Magnesium is an important essential mineral for the body. It is involved in hundreds of enzymatic reactions, including those that contribute to production of energy and cardiovascular function.

Considering its immense importance to our health, it is a sad to report that magnesium intake has been on the decline since the earl 1990s. For instance, the greatest decreases in dietary magnesium have been seen in the American diet (what a surprise!) as a result of supplemental vitamin D and calcium supplements, increased phosphorus, alcohol, caffeine, and sugar intake, and constant consumption of refined and processed foods.

And let’s not forget that the average American is only getting 1.5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Considering that magnesium is abundantly found in these foods it’s no wonder we a have a problem.

What Does it Do?

Magnesium is known as the “anti-stress” mineral. It is a natural tranquilizer as it functions to relax skeletal muscle as well as the smooth muscles of blood vessels and the GI tract.

Research has indicated that decreased blood and tissue levels of magnesium are correlated with high blood pressure, kidney stones, and heart attacks.

But it’s no surprise that we would see such issues since magnesium has a relaxing effect on the body. Therefore, low levels of this vital mineral means that many contraction (calcium-stimulated)-relaxation (magnesium-stimulated) relationships are disrupted tipping the scales toward a state of “constriction” or “contraction”.

For instance, studies have shown that a decreased concentration of magnesium is found in the heart and blood of heart attack victims.

Because of its influence on the heart (which in turn in the greatest reservoir of magnesium), it is considered important in preventing coronary artery spasm, a significant cause of heart attacks. Spasms of the blood vessels lead to insufficient oxygen supply, which results in pain, injury, or death of the muscle tissue that they nourish.

To function optimally, magnesium must be balanced in the body with calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium chloride. For instance, too little magnesium leads to more calcium flowing into the vascular muscle cells, causing them to contract – leading to tighter vessels and higher blood pressure.

For women, magnesium’s relaxing effects has implications for helping to alleviate  PMS.

It also a big role to play in allowing the body to eliminate properly. Adequate magnesium allows your bowels to relax and thus allow the passage of waste from the colon.

These are just a few of the many vital functions that magnesium performs in our body. Needless to say, it is an important which we need to get from our diet and possibly supplementation.

Where is it Found?

Almost all of our magnesium supplies come from vegetables. As a component of chlorophyll, magnesium is to the plants what iron is to the hemoglobin of our red blood vessels. In fact, chlorophyll and hemoglobin have the EXACT same molecular structure differing only in their main mineral – magnesium and iron, respectively.

This molecular identity is one of the reasons that green vegetables are so amazing for the human body. Chlorophyll is the pigment that gives plants their green colour. It also important to plant photosynthesis – the process of converting sunlight, CO2, and water into carbohydrates and oxygen. As a result, when we ingest green foods we essentially infuse the sun’s energy right into our blood stream. Pretty powerful if you ask me!

Therefore, best sources of magnesium are definitely dark green vegetables. Think kale, swiss chard, spinach, arugula, watercress, and anything else that is green.

Most nuts, seeds, and legumes also have high amounts of magnesium.

Here are some magnesium-rich foods and their respective levels of magnesium:

Spinach (1 cup, boiled) –  156 mg

Swiss chard (1 cup, boiled) – 150 mg

Pumpkin seeds (1/4 cup, raw) – 185 mg

Sesame seeds (1/4 cup, raw) – 126 mg

Black beans (1 cup, cooked) – 120 mg

Cashews (1/4 cup, raw) – 89 mg

Kale (1 cup, boiled) – 24 mg

How Much Do I Need?

The minimum required intake of magnesium can be expressed as about 6 mg/kg of body weight. For example, a 150-pound person would need about 410 mg per day.

In general, for men over 19 years of age, the recommendation is 400 mg of magnesium per day, while for women of the same age it’s about 360 mg per day.

However, the problem is that the average American diet only supplies about 120 mg of magnesium per 1,000 calories. Which means that we need enhance the nutrient density of our food intake without over-doing the calories!

So what’s the take home message from this information?

Eat more plant-based foods! Especially dark green leafy vegetables. All you need to do is add one more cup of spinach or swiss chard to your meals and you will most likely have doubled the average American diet intake!

In fact, if you haven’t already read my ebook, Eating for Energy, then I would highly recommend you do so. Apply just 10% of what I recommend in the book and your magnesium levels will soar and you healthier than you ever thought possible!

Got any questions? Feel free to ask me in the comments.