Yes, avocados are a good source of magnesium, providing a significant amount (around 58mg in one medium avocado), making them a healthy fruit to include in your diet for boosting magnesium intake alongside other nutrients like potassium, fiber, and healthy fats. While not as concentrated as seeds or dark leafy greens like spinach, they contribute well to daily needs, with half an avocado offering about 14% of the Daily Value (DV) for magnesium.
One 7-ounce (201-gram) avocado provides 41% of the daily value (DV) of folate, which helps produce healthy red blood cells. It also provides 14% of the DV of magnesium, which helps regulate blood sugar levels and blood pressure.
Achieving 100% of the daily recommended magnesium intake can be accomplished by eating foods rich in magnesium, such as:
Bananas are the richest fruit in magnesium. If eaten dried, its magnesium content is higher. More generally, dried fruits such as figs, dates and apricots are an important source of magnesium. Recipe idea: Try a banana-spinach smoothie.
Good sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and certain beverages. Magnesium may also be added to some breakfast cereals and other fortified foods. In general, approximately 30% to 40% of the magnesium obtained from food and beverages is absorbed by the body.
For drinks high in magnesium, opt for mineral waters, fruit juices (especially orange, cherry, watermelon), plant-based milks (soy, almond), and homemade concoctions using raw cacao, coconut milk, or magnesium powders mixed with water or smoothies, with hot chocolate (made with raw cacao) and herbal teas (like nettle) also being good choices.
Ten common signs of low magnesium include fatigue, muscle cramps/twitches, loss of appetite, nausea, weakness, abnormal heart rhythms, numbness/tingling, headaches, anxiety/irritability, and insomnia, with more severe deficiency potentially causing seizures or high blood pressure. These symptoms often start subtly and worsen, affecting both physical and mental health.
Which form of magnesium is best? “The form — whether it's a capsule, powder or gummy — has a low impact on how the magnesium is absorbed,” Turke says. “What matters most is the type, dose and how often you take it.” In general, forms like citrate, glycinate and malate are absorbed better than oxide or sulfate.
But some foods and drinks can make it harder for your body to absorb magnesium or even increase magnesium loss, so timing and pairing matter.
"Little baby plants—if you can plant it and expect it to grow—like beans, nuts, seeds, and legumes are good sources of magnesium,” Boi says. “Peanut butter is also going to get you a lot of magnesium.” Leafy vegetables, meanwhile, include those with smaller leaves, like spinach.
Yes, magnesium can help you sleep better by calming the nervous system, relaxing muscles, and supporting melatonin production, with some studies showing it improves sleep quality, duration, and efficiency, particularly for those with low levels or sleep issues like restless legs. While more research is needed, magnesium glycinate is often recommended for sleep due to its gentle absorption, and you can find it in foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, or as a supplement.
Some doctors advise limiting or avoiding avocados due to their high calories and fat, potential digestive issues (FODMAPs) for those with IBS, interactions with medications like Warfarin, high potassium for kidney patients, and possible allergic reactions (latex allergy cross-reactivity). However, avocados are generally healthy for most people, providing good fats and nutrients, but moderation and awareness of individual health conditions are key, say experts.
Is Coffee High in Magnesium? Surprisingly, yes, coffee contains a small amount of magnesium. On average, a cup provides around 7 mg of magnesium, but considering your daily needs range from 300–400 mg, it's not enough to offset the loss.
Dr. Gundry advises against avocado toast because putting healthy avocados on toast (especially whole wheat or white bread) introduces lectins and processed flour, which he argues creates a "lectin bomb" that negates avocado's benefits, potentially causing inflammation, gut issues, and weight gain by spiking insulin, turning a good food into a harmful meal, he suggests eating avocado plain with olive oil or MCT oil instead.
Nuts and seeds
Since magnesium plays a role in neuromuscular transmission and muscle contraction, it has been hypothesised that magnesium deficiency may predispose to muscle cramps. Thus magnesium supplements are often recommended to prevent cramps.
Older adults, particularly those over 60, can also experience low magnesium levels. As you age, your body may become less efficient at absorbing this essential mineral.
Magnesium-Rich Foods
Your body needs magnesium to function normally. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include low appetite, nausea or vomiting, muscle spasms or tremors and abnormal heart rhythms. A blood test or urine test can be used to diagnose magnesium deficiency.
Aside from magnesium, almonds contain vitamin E, protein, fibre, and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats that lower cholesterol. Eggs: A staple in many diets, eggs contain magnesium and other nutrients. Each large egg contains 5-6 milligrammes of magnesium, a scarce mineral.
Almonds and cashews are rich in magnesium. One ounce of almonds contains 80 milligrams for 19% of the DV. Cashews are almost as good, with 74 milligrams for 18% of the DV.
There's no questioning the health benefits of broccoli, but we're expanding the list by mentioning that it's an excellent magnesium food. Keep your heart healthy with one small stalk of broccoli, which packs not only 5 g of filling fiber but also a significant amount of magnesium: 29.4 mg for just 50 calories.
Drinking enough water isn't always enough. Your body needs the right minerals to absorb and retain hydration properly. Magnesium is a key electrolyte that ensures efficient water absorption at a cellular level.