Most people are unaware of the role that magnesium plays in our body. To be honest, among the roles that this mineral has in our body include boosting one’s immune system, improving heart health, keeping inflammation at bay, and supporting muscle and tissue function. The problem is that we don’t really pay attention to what we eat most of the time so we end up lacking in this mineral. Although there are supplements available, health experts recommend that you get magnesium direct from the source.
Here are five magnesium-rich foods that you can add to your list of foods to eat for better health.
Dark leafy greens. Also considered as super foods, those leafy greens are one of the best sources of magnesium as well as other vitamins and minerals. You can eat them raw or steam them for your meal. Among the dark leafy greens that you should consider are kale, collards and baby spinach just to name a few. Make sure that you add more of these greens to your meals to reap plenty of magnesium.
Avocado. Another source of magnesium that you can take advantage of is avocado. A medium sized avocado already contains 58mg of magnesium. You can eat the fruit as is, make a smoothie out of it or add to your fruit salad for more nutrients.
Nuts and seeds. Would you believe that eating a cup of pumpkin seeds can actually deliver the required amount of magnesium for the day? Aside from pumpkin seeds, you can also opt for sunflower seeds, cashews, flaxseeds, almonds, Brazil nuts, pecans, and pine nuts. You can mix your favorite nuts with your trail mix or snack on them instead of chips and candies. They’re also good additions to salads if you want that added crunch with every bite.
Fish. Getting enough magnesium in your system is important so you will be able to function at your best and when it comes to choosing foods that are high in magnesium content, fish is on top of the list. Tuna, mackerel, and sardines have plenty of magnesium in them including omega-3 fatty acids as well as vitamin D. Health experts recommend that you eat fish at least once a week.
Dark chocolate. How about that? Chocolate is indeed good for you because of its magnesium content. However, go for the dark chocolate rather than the milk chocolate as the former contains more of this mineral than other types of chocolate. Eating a square of dark chocolate can provide you with 95mg of magnesium. But you need to keep in mind that you can’t go overboard with your chocolate indulgence.
If you are looking for foods that are high in magnesium, the ones mentioned above are worth considering. They’re perfect for daily meals and if you want to indulge afterwards, eating a single square of dark chocolate will be worth it. There are other sources of magnesium too so don’t hesitate to do your research.
Source: onegreenplanet.org
