What foods are highest in magnesium?

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    Last Updated: April 23, 2025

    Foods that are high in magnesium include dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds, beans and legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and certain meats and fish. Additionally, fortified foods and dark chocolate are also good sources, and absorption rates vary based on the type of food consumed.

    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]