Best Foods Rich in Magnesium: 10 Nutritious Choices for Energy, Sleep, and Muscle Health

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You can boost your energy, sleep, and overall health just by picking foods that pack magnesium. Plenty of everyday foods—like seeds, greens, nuts, beans, fish, and whole grains—give you the magnesium your body needs to work better.

This article’s all about which simple, tasty options fit into your meals and why they matter for things like bones, heart, and calm. You’ll find easy ideas for snacks and meals that make getting magnesium simple.

Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds are one of the easiest ways to boost your magnesium intake. Just a small handful gives you a big chunk of what most adults need each day.

Eat them raw, roasted, or toss them into yogurt and salads. They add a nice crunch and a mild nutty flavor, and you don’t have to fuss much.

These seeds have fiber, healthy fats, and protein, which help keep you full. Try sprinkling them on oatmeal or blending them into a homemade trail mix.

Spinach

Fresh spinach leaves arranged on a wooden table with almonds, pumpkin seeds, and avocado slices around them.

Spinach is one of the best leafy greens for magnesium. A cup of cooked spinach delivers a large chunk of your daily magnesium needs.

You can eat spinach raw in salads or throw it into soups and sautés. Cooking actually makes some minerals more available, so cooked spinach can give you even more magnesium.

Spinach brings vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and fiber to the table. These extras help your body absorb nutrients and just keep things running smoothly.

Try tossing spinach into smoothies, omelets, or pasta dishes. It blends in easily and won’t take over the flavor, so it’s a sneaky way to get more magnesium.

Almonds

Almonds are an easy snack that can help you get more magnesium. A small handful gives you a solid dose of the mineral, plus healthy fats and protein.

Eat them raw, roasted, or toss them on salads and yogurt if you like a little crunch. Almond butter works on toast or in smoothies, too, if you want something spreadable.

Try pairing almonds with leafy greens or whole grains to get even more magnesium from your meal. Just keep portions in check—almonds are calorie-dense, so a palm-sized serving is usually just right for most healthy eating plans.

Black beans

A bowl filled with black beans on a wooden surface surrounded by green leaves.

Black beans give you a nice magnesium boost in a small serving. Just a half-cup of cooked beans can offer around 60 mg, which helps your muscles and nerves work right.

Add them to salads, soups, or tacos for a simple way to up your magnesium. They also offer fiber and plant protein to help keep meals filling.

Rinse canned beans to lower the sodium, or cook dried beans if you want to control salt and texture. Pairing black beans with brown rice improves the mix of nutrients your body can use.

If you have kidney problems or take certain meds, check with your doctor before loading up on magnesium-rich foods. For most folks, black beans are a simple, affordable way to get more magnesium.

Dark chocolate

An arrangement of dark chocolate pieces surrounded by almonds, spinach leaves, pumpkin seeds, and whole grains on a wooden surface.

Dark chocolate is honestly a pretty tasty way to get more magnesium. A 1-ounce (28 g) piece gives you about 60–65 mg, which is around 15% of what you need daily.

Pick dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa for more minerals and less sugar. It also brings a bit of iron, copper, and antioxidants.

Enjoy it in small portions to keep calories and sugar in check. Try a square after dinner, or toss some chips into yogurt for a quick snack that sneaks in magnesium.

Avocados

A close-up arrangement of ripe avocados sliced open with almonds, spinach leaves, pumpkin seeds, and dark chocolate pieces around them.

You can get a good bit of magnesium from avocados. One medium avocado gives about 10–15% of your daily magnesium, plus fiber and healthy fats.

Add avocado to toast, salads, or smoothies if you want more magnesium without changing up your meals too much. The fats in avocado also help your body absorb other nutrients.

Avocados have potassium, vitamin K, and B vitamins that support muscle and nerve function. They’re mild, so you can use them in sweet or savory dishes.

If you want to up your magnesium, pair avocado with other magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens or nuts. Just keep portions reasonable—avocados are calorie-dense but nutrient-rich, making them a solid choice for a balanced diet.

Bananas

A bunch of ripe bananas surrounded by almonds, spinach leaves, pumpkin seeds, and dark chocolate pieces on a wooden table.

Bananas are an easy grab-and-go way to add magnesium to your day. A medium banana gives about 30–35 mg, so it’s a nice little boost without any planning.

Eat bananas on their own or slice them into cereal, yogurt, or smoothies. They also go well with nut butter for extra magnesium and healthy fats.

Bananas also offer potassium and vitamin B6, which help your muscles and nerves. They’re portable, affordable, and last a few days at room temperature.

If you want more magnesium, combine bananas with seeds or nuts in a snack. That way, you get a bigger magnesium boost and still keep things simple and tasty.

Chia seeds

Close-up view of chia seeds scattered on a wooden surface with green leaves and white flowers around them.

Chia seeds are tiny but surprisingly high in magnesium. Just a small serving can give you a meaningful chunk of your daily needs.

Sprinkle chia on yogurt, blend them into smoothies, or make chia pudding. They swell in liquid, which gives a nice texture and helps you feel full longer.

Chia also brings fiber, protein, and omega-3 fats to the table. This makes them a simple, nutrient-rich add-on for all sorts of meals and snacks.

If you have trouble swallowing seeds, soak them first so they soften up. Start with a tablespoon or two and see how you feel—too much at once can be a lot for your digestion.

Salmon

A fresh whole salmon fish surrounded by almonds, spinach, pumpkin seeds, black beans, and avocado slices arranged on a wooden surface.

Salmon gives you a modest dose of magnesium, plus protein and healthy fats. A 100-gram cooked piece usually has around 25–30 mg of magnesium, which helps add to your daily total.

You also get omega-3 fats that support your heart and brain. Those fats make salmon a nutrient-dense pick for meals.

Try grilling, baking, or poaching salmon to keep the nutrients in. Pair it with leafy greens or quinoa to bump up the magnesium even more.

Quinoa

A bowl of cooked quinoa surrounded by spinach, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and dark chocolate on a wooden table.

Quinoa packs a solid boost of magnesium into a pretty small serving. One cup cooked gives you a hefty chunk of your daily need, plus some fiber and protein for good measure.

You can toss quinoa into a warm cereal, use it as a salad base, or just serve it as a side. It cooks up fast and soaks up flavors easily, so honestly, it fits into most meals without fuss.

Since quinoa is naturally gluten-free, it works well if you need to avoid gluten. It brings along B vitamins, iron, and other minerals that help with energy and bone health.

Give quinoa a rinse before you cook it to wash off its natural coating, which can taste kind of bitter. Try cooking it in broth or with a handful of herbs if you want more flavor without much effort.