What foods are highest in magnesium?

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    Last Updated: October 13, 2024

    A variety of plant and animal foods are good sources of magnesium, including the following:

    Dark leafy green vegetables: kale, spinach, collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens

    Nuts and seeds: cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flaxseed

    Beans and legumes: lentils, chickpeas, peas, soybeans, black beans, kidney beans, peanuts

    Whole grains: rice, oats, whole-wheat bread, quinoa, buckwheat, barley

    Fruits and vegetables: bananas, avocados, potatoes, raisins, apples, carrots, broccoli

    Meat and fish: salmon, halibut, chicken, lean ground beef

    Other dietary sources of magnesium include fortified bread and breakfast cereals, milk and yogurt products, and, serendipitously, dark chocolate.[1]

    Of note, approximately 30%–40% of the dietary magnesium we eat is absorbed by the body when a mixed (i.e., omnivorous) diet is consumed.[2][3][4][5] The consumption of certain foods( i.e., low-oxalate leafy green vegetables) also appears to enhance magnesium bioavailability compared to magnesium obtained from eating whole grains or oxalate-rich vegetables, which contain compounds that interfere with magnesium absorption.[6][7][8]