour you don’t notice it’s there (plus the green colour gives pure health vibes)

5. Avocado 

Did we need another excuse to add avocado to everything? It contains 25 mg per 100 g. Add it to salads, mash it up, eat it whole with a little lime. I go easy on the avo as they aren’t the best food for our planet, due to the airmiles to get them to the UK, so eat in moderation. 

6. Grains

Quinoa is a great source of magnesium coming in at 64 mg per 100g. Quinoa makes a perfect veggie base for a chili, or added to curry or salads. 

Magnesium rich meal ideas 

It’s one thing knowing which foods are high in magnesium, but it’s a whole other ball game trying to find the headspace to work out how to eat them in your weekly meal plan.

I love to plan meals, and prepare them. So, I’ve done the work for you. I’ve put together some meal ideas to get you a daily dose of magnesium. 

Meal ideas high in magnesium

• Chili oil noodles with tahini and topped with sesame seeds 
• Homemade walnut pesto with pasta with spinach
• Red lentil dhal with spinach and tofu 
• Avocado and spinach on toast
• Hello Fresh quinoa zesty chili 
• Butter beans with kale and lemon
  Quinoa and chickpea burger with spinach and walnut salad

Try adding nuts and seeds to your salads and as a meal topper. Spinach basically goes with everything (IMHO) and lentils make a great base for salads, soups, and curry. 

Foods high in magnesium shopping list

• Spinach
• Kale
• Spring greens
• Avocado
• Seeds
• Tahini 
• Quinoa
• Chickpeas
• Kidney beans
• Butter beans 
• Walnuts
• Peanuts
• Edamame beans
• Tofu 

There you have the foods high in magnesium that you need to know about. If you’re looking for inspiration in the kitchen, I really recommend checking out Anna Jones, Easy Wins. Her meals often contain these foods rich in magnesium. The meals always turn out well, and don’t require anything too weird that you can’t get in your local Tesco! 

Give yourself a new challenge in the kitchen and enjoy testing out new recipes with these foods high in magnesium. 

If you aren’t keen on these foods that are high in magnesium, or you want a little top up then try our magnesium supplements which you can shop here on our website or on our Amazon