Magnesium
is one
of the most important minerals in your body.
From a microscopic process like synthesis of DNA to prevention of diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer’s
–
magnesium plays many important functions in your body.
From a microscopic process like synthesis of DNA to prevention of diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer’s
There
are many delicious and easy to find source of magnesium. Superfoods
like
avocado, almond, figs and other vegetables offer enough quantity per serving to
combat magnesium deficiency.
What is Magnesium?
Magnesium
is a naturally occurring element and mineral. It makes up your body’s
electrolytes. It is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body and is
therefore critical to many aspects of one’s health.
Your
bones, muscles and tissues contain about 99 percent of your body’s magnesium
and only 1 percent can be found in your blood. There is strong correlation
between low levels of magnesium and diseases and conditions like Alzheimer’s,
insulin resistance, migraines, type 2 diabetes, attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder, hypertension and heart disease.
Spinach
and other green leafy vegetables are among the best sources of magnesium. Even
plants that grew with magnesium fertilizers have been reported to absorb
increased levels of magnesium in the soil, and thereby transferring them to
your body when you eat them.
There
are also magnesium supplement available in the market. Magnesium citrate and
magnesium oil can be purchased by those looking to augment their magnesium
source.
The Top 10 Magnesium Rich Foods
Below
are the best 10 magnesium rich foods. They are rank according to daily
recommended value per specific amount of serving.
Superfoods like
avocado, almond, figs and other vegetables offer enough quantity per serving to
combat magnesium deficiency / PicHelp
Spinach, cooked — 1 cup: 157 milligrams (39 %
DAILY RECOMMENDED VALUE)
Swiss chard, cooked — 1 cup: 150 milligrams (38 %
DAILY RECOMMENDED VALUE)
Dark Chocolate — 1 square: 95 milligrams (24 %
DAILY RECOMMENDED VALUE)
Pumpkin seeds, dried — 1/8 cup: 92 milligrams (23 %
DAILY RECOMMENDED VALUE)
Almonds — 1 ounce: 75 milligrams (19 %
DAILY RECOMMENDED VALUE)
Black beans — 1/2 cup: 60 milligrams (15 %
DAILY RECOMMENDED VALUE)
Avocado — 1 medium: 58 milligrams (15 %
DAILY RECOMMENDED VALUE)
Figs, dried — 1/2 cup: 50 milligrams (13 %
DAILY RECOMMENDED VALUE)
Yogurt or Kefir — 1 cup: 46.5 milligrams (12 %
DAILY RECOMMENDED VALUE)
Banana — 1 medium: 32 milligrams (8 %
DAILY RECOMMENDED VALUE)
Top Proven Benefits of Magnesium
1. Alleviates PMS Symptoms
To
say that Premenstrual syndrome
, or PMS makes being a woman hard to same would
be an understatement. It is a group of painful and uncomfortable symptoms that
occur to women one to two weeks before their monthly period. According to
research, mood swings, food cravings, weight gain
, water retention
, bloating
,
fatigue
, sore breasts, irritability and digestive issues are just some of the
most prevalent PMS symptoms.
A
2010 study however have shown that magnesium when combined with vitamin B6
may
be able to reduce the aforementioned symptoms. A separate study by Journal of
Women’s Health moreover learned that 200 milligrams of magnesium daily can help
reduce the severity of some PMS symptoms like bloating, weight gain, swelling
and breast tenderness.
2. Reduces Blood Pressure
High
blood pressure can lead to a number of cardiovascular complications including
heart disease.
Magnesium
is found to lower blood pressure and therefore keep your cardiovascular
system
in check. This is why you need to make sure you have enough magnesium in
your diet. You also want to add potassium
. Doing so will keep your electrolyte
levels in check and your blood pressure in good balance.
Filling
your diet with magnesium-rich foods may be able to help keep your blood
pressure in check to promote better heart health. A study in Mexico even found
that taking magnesium supplementation reduced both systolic and diastolic blood
pressure in adults with high blood pressure.
3. Boosts Performance
Good
levels of magnesium have a positive impact on your physical performance. During
intense physical activity such as exercise, your body’s magnesium requirement
doubles.
Numerous
studies have shown that athletes who took magnesium supplements
performed
better versus their counterparts who didn’t.
4. Relieves Inflammation
A
low level of magnesium is correlated to inflammation based on a number of
studies. In a study in 2014 for instance, both low magnesium intake and low
magnesium levels in the blood were seen to have high correlation with
inflammation markers.
The
results can be attributed to the fact that inflammation is a common immune
response and is often brought by infection or injury. Magnesium has been shown
to improve immune system.
It
can also be noted that many of the top anti-inflammatory food have high concentration
of magnesium.
5. Prevents Migraines
Low
levels of magnesium have been shown to contribute to regular occurrence of
migraines
. Consequently, magnesium supplementations have been shown to cure or
at least reduce it.
6. Improves Blood Sugar
Taking
magnesium supplement can lower your blood sugar, protect against diabetes and
even prevent insulin resistance – a problem experienced by people who eat lots
of carbs and refined sugar.
According
to the journal Diabetes Care, oral magnesium supplementation improved insulin
sensitivity and reduced blood sugar levels in diabetic
patients with low
magnesium levels.
7. Fight Against Depression
Low
intake of magnesium has been found to be associated with high risk of
depression
. This supports earlier studies that show magnesium to have
mood-boosting properties.
There
are also some researches that suggest magnesium to be as effective as
antidepressants in dealing with depression. This is based on a study conducted
by Magnesium Research which compared magnesium supplements with antidepressant
medication.
8. Improves Sleep Quality
Recent
studies have shown that there could be connection between magnesium levels in
the body and sleep.
A
study conducted in Iran proved that taking magnesium supplement can reduce
insomnia
severity. It has also improved sleep time while reducing the amount of
time needed to fall asleep of the subjects.



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