10 Foods High in Magnesium

Pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and almonds are foods high in magnesium that can help you meet your daily needs.

Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in energy production and normal muscle and nerve function. For context on magnesium detox, magnesium supports normal body processes, but no food is needed to “flush toxins”: the liver and kidneys do most of the body’s detoxification, while the lungs and gut help eliminate waste.

What are 10 foods high in magnesium?

The foods below are practical sources of magnesium, listed without ranking. Their magnesium content varies with the variety, preparation and product, and the amount you eat also matters.

Recommended dietary allowances for adults vary by age and sex:

Needs differ during pregnancy and lactation. A 2021 review of magnesium nutrition describes the mineral’s role in many biochemical processes and the importance of adequate intake. That evidence supports getting enough magnesium overall; it does not establish that any one food treats a particular condition.

Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a concentrated food source of magnesium. Their magnesium contributes to the mineral available for processes such as energy production and normal muscle function.

Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over oatmeal, salads or cooked vegetables, or eat a small handful as a snack. Choose unsalted seeds if you want to keep the sodium in your meal lower.

Evidence: Magnesium’s essential role is well established. The available reviews do not establish that eating pumpkin seeds specifically treats a health condition.

Chia seeds

Chia seeds provide magnesium that helps the body carry out enzyme-dependent reactions. Like magnesium from other foods, it contributes to your overall intake rather than working on a particular organ.

Stir chia seeds into yogurt or oatmeal, or let them soften in milk for a pudding. If you do not usually eat much fiber, start with a smaller portion and increase gradually rather than adding a large amount at once.

Evidence: Chia seeds are a food source of magnesium, but the studies we found do not show that chia seeds themselves treat magnesium deficiency or a specific disease.

Almonds

Almonds contain magnesium that the body uses for normal nerve and muscle function, alongside magnesium from the rest of your meals. They are also convenient to keep on hand when you need a snack or a topping.

Eat almonds on their own, chop them over cereal, or add them to a grain bowl. A small handful is a practical portion, though you can adjust it to fit the rest of your meal.

Evidence: Nuts are recognized magnesium sources. Magnesium is essential for normal nerve function, but a serving of almonds is not a treatment for nerve symptoms.

Spinach

Spinach supplies magnesium for the body’s normal biochemical processes. Magnesium is part of chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, which helps explain why leafy greens can contribute to intake.

Add cooked spinach to eggs, pasta, beans or soups. Cooked spinach is more compact than raw leaves, so portions measured by volume should not be assumed to contain the same amount of magnesium.

Evidence: Leafy greens are recognized magnesium sources, as noted in a review of magnesium’s therapeutic uses. The review does not establish spinach as a treatment for the conditions it discusses.

Cashews

Cashews contribute to the magnesium needed for normal metabolic function. The body uses magnesium from cashews as part of its overall supply; the nuts do not provide a separate kind of magnesium.

Add cashews to a stir-fry, blend them into a sauce, or pair them with fruit for a snack. Check the label when comparing roasted, salted and unsalted products, particularly if you are watching your sodium intake.

Evidence: Cashews are a magnesium-containing food. The mineral’s importance is well established, but research has not established a specific therapeutic effect from eating cashews.

Peanuts

Peanuts add magnesium to a meal or snack, contributing to the body’s normal use of the mineral in energy metabolism. They can also make it easier to include a magnesium source in meals that do not contain leafy greens or beans.

Scatter peanuts over cooked vegetables or noodles, or portion them into a small container for a snack. Unsalted peanuts are useful when you want their flavor without relying on added salt.

Evidence: Nuts and legumes are recognized food sources of magnesium. The available reviews do not show that peanuts alone prevent or treat a medical condition.

Soy milk

Soy milk can supply magnesium as part of your total intake, just as magnesium-containing solid foods do. Its composition depends on the product, so the contribution can differ between brands and formulations.

Use soy milk on cereal, in oatmeal or in a smoothie. Compare labels when choosing a product: flavored versions may contain added sugar, and magnesium is not listed on every Nutrition Facts panel.

Evidence: Soy milk can be a magnesium source, but the supplied reviews do not establish a unique magnesium-related therapeutic effect from drinking it.

Black beans

Black beans are legumes that supply magnesium for the body’s normal functions. They also provide a substantial base for meals built around grains and vegetables, making them a useful food to include regularly.

Add black beans to tacos, soups, rice bowls or salads. If you use canned beans, draining and rinsing them can reduce some of the sodium; compare labels when choosing between products.

Evidence: Legumes are recognized food sources of magnesium. The evidence supports including them in a varied diet, not using black beans as a stand-alone treatment for low magnesium.

Edamame

Edamame, or young soybeans, contains magnesium that contributes to the body’s overall supply for normal biochemical processes. It is another legume option for meals when you want a change from beans or nuts.

Serve shelled edamame in a grain bowl, add it to a salad, or eat it warm as a side. If buying edamame in pods, remove the beans before eating; the pods are not usually eaten.

Evidence: Edamame is a magnesium-containing food, but the available reviews do not establish a specific medical benefit from eating it. Its role here is as one contribution to a balanced intake.

Peanut butter

Peanut butter offers another way to get magnesium from peanuts. Its contribution depends on the portion and product, so it helps to consider it alongside the other magnesium-containing foods you eat.

Spread peanut butter on whole-grain toast, stir it into oatmeal, or serve it with sliced fruit. Compare ingredient lists and labels if you want a product with less added sugar or salt.

Evidence: Peanut butter supplies magnesium, but research has not established it as a treatment for magnesium deficiency. Suspected deficiency calls for medical evaluation rather than reliance on one food.

Which foods should you limit when trying to get enough magnesium?

You do not need to eliminate a food solely because it is low in magnesium. The more useful approach is to avoid regularly letting low-magnesium choices crowd out foods such as beans, nuts, seeds, leafy greens and whole grains.

Refined grains generally contain less magnesium than their whole-grain counterparts because refining removes parts of the grain that contain minerals. Choose whole-grain bread or brown rice when you enjoy them, while considering the rest of your diet. Frequent heavily sweetened snacks can also displace more nutrient-dense choices, although an occasional serving can fit into a varied diet.

Food-first choices are appropriate for most people, but supplements are different: excess supplemental magnesium can cause adverse effects. If you have kidney disease or have been told your magnesium level is abnormal, ask your clinician or a registered dietitian before making major dietary changes or taking a magnesium supplement. See a clinician about persistent symptoms or concerns about deficiency rather than trying to diagnose or treat yourself with a particular food.