Consumer ReportsConsumer Reports

This mineral can help your heart and muscles.

Dark leafy greens like Swiss chard are rich in magnesium.

ByLori Ioannou

Whole grains, nuts, and seeds. If you don't eat these foods often, your diet may be lacking in magnesium. According to the Department of Agriculture, nearly half of Americans fall short of their daily need for this mineral. Men should get a daily dose of 400 and women a daily dose of 320.

Anna Taylor, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic, says that magnesium is essential for hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body.

How Magnesium Protects

Most people will feel better if their magnesium intake is in an ideal range.

Studies show that the mineral protects against a number of diseases. A study published in the journal Nutrients found that getting a daily dose of magnesium was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The risk for type 2 diabetes was reduced by 8 to 13 percent for every 100 grams of food eaten per day.

It is believed that magnesium can lower the risk of broken bones, improve muscle strength, and slow sarcopenia, a loss of muscle mass that occurs with age. It is important for immunity and is being studied as a therapy to help patients fight COVID-19.

Magnesium supplements are often used as a sleep aid, but whether they help or not is questionable. Three studies involving older adults that compared magnesium with a placebo were looked at in a review. The studies provide low to very low quality evidence of the mineral's effect.

Minding Magnesium Intake

Magnesium deficiency can cause vague symptoms such as appetite loss, fatigue, weakness, and nausea. The rest is in the body.

It's important to focus on magnesium-rich foods. Beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds are some of the best sources of the mineral. There are a few top sources.

Pumpkin seeds are 1 oz.

One cup, 118 calories, is what Quinoa is cooked for.

Edamame is frozen and contains 1 cup.

Almonds, dry roasted, are 1 oz.

1 cup, 78 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0 grams of cholesterol, 0 grams of calcium, 0 grams of iron, 0 grams of magnesium, 0 grams of zinc, 0 grams of calcium, 0 grams of iron, 0 grams of magnesium, 0 grams of calcium, 0 grams

Swiss chard is cooked with 1 cup and 75 grams.

The canned Kidney beans have 69 calories and 1 cup.

70%- 85% dark chocolate is 1 oz.

Oatmeal, cooked: 1 cup.

The amount of peanut butter is 2 Tbsp.

If you take drugs, pay attention to magnesium. Some antibiotics can lead to a deficiency. If they raise magnesium levels too high, they can do harm.

There is a version of this article in the March 2022, issue of Consumer Reports On Health.

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Consumer Reports is a nonprofit organization that works with consumers to make the world a better place. CR does not accept advertising. Consumer Reports is a trademark of Consumer Reports, Inc.

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