Nutrient glossary
What is magnesium?
Magnesium is a helper mineral in over 300 enzyme reactions, from muscle contraction and sleep to blood sugar control.
Reviewed 20 July 2026. General information, not medical advice.
The short version
Magnesium is quietly involved in almost everything: making energy from food, steadying nerve and muscle signals, building bone and regulating blood sugar. Intakes tend to slide because its best sources, whole grains, nuts, seeds and greens, are exactly what processed diets crowd out.
Refining strips it: white flour keeps only about a quarter of the wheat grain’s magnesium. Choosing whole versions is most of the battle.
Daily reference
300 mg a day
The reference is 300 mg a day for men and 270 mg for women.
This is the fixed adult reference used across these pages. In the app, your amount adjusts to your body and way of eating.
Best food sources of magnesium
Full ranking| Food | Per serving | Per 100g |
|---|---|---|
| Hemp Seeds | 210 mg | 700 mg |
| Pumpkin Seeds | 166 mg | 592 mg |
| Black Beans (cooked) | 120 mg | 70 mg |
| Quinoa (cooked) | 118 mg | 64 mg |
| Mackerel | 107 mg | 97 mg |
| Sunflower Seeds | 91 mg | 325 mg |
| Buckwheat | 86 mg | 51 mg |
| Cannellini Beans | 82 mg | 63 mg |
Common questions
- Do magnesium supplements help sleep?
- Evidence is modest and mostly in people who were low to begin with. Correcting a genuinely low intake helps; adding more on top of enough does not.
- What are the best food sources of magnesium?
- Pumpkin seeds, chia, almonds, cashews, whole grains, beans and dark leafy greens lead the table.