Quick answer

Pumpkin seeds top NIH's list with 156 mg of magnesium per ounce, followed by chia seeds, almonds, boiled spinach and cashews. Beans, soymilk, peanuts, whole grains and yogurt add steady amounts. The Daily Value is 420 mg, so a food with about 84 mg a serving counts as a high source.¹

Key facts

Only two foods on NIH's list reach 20% of the Daily Value in one serving: pumpkin seeds at 37% and chia seeds at 26%.¹
Refining grains strips out much of their magnesium along with the germ and bran.¹
Magnesium from almonds was absorbed as well as magnesium from a dissolved salt in a classic absorption study.²
Magnesium in food never counts toward the 350 mg upper limit, which covers only supplements and medicines.³

The richest foods, per serving

Magnesium in common foods, highest first¹
Food	Serving	Magnesium	Daily Value
Pumpkin seeds, roasted	1 ounce	156 mg	37%
Chia seeds	1 ounce	111 mg	26%
Almonds, dry roasted	1 ounce	80 mg	19%
Spinach, boiled	½ cup	78 mg	19%
Cashews, dry roasted	1 ounce	74 mg	18%
Peanuts, oil roasted	¼ cup	63 mg	15%
Shredded wheat cereal	2 large biscuits	61 mg	15%
Soymilk, plain or vanilla	1 cup	61 mg	15%
Black beans, cooked	½ cup	60 mg	14%
Edamame, shelled, cooked	½ cup	50 mg	12%
Peanut butter, smooth	2 tablespoons	49 mg	12%
Potato, baked with skin	3.5 ounces	43 mg	10%
Brown rice, cooked	½ cup	42 mg	10%
Yogurt, plain, low fat	8 ounces	42 mg	10%
Oatmeal, instant	1 packet	36 mg	9%

Seeds and nuts give the most per bite. A half cup of beans or cooked spinach comes close, and a bowl of whole grain cereal or a glass of soymilk adds about a seventh of a day's value.¹

The Daily Value for magnesium on food and supplement labels is 420 mg for adults and children aged 4 and older. A food with 20% of the Daily Value or more counts as a high source.¹

Common foods that supply less

Everyday foods lower on the list¹
Food	Serving	Magnesium
Banana	1 medium	32 mg
Milk	1 cup	27 mg
Salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked	3 ounces	26 mg
Whole wheat bread	1 slice	23 mg
Avocado, cubed	½ cup	22 mg
Chicken breast, roasted	3 ounces	22 mg
Ground beef, 90% lean	3 ounces	20 mg
Broccoli, cooked	½ cup	12 mg
White rice, cooked	½ cup	10 mg
Apple	1 medium	9 mg

Foods that contain fiber generally provide magnesium, and refining grains in ways that remove the germ and bran substantially lowers their magnesium.¹

Brown rice has about four times the magnesium of white rice, serving for serving. Meat, poultry and most fruit add a little; a day built on refined grains with few nuts, beans or greens tends to come up short.¹

How much of it you absorb

About 30 to 40% of the magnesium in food and drinks is absorbed.¹

In a study of magnesium absorption, magnesium from almonds was absorbed as well as magnesium from a dissolved salt.²

The share is not fixed. The gut takes up a larger fraction when the amount eaten is small, and the kidneys pass less magnesium into urine when the body runs low.^1,2

Tap, mineral and bottled waters can supply magnesium, from 1 mg to more than 120 mg per liter depending on the source and brand.¹

Foods high in both magnesium and potassium

Several foods appear on NIH's lists for both minerals. These are the ones listed with the same serving size, so the figures compare directly.^1,4

Magnesium and potassium in the same serving^1,4
Food	Serving	Magnesium	Potassium
Cashews	1 ounce	74 mg	187 mg
Soymilk	1 cup	61 mg	287 mg
Banana	1 medium	32 mg	422 mg
Salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked	3 ounces	26 mg	326 mg
Raisins	½ cup	23 mg	618 mg
Whole wheat bread	1 slice	23 mg	81 mg
Broccoli, cooked	½ cup	12 mg	229 mg

Beans, potatoes, spinach, milk and yogurt are on both lists as well, measured in different serving sizes.^1,4

Is there magnesium glycinate or citrate in food?

Glycinate, citrate, oxide, malate and L-threonate are forms used in supplements and medicines, and a Supplement Facts panel lists the magnesium they supply. Food tables list magnesium itself. FDA does not require a food label to show magnesium at all unless it was added, so for whole foods the tables on this page are the better guide.¹

What's in ours

What’s in ours

Magnesium Glycinate: Magnesium, 275 mg per serving, from the label
Men's Multi: Magnesium, 50 mg per serving, from the label
Creatine + Electrolytes: Magnesium, 60 mg per serving, from the label

When food magnesium needs a doctor's view

Magnesium from food is not harmful for healthy people, because the kidneys remove any excess. People with kidney disease or kidney failure are the exception: the kidneys may not clear it, so follow your doctor's advice on magnesium from every source.^1,3

Questions people ask

Which fruit has the most magnesium?

Of the fruits on NIH's list, a medium banana has 32 mg, half a cup of raisins 23 mg and half a cup of avocado 22 mg. A medium apple has 9 mg.¹

Can you get enough magnesium from food alone?

Yes, by eating a variety of foods, according to NIH. In practice, national survey data show that 48% of Americans get less than the average requirement from food and drink.^1,3

Which vegetable has the most magnesium?

Boiled spinach leads NIH's list at 78 mg per half cup. A baked potato with its skin has 43 mg per 3.5 ounces, cooked broccoli 12 mg per half cup and a raw carrot 7 mg.¹

See what we make

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See the Full Measure line Creatine + Electrolytes Magnesium Glycinate Men's Multi

Sources

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.