How To Track Your Magnesium Intake From Food With Diet Analysis

Magnesium Intake

Magnesium is an essential electrolyte that plays a major role in most physiological functions, particularly ATP-dependent enzymatic reactions, such as muscle contraction and nerve conduction. It is the fourth most abundant electrolyte in the organism.

Daily magnesium requirements vary slightly with age and gender; for ages 19 to 30, it is 310mg for women and 400mg for men (1). 

The recommended daily allowance for magnesium for various ages is presented below.

The RDA for pregnant women aged 19 to 30 is 350mg, while this value for lactating women of the same age is 310mg.

Foods High in Magnesium

Magnesium can be found in various food groups, including green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, dark chocolate, fruits, seafood, soybean products, and fortified foods.

Chlorophyll, the pigment responsible for the green color in plants, contains magnesium, making leafy greens particularly rich in this essential mineral. Examples of magnesium-rich leafy greens include spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and collard greens.

Magnesium intake can be met through food as well as magnesium supplements.

Below is a list of foods that are good sources of magnesium according to their average serving sizes per person.

If interested, you can also check out our list of foods high in magnesium according to 100g serving sizes.

How to Use Foodstruct Diet Analysis Tool

Our diet analyzer allows you to track your nutrition intake based on the foods and drinks you’ve had during the day or those that generally make up your diet.

The first step in using the diet analyzer is to enter your age and sex, as the required nutrient intake can change based on these. You can also choose whether to focus on the Adequate Intake or Daily Values of foods. 

You can use our diet analyzer to check what is missing from your diet or to create a new nutritious and balanced diet.

Next, you can decide whether you want to check your magnesium intake on the given day or in general. Based on that, you can choose the foods you’ve had that day or the foods you use most.

You can also use our pre-set option if your personal diet aligns with these diets.

Once you’ve chosen your foods, click “Analyze Now,” and you’ll get a full diet analysis, including nutrient deficiencies, overconsumption, and glycemic index values.

You can find information on magnesium along the way in various sections, depending on where your magnesium intake falls. However, you’ll always find the magnesium intake percentage in the “Minerals Coverage Chart.”

What a Diet High in Magnesium Looks Like in Diet Analysis

Here’s what a diet looks like if you eat one serving of everything on our list of foods high in magnesium.

This shows us the importance of balancing all nutrients instead of focusing only on one. You can look at the deficiencies and add foods high in the required nutrients accordingly.

Overconsumption of certain nutrients, such as magnesium, is not a concern for healthy individuals as long as it’s not in toxic amounts because the body self-regulates through the kidneys and intestines.

Here’s an example of a balanced diet high in magnesium.

• Breakfast: avocado toast with eggs and tea,
• Lunch: quinoa salad with salmon, kale, and spinach,
• Snack: A trail mix with Brazil nuts, almonds, and walnuts, 
• Dinner: mung beans with brown rice and water,
• Dessert: yogurt with chia, sesame, and sunflower seeds.

After creating your desired diet, you can save this list of foods by naming it and clicking “Save As a New Diet.”