"Sardine" is a general term for any small fish in the herring family. Sardines come from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Since different species of fish answer to the same name, the magnesium facts you get about sardines may vary with the resource consulted. Likewise, two species of tuna, albacore and bluefin, are extensively fished for the canning industry, sushi restaurants and household consumption. The two species may also have different magnesium content.
Magnesium’s Function
Magnesium facilitates more than 300 chemical reactions in your body. The mineral makes a strong skeletal structure possible and it facilitates muscle and nerve function. The nutrient is also essential for normal glucose and blood pressure. Besides, magnesium supports your immune system against disease.
Recommended Magnesium Intake
The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences recommends that newborns get 30 mg of magnesium daily in their mothers’ milk or from formula. At 7 months, their needs rise to 75 mg. From 1 to 3 years of age, children thrive on 80 mg of magnesium daily. Four-year-olds require 130 mg of the nutrient. At age 9, kids’ needs increase to 240 mg. Fourteen-year-old boys should get 410 mg of magnesium every day. Girls the same age require less of the mineral: 360 mg. Starting at 19 years of age, men need 400 mg of the nutrient and women do well on 310 mg. Males who are 31 years or older require 420 mg of magnesium. The adequate intake for women in the same age group is 320 mg.
Magnesium in Sardines
Five ounces of canned Atlantic sardines in oil have 55.38 mg of magnesium. That content is just under 14 percent of the recommended daily intake for a 19-year-old man. The magnesium amount is significant, but other minerals appear in more impressive numbers: These sardines provide 107 percent of the recommended selenium intake for an adult and 70 percent of the suggested intake for phosphorus. Calcium appears at 54 percent.
Magnesium in Tuna
Five ounces of canned tuna in oil provide 44.02 mg of magnesium, or 11 percent of the daily intake for a 19-year-old man. Like the sardines, this tuna also provides other minerals, including 154 percent of the daily intake for selenium, 2 percent of calcium and 44 percent of the adequate intake for phosphorus for an adult man.
References
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch: Sardines, Atlantic
- Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife: Albacore Tuna
- “National Geographic”: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna-- Thunnus thynnus
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium
- SkipThePie.org: Nutritional Info of: Fish, Sardine, Atlantic, Canned in Oil, Drained Solids with Bone vs Fish, Tuna, Light, Canned in Oil, Drained Solids
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