All the experts we interviewed were unanimous on this issue. Why should you take magnesium supplements at all in the absence of a deficiency, if there are so many delicious foods rich in this trace element? Here are some examples.
- Dark chocolate: one slice has about 64 mg of magnesium (16% of the daily requirement).
- Avocado: one medium-sized fruit contains 58 mg of magnesium (15% of the daily requirement).
- Cashews: a handful of nuts weighing 28 g has 82 mg of magnesium (20% of the daily requirement).
- Brazil Nut: 100 g (approximately 12-15 pieces) cover the daily need for magnesium by 100%.
- Beans: a cup of boiled black beans has 120 mg of magnesium (30% of the daily requirement).
- Banana: one piece has 37 mg of magnesium (9% of the daily requirement).
- Salmon: half a fillet weighing 178 g contains 53 mg of magnesium (13% of the daily requirement).
- Magnesium chloride (bischofite) by analogy with salt (sodium chloride) will make it easy to fill the daily requirement.
You can also find various magnesium salts in food in high concentrations, but it is not enough to fully satisfy the body’s needs even with a diet.
The advantages of usual food are not limited because it is tastier and more nutritious. There are two more important points.
Compatibility. You should not take magnesium supplements together with antibiotics (tetracyclines and quinolones). Magnesium forms difficult-to-dissolve compounds with them. Real food has no such restrictions.
Side effects. When taking supplements, it is possible to overdose. It has unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. And it can cause dehydration and loss of magnesium. If you consume nuts, pumpkin seeds, and salmon, you are not in danger of overdosing. Also, in this case, a “smart” algorithm is triggered. The body regulates the level of assimilation itself. It increases from an average of 30-40% to a maximum of 80% if there is little magnesium in the products, and reduces to 25% if it is too much.
