What is magnesium and what does it do?
Magnesium is an important mineral in the body. It helps the body produce enzymes to break down food to give us energy. It helps regulate our blood sugar and blood pressure, as well as muscle and nerve function. Magnesium also plays a role in making proteins in our body and keeping our bones strong.
Sources of magnesium and how to get enough
Magnesium is found naturally in many foods. Some foods that are rich in magnesium are seeds, nuts, legumes such as beans and peas, spinach, whole grains, fortified cereals, soy and dairy products, and fish. Typically, foods that are high in fibre are also good sources of magnesium.
The following are the recommended daily amounts of magnesium for children and teens.
| Age | Recommended daily magnesium intake (mg) |
|---|---|
| 4 – 8 years | 130 mg |
| 9 – 13 years | 240 mg |
| 14 – 18 years | 360 mg – 410 mg |
Here is a list of magnesium-rich foods. The foods with the highest amount of magnesium are listed first.
(*Careful of choking hazard of hard pieces)
| Food sources | Mg per serving |
|---|---|
| *Pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup | 150 – 175 mg |
| Spinach, 1 cup | 155 mg |
| *Sunflower seeds, ¼ cup | 129 mg |
| *Chia seeds, ¼ cup | 111 mg |
| *Soy nuts, ¼ cup | 90 mg |
| *Cashews, ¼ cup | 74 mg |
| *Almonds, 1 oz | 70 mg |
| Soy milk, plain or vanilla, 1 cup | 61 mg |
| Black beans, ½ cup | 60 mg |
| Cereal, shredded wheat, 2 large biscuits | 60 mg |
| Tofu, ¾ cup | 50 – 90 mg |
| *Edamame, shelled, cooked, ½ cup | 50 mg |
| Dry cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons | 50 mg |
| White rice, 1 cup | 50 mg |
| Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons | 49 mg |
| Baked beans, ¾ cup | 49 mg |
| Potato, baked with skin, 3.5 oz | 48 mg |
| Brown rice, ½ cup | 42 mg |
| Yogurt, 1 cup | 42 mg |
| Breakfast cereals, fortified with 10% of the DV for magnesium, 1 serving | 42 mg |
| Oatmeal, instant, 1 packet | 36 mg |
| Banana, 1 medium | 35 mg |
| Milk, 1 cup | 32 mg |
| Hummus, 3 tablespoons | 32 mg |
| Whole-wheat crackers, 6 crackers | 31 mg |
| Flax seed, 1 tablespoon, ground | 28 mg |
| Salmon, 3oz; halibut, 3 oz; or chicken breast, 3 oz | 22 – 26 mg |
| Granola bar, 1 | 25 mg |
| Frozen yogurt, ½ cup | 23 mg |
| Avocado, ½ medium size | 23 mg |
| Raisins, ½ cup | 23 mg |
| Bread, whole wheat, 1 slice | 23 mg |
Kid-friendly meal and snack ideas
- ½ peanut butter sandwich with slices of banana on whole wheat bread + milk to drink
- chili made with black beans served on a baked potato
- hummus and whole-wheat crackers
- bean soup, lentil soup, split pea soup
- grilled cheese on whole-wheat bread
- cheese with whole-wheat crackers
- yogurt topped with *granola and seeds or nuts (*careful of choking hazard of hard pieces)
- oatmeal mixed with raisins and milk
- granola bar + milk to drink
- whole-grain cereal with milk and banana slices
Cooking methods
The way foods are cooked can affect how much magnesium is still in the food when it is eaten. These cooking methods help keep as much magnesium in the food as possible:
- Steaming: Steaming helps to keep nutrients within vegetables.
- Boiling: Vegetables are more nutritious if they are cooked with their skins on.
- Baking: Potato, sweet potato, squash and pumpkin are best when baked in the oven with skins on.
- Fish and meat are best cooked using dry heat methods such as oven-baking, broiling or roasting.