Spinach and Swiss chard are top contenders for vegetables with the most magnesium, offering around 157 mg and 151 mg per cooked cup, respectively, with beet greens, avocado, sweet potato leaves, taro, and squash also being excellent sources. Dark leafy greens generally pack the most magnesium, but legumes, nuts, and seeds are also fantastic plant-based options for boosting your intake.
Achieving 100% of the daily recommended magnesium intake can be accomplished by eating foods rich in magnesium, such as:
Magnesium-Rich Foods For Your Diet
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.
The relationship between magnesium supplements and heartburn is complex, with potential benefits and side effects to consider. While magnesium can aid digestion and may help alleviate heartburn symptoms for some, it can also cause discomfort in sensitive individuals, particularly when taken in certain forms or dosages.
Signs of low magnesium
Milk of magnesia (magnesium hydroxide) is a popular OTC acid reflux treatment. Dosage recommendations for adults are 5–15 milliliters (ml) at a time, which can be repeated up to 4 times daily as needed. The dose should not exceed more than 60 ml in any 24 hours.
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.
To promote optimal absorption, it's important to be mindful of what you eat and drink alongside magnesium supplements. Foods and drinks high in fiber, phytic acid, phosphoric acid, alcohol, and caffeine can interfere with how well your body uses magnesium.
Some good sources of magnesium are:
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.
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.
Cantaloupe: 428 mg per cup. Spinach: 271 mg per cup, cooked. Asparagus: 271 mg per cup, cooked. Tomato: 292 mg per medium tomato.
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.
Common causes of low magnesium include:
Ten common signs of low magnesium include fatigue, muscle cramps/twitches, numbness/tingling, nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, insomnia/sleep issues, anxiety/irritability, abnormal heart rhythms, constipation, headaches, and high blood pressure, affecting both physical and mental health. These symptoms often start subtly and worsen with more severe deficiency, impacting energy, mood, and muscle function.
Using Epsom salts in the bath has been used traditionally to support magnesium levels through potential absorption through your skin. This can be a particularly good option if you are dealing with children or those who find it difficult to alter their dietary habits easily.
And taking vitamin D in large doses can also deplete magnesium, leading to a magnesium deficiency — or making an existing one worse.
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. Magnesium deficiency is usually treated with supplements.
Culprit medications linked to hypomagnesemia include antibiotics (e.g. aminoglycosides, amphotericin B), diuretics, antineoplastic drugs (cisplatin and cetuximab), calcineurin inhibitors, and proton pump inhibitors.
In general, most people can expect to feel some benefits of magnesium supplementation—such as muscle relaxation or better sleep—within a few days to two weeks, depending on the form and individual health status. Chronic conditions typically require one to three months of consistent use.
1. Magnesium glycinate: Best absorbed form, bonded to glycine amino acids, gentle on the stomach, ideal for muscle cramps and sleep support, and considered the safest form with the least side effects.
To get fast acid reflux relief, use quick-acting antacids (like Tums, Rolaids) for immediate neutralization or try home remedies like baking soda in water, sipping ginger tea, eating a banana, or drinking aloe vera juice, while also adjusting posture by standing up or elevating your head. For longer-lasting relief, H2 blockers (Pepcid AC) or proton pump inhibitors (Prilosec) are stronger but take more time to work, so focus on antacids and lifestyle changes for speed.
Magnesium is found naturally in many foods, including nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and is also available as a dietary supplement. Certain medications should not be taken with magnesium, including certain antibiotics, PPI drugs, diuretics, bisphosphonates, and high doses of zinc.