Foodmanac nutrient guide
100 Foods High In Magnesium With Benefits, Daily Needs and Warnings
Magnesium supports muscle function, nerve function, energy metabolism, and bone health.
Use this page to understand Magnesium benefits, daily requirements, safety notes, and the top Foodmanac food sources.
Magnesium benefits in the body
- Supports normal muscle and nerve function.
- Helps the body make and use energy.
- Contributes to bone structure.
- Supports normal heart rhythm.
- Works in many enzyme reactions.
Who should pay attention?
- Nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, and leafy greens can add magnesium.
- Heavy alcohol use can affect magnesium status.
- Some stomach and diuretic medicines can affect magnesium levels.
- Needs vary by age and pregnancy status.
How to use this list
- Compare foods by measured database values.
- Choose foods that fit your diet and culture.
- Check serving size before judging a food.
- Use medical advice for disease-specific diets.
Magnesium daily body requirements
Daily needs change by age, sex, pregnancy, lactation, body size, health, medicines, and activity.
The table gives general U.S. reference values for healthy people.
Magnesium daily requirements by age, sex, and life stage| Group | Recommended intake |
|---|
| Children 1–3 years | 80 mg/day |
| Children 4–8 years | 130 mg/day |
| Ages 9–13 years | 240 mg/day |
| Teen boys 14–18 years | 410 mg/day |
| Teen girls 14–18 years | 360 mg/day |
| Adult men | 400–420 mg/day |
| Adult women | 310–320 mg/day |
| Pregnancy | 350–400 mg/day |
| Lactation | 310–360 mg/day |
These values are education guidance, not a personal prescription.
Your clinician can adjust targets for medical conditions.
Magnesium warnings and safe-use notes
- The adult supplement upper limit is lower than many people expect.
- High-dose magnesium supplements can cause diarrhea.
- People with kidney disease should avoid supplements unless advised.
- Magnesium from food is not usually a concern for healthy people.
Before you use the food ranking
A high value in the table does not automatically make a food best for everyone.
Calories, allergies, sodium, added sugar, preparation, and portion size also matter.
Also, some foods are rich because they are dried, concentrated, fortified, or cooked.
Compare similar serving sizes before making a meal decision.
Top 100 Foods High In Magnesium
Practical foods people commonly eat when searching for foods high in Magnesium are shown first. After those practical sources, Foodmanac shows other foods with the highest Magnesium values in the database. The nutrient values themselves are not changed.
Common Magnesium food sources first, followed by other high-Magnesium foods
| Rank |
Food source |
Magnesium amount |
| Common practical foods with Magnesium |
| 1 | Pumpkin seeds, unsalted | 550 mg |
| 2 | Peanut butter, chunky, vitamin and mineral fortified | 370 mg |
| 3 | Chickpeas, (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), dry | 135 mg |
| 4 | Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, from unroasted kernels (non-chemically removed seed coat) | 353 mg |
| 5 | Spaghetti, spinach, dry | 174 mg |
| 6 | Avocado, Hass, peeled, raw | 32.8 mg |
| 7 | Chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids | 228 mg |
| 8 | Tofu, fried, prepared with calcium sulfate | 95 mg |
| Other foods high in Magnesium |
| 9 | Rice bran, crude | 781 mg |
| 10 | Seaweed, agar, dried | 770 mg |
| 11 | Seeds, cottonseed meal, partially defatted (glandless) | 760 mg |
| 12 | Seeds, cottonseed flour, partially defatted (glandless) | 721 mg |
| 13 | Seeds, cottonseed flour, low fat (glandless) | 716 mg |
| 14 | Spices, basil, dried | 711 mg |
| 15 | Seeds, hemp seed, hulled | 700 mg |
| 16 | Spices, coriander leaf, dried | 694 mg |
| 17 | Seaweed, Canadian Cultivated EMI-TSUNOMATA, dry | 692 mg |
| 18 | Chives, freeze-dried | 640 mg |
| 19 | Wheat bran | 611 mg |
| 20 | Wheat bran, crude | 611 mg |
| 21 | Cereals ready-to-eat, SUN COUNTRY, KRETSCHMER Toasted Wheat Bran | 606 mg |
| 22 | Spearmint, dried | 602 mg |
| 23 | Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, dried | 592 mg |
| 24 | Pumpkin seeds, NFS | 550 mg |
| 25 | Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted, without salt | 550 mg |
| 26 | Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted, with salt added | 550 mg |
| 27 | Pumpkin seeds, salted | 543 mg |
| 28 | Seeds, watermelon seed kernels, dried | 515 mg |
| 29 | Beverages, nutritional shake mix, high protein, powder | 500 mg |
| 30 | Seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), raw | 500 mg |
| 31 | Nutritional powder mix, high protein (Herbalife) | 500 mg |
| 32 | Nutritional powder mix, high protein, NFS | 500 mg |
| 33 | Cocoa powder, not reconstituted | 499 mg |
| 34 | Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened | 499 mg |
| 35 | Seaweed, dried | 482 mg |
| 36 | Cocoa, dry powder, hi-fat or breakfast, processed with alkali | 476 mg |
| 37 | Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, processed with alkali | 476 mg |
| 38 | Nutritional powder mix, high protein (Slim Fast) | 473 mg |
| 39 | Beverages, UNILEVER, SLIMFAST Shake Mix, high protein, whey powder, 3-2-1 Plan, | 473 mg |
| 40 | Spices, dill weed, dried | 451 mg |
| 41 | Seeds, cottonseed kernels, roasted (glandless) | 440 mg |
| 42 | Spices, celery seed | 440 mg |
| 43 | Soy flour, full-fat, raw | 429 mg |
| 44 | Spices, sage, ground | 428 mg |
| 45 | Beverage, instant breakfast powder, chocolate, sugar-free, not reconstituted | 410 mg |
| 46 | Beverages, chocolate powder, no sugar added | 410 mg |
| 47 | Nutritional powder mix, sugar free (Carnation Instant Breakfast) | 410 mg |
| 48 | Chocolate beverage powder, light, dry mix, not reconstituted | 410 mg |
| 49 | Spices, parsley, dried | 400 mg |
| 50 | Seeds, flaxseed | 392 mg |
| 51 | Beverages, UNILEVER, SLIMFAST Shake Mix, powder, 3-2-1 Plan | 385 mg |
| 52 | Spices, fennel seed | 385 mg |
| 53 | Nutritional powder mix (Slim Fast) | 385 mg |
| 54 | Nutritional powder mix, sugar free (Slim Fast) | 385 mg |
| 55 | Mothbeans, mature seeds, raw | 381 mg |
| 56 | Spices, savory, ground | 377 mg |
| 57 | Nuts, brazilnuts, dried, unblanched | 376 mg |
| 58 | Brazil nuts | 376 mg |
| 59 | Flaxseed, ground | 372 mg |
| 60 | Flax seeds | 372 mg |
| 61 | Parsley, freeze-dried | 372 mg |
| 62 | Spices, mustard seed, ground | 370 mg |
| 63 | Peanut flour, defatted | 370 mg |
| 64 | Soy flour, full-fat, roasted | 369 mg |
| 65 | Spices, cumin seed | 366 mg |
| 66 | Seeds, sesame butter, paste | 362 mg |
| 67 | Seeds, sesame flour, partially defatted | 362 mg |
| 68 | Seeds, sesame flour, high-fat | 361 mg |
| 69 | Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted, with salt added | 358 mg |
| 70 | Tahini | 357 mg |
| 71 | Sesame butter, creamy | 357 mg |
| 72 | Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, roasted and toasted | 356 mg |
| 73 | Peanut butter, smooth, vitamin and mineral fortified | 355 mg |
| 74 | Peanut butter, vitamin and mineral fortified | 355 mg |
| 75 | Seeds, safflower seed kernels, dried | 353 mg |
| 76 | Nuts, brazilnuts, raw | 351 mg |
| 77 | Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried | 351 mg |
| 78 | Seeds, safflower seed meal, partially defatted | 350 mg |
| 79 | Spices, tarragon, dried | 347 mg |
| 80 | Spices, poppy seed | 347 mg |
| 81 | Seeds, sesame seed kernels, toasted, with salt added (decorticated) | 346 mg |
| 82 | Seeds, sesame meal, partially defatted | 346 mg |
| 83 | Seeds, sesame seed kernels, toasted, without salt added (decorticated) | 346 mg |
| 84 | Seeds, sunflower seed flour, partially defatted | 346 mg |
| 85 | Spices, marjoram, dried | 346 mg |
| 86 | Seeds, sesame seed kernels, dried (decorticated) | 345 mg |
| 87 | Sesame seeds | 345 mg |
| 88 | Seeds, sesame flour, low-fat | 338 mg |
| 89 | Yardlong beans, mature seeds, raw | 338 mg |
| 90 | SCHIFF,TIGER'S MILK BAR | 336 mg |
| 91 | Nutrition bar (Tiger's Milk) | 336 mg |
| 92 | Chia seeds | 335 mg |
| 93 | Seeds, chia seeds, dried | 335 mg |
| 94 | Cowpeas, catjang, mature seeds, raw | 333 mg |
| 95 | Spices, coriander seed | 330 mg |
| 96 | Formulated bar, LUNA BAR, NUTZ OVER CHOCOLATE | 329 mg |
| 97 | Coffee, instant, not reconstituted | 327 mg |
| 98 | Beverages, coffee, instant, regular, powder | 327 mg |
| 99 | Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares | 327 mg |
| 100 | Beverages, coffee, instant, regular, half the caffeine | 327 mg |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Magnesium do in the body?
Magnesium supports muscle function, nerve function, energy metabolism, and bone health.
How much Magnesium do I need each day?
Your need depends on age, sex, pregnancy, lactation, health, medicines, and other factors.
Use the table above for general daily reference values.
Which foods contain the most Magnesium?
The table ranks foods by Foodmanac database values.
Always compare serving size and preparation before choosing a food.
Can too much Magnesium be harmful?
Yes, excessive intake can be unsafe for some nutrients, supplements, and health conditions.
Review the warnings above and seek medical advice when needed.
References
Foodmanac uses database values for rankings.
Daily needs and warning notes are based on public nutrition references.
