Magnesium is a mineral element, and thus it cannot be broken down by the body. Cooking of foods cannot destroy magnesium or other minerals, but minerals can leach from foods into cooking water, though the actual mineral isn't destroyed. Magnesium is a vital mineral that may have some additional important health benefits beyond the basic functions it serves within your body. Learn about the best food sources of magnesium to ensure you're getting enough to support optimum health.
Function
You obtain magnesium in your diet from the food you eat, and your body does not break it down the way it breaks down carbohydrates, protein and fat for energy. Instead magnesium is sent to the bones and enzymes where it's needed throughout the body. On a daily basis, some magnesium leaves your body through your stool and urine, but is then replaced by the magnesium in the foods you eat. Magnesium, calcium and phosphorus make up the mineral content of your bones. Magnesium is also needed in order for you to derive energy from the food you eat and is vital for the synthesis of DNA, which is the genetic material of all the cells of your body.
Daily Requirement
The daily requirement for magnesium for adults over age 30 is 420 mg for men and 320 mg for women. For adults age 19 to 30, men require 400 mg, and women need 310 mg of magnesium daily. Magnesium deficiency is rare, according to the Linus Pauling Institute, however certain populations are at increased risk for deficiency including alcoholics and people with kidney disease or gastrointestinal disorders such as Crohn's or celiac disease.
Health Benefits
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, research suggests that lower magnesium levels in the blood may increase risk for high blood pressure. Additionally, researchers have investigated a potential role for magnesium in the prevention of osteoporosis, though more research is needed in this area. According to a September 2010 reuters.com article, people with higher intakes of magnesium may have decreased risk for type 2 diabetes.
Food Sources
The best food sources of magnesium include whole grains, leafy green vegetables and nuts and seeds. For example, 1 oz. of pumpkin seeds and 1 cup of cooked spinach each contain 156 mg of magnesium, 1 cup of cooked black beans has 120 mg, 1 cup of cooked brown rice has 84 mg, 1 cup of cooked chickpeas has 79 mg and 1 cup of cooked oatmeal has 63 mg of magnesium. Sauteing or steaming leafy green vegetables is a good way to preserve the magnesium in these foods, as boiling can cause some of the magnesium to leech into the cooking water and often then be poured down the drain.
Member Comments