Basics Healthy Foods That Are High in Magnesium By Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and fact checker. She has co-authored two books for the popular Dummies Series (as Shereen Jegtvig). Learn about our editorial process Shereen Lehman, MS Reviewed by Reviewed by Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDE, CPT on November 19, 2020 facebook twitter instagram Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDE, CPT is a New York City-based telehealth registered dietitian nutritionist and nutrition communications expert. Learn about our Review Board Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDE, CPT Updated on November 20, 2020 Print Magnesium is a major mineral that needed for so many things, including muscle and nerve function (including your heart muscle), energy production, healthy blood sugar levels, and bone health. Of particular interest to those with stressful jobs or difficulty sleeping, magnesium is also believed to improve blood pressure, stress levels, and sleep quality. You can increase your magnesium intake by taking dietary supplements or eating fortified cereals, but there are many favorite foods that are naturally high in magnesium. The daily value, which is used for the recommendations found on food labels set by the FDA, recommends to consume 420 mg of magnesium per day. To break it down the recommended magnesium intake more individually, adult men need about 400–420 milligrams per day and adult women need around 310–320 milligrams per day. But according to the 2015–2020 dietary guidelines for Americans, magnesium is a nutrient that is under-consumed, but it does not appear to be a public health concern. 1 Acorn Squash Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Acorn squash is best known for its high vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium content, but it's also a good source of minerals such as magnesium. In fact, one cup of acorn squash cubes has 46.2 milligrams of magnesium. 2 Almonds Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Almonds are an excellent source of minerals including magnesium. A one-ounce serving of 23 almonds has 77 milligrams of magnesium or 18.3% of your daily value. It's also an excellent source of niacin, vitamin E, and healthful monounsaturated fats. 3 Artichokes Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Artichokes are low in calories and high in nutrition, including magnesium. One medium artichoke has 77 milligrams of magnesium, along with plenty of fiber, potassium, and several B-complex vitamins. 4 Avocados Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Avocados are best known for being a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids, similar to olive oil. But they're also a good source of several vitamins and minerals. One avocado has 58 milligrams magnesium, plus lots of potassium, several B-complex vitamins, vitamin K, and fiber. 5 Beets and Beet Greens Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Don't throw away the tops when you buy fresh beets. The greens are rich in many vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, and magnesium. One cup of cooked beet greens has about 100 milligrams of magnesium. 6 Black Beans Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Black beans are best known for their fiber content, but they're chock full of vitamins and minerals too. One cup of cooked black beans has 120 milligrams of magnesium, along with lots of iron, potassium, and several B-complex vitamins. 7 Brazil Nuts Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Brazil nuts are rich in magnesium — one serving of six nuts has 107 milligrams. That same serving also has lots of monounsaturated fats and lots of selenium that works as an antioxidant to protect the cells in your body. 8 Brown Rice whitewish / Getty Images Brown rice is a good source of several B-complex vitamins and minerals, including 86 milligrams of magnesium per cup of cooked medium-grain rice. It's also contains fiber, zinc, and potassium. 9 Cashews Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Cashews are another nut that's rich in magnesium. One ounce of raw cashews has 83 milligrams of magnesium, plus they contain iron, potassium, zinc, vitamin K and several B-complex vitamins. 10 Edamame Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Edamame is young soybeans that are prepared and served in the pod. They're an excellent source of magnesium and other nutrients. One cup of cooked edamame has 99 milligrams of magnesium, along with lots of iron, potassium, and fiber. 11 Lima Beans Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Lima beans are a delicious source of magnesium and other nutrients. One cup of cooked lima beans has 81 milligrams of magnesium. It also has lots of iron, potassium, fiber, most B-complex vitamins, and protein. 12 Peas lacaosa / Getty Images Peas aren't included on many healthy foods lists, which is a shame because they're quite good for you. One cup of cooked peas has 62 milligrams of magnesium, along with plenty of iron, potassium, zinc, B-complex vitamins and vitamin A. 13 Potatoes Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman One large baked potato with the skin intact (about four inches in diameter) has 84 milligrams of magnesium. It also has lots of potassium and is a good source of vitamin C, most B-complex vitamins, and iron. 14 Pumpkin Seeds Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Pumpkin seeds make a healthy and delicious snack. One ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds has 156 milligrams of magnesium, along with several B-complex vitamins, potassium, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. 15 Quinoa Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Quinoa is just an excellent nutrient-rich whole grain. One cup of cooked quinoa has 118 milligrams of magnesium, along with plenty of protein, potassium, fiber, B-complex vitamins, and healthy polyunsaturated fats. 16 Spinach Smneedham / Getty Images Spinach is chock full of all kinds of minerals, including magnesium. One cup of raw spinach has 24 milligrams of magnesium — which isn't bad — but cooked spinach has 157 milligrams of magnesium. Cooked spinach also contains calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, and lots of vitamins A and K. 17 Swiss Chard Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Swiss chard is rich in most dietary minerals. One cup of cooked Swiss chard has 150 milligrams of magnesium, as well as calcium, iron, and potassium. Chard is also a good source of fiber and vitamin C and an excellent source of vitamins A and K. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Looking to lose weight? Our nutrition guide can help you get on the right track. Sign up and get it free! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Magnesium Fact Sheet for Professionals. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Updated September 25, 2020 Zheltova, A. A., Kharitonova, M. V., Iezhitsa, I. N., & Spasov, A. A. Magnesium deficiency and oxidative stress: an update. BioMedicine, 6(4) 2016. doi:10.7603/s40681-016-0020-6 Djokic, G., Vojvodic, P., Korcok, D., Agic, A., Rankovic, A., Djordjevic, V., … Lotti, T. (2019). The effects of magnesium – melatonin - vit B complex supplementation in treatment of insomnia. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences, 7(18), 3101–3105. doi:10.3889/oamjms.2019.771 Nutrients of Public Health Concern. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Squash, winter, acorn, raw. USDA FoodData Central Updated 4/1/2019 Nuts, almonds. USDA FoodData Central Updated 4/1/2019 Artichokes, (globe or french), raw. USDA FoodData Central. Updated 4/1/2019 Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties. USDA FoodData Central. Updated 4/1/2019 Beet greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt. USDA FoodData Central. Updated 4/1/2019 Beans, black, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt. USDA FoodData Central. Updated 4/1/2019 Nuts, brazilnuts, dried, unblanched. USDA FoodData. Updated 4/1/2019 Rice, brown, medium-grain, cooked. USDA FoodData Central. Updated 4/1/2019 Nuts, cashew nuts, raw. USDA FoodData Central. Updated 4/1/2019 Edamame, frozen, prepared. USDA FoodData Central. Updated 4/1/2019 Peas, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt. USDA FoodData Central. Updated 4/1/2019 Potatoes, baked, flesh and skin, with salt. USDA FoodData Central. Updated 4/1/2019 Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted, without salt. USDA FoodData Central. Updated 4/1/2019 Quinoa, cooked. USDA FoodData Central Updated 4/1/2019 Spinach, raw. USDA FoodData Central. Updated 4/1/2019 Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt. USDA FoodData Central. Updated 4/1/2019 Chard, swiss, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt. USDA FoodData Central. Updated 4/1/2019 Additional Reading National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, “Magnesium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.” United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 28.