Benefits of Magnesium
Why magnesium is good for you, how much you need, and where to get it
Benefits of Magnesium
Magnesium plays a key role in hundreds of cellular processes, from metabolizing food into energy and absorbing calcium to maintaining a strong immune system and keeping your heart, muscles, and nerves functioning properly.
Recommended Amount: How Much You Need
Government guidelines suggest 420 milligrams (mg) per day for men, 320 mg for women. RealAge recommends that both men and women aim to get 400–500 mg of magnesium per day. It may be tough to get all the magnesium you need from food, so top up your daily intake with a multivitamin that contains at least 100 mg of magnesium.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have kidney disease or diabetes, are on a low-calorie diet, or are taking digitalis preparations or diuretics, talk to your doctor about how much magnesium you should be getting.
Good Sources of Magnesium
| Spinach, cooked (1 cup) | 156 mg |
| Halibut, cooked (3 ounces) | 91 mg |
| Cashews (1/4 cup) | 89 mg |
| Oat-bran muffin (1 medium) | 89 mg |
| White beans, canned (1/2 cup) | 67 mg |
| Bran cereal (3/4 cup) | 64 mg |
| Brown rice, cooked (3/4 cup) | 63 mg |
| Potato, baked, with skin (1 medium) | 57 mg |
| Whole-wheat bread (2 slices) | 46 mg |
| Walnuts (1 ounce; 14 halves) | 44 mg |
| Banana (1 medium) | 32 mg |
Try these recipes for a mouthful of magnesium:
- Gnocchi with Chard and White Beans
- Chicken Cassoulet
- Thyme- and Sesame-Crusted Halibut
- Banana-Cocoa Soy Smoothie
Find more healthy recipes with the RealAge Recipe Finder.
