A Widespread Worldwide Magnesium Deficiency is Growing in Awareness
Some estimates suggest that almost 90 percent of humanity may be magnesium deficient. But how could that be true? According to Wellness Mama, only the populations closest to the oceans are likely to get enough magnesium, since the seas and surrounding land/water are usually sufficient in the nutrient. However, elsewhere, depleted soil conditions lead to magnesium-depleted plants and then the animals which eat the plants are also low on magnesium. Of course, the humans who eat the plants or animals are then, in turn, magnesium deficient as well. Stress and the consumption of sugar and caffeine also contribute to the depletion of magnesium in our bodies. Since our bodies need magnesium to effectively conduct protein synthesis, neurotransmission, blood pressure regulation, and efficient blood sugar control (among numerous other processes), getting enough of it should be a high priority. Check some of the Mama’s signs of deficiency out here.
Whether you’re officially deficient or not, getting a little extra magnesium into the diet is likely a good idea for most of us. See if you can find and include these magnesium-rich foods in your family’s diet:
Spinach, chard or many other green leafy veggies
Tossing a little spinach into a vegetable salad or even cooking it on the stove (we strain ours and top it with a splash of vinegar) can help add a little more of it to your diet. Green leafies on top of sandwiches or underneath a scoop of pasta salad can also enrich your dishes both nutritionally and artistically. Spinach and mushroom pizza is usually a win with any hungry crew. If you’re at a loss as to how to integrate more spinach, chard, or leafy greens into your life, give Vegan Richa, Minimalist Baker, or Green Evi food blogs a quick search with the desired food as search criteria. Here’s a great-looking recipe for Vegan Richa’s Spinach Florentine Casserole, for one example.
Pumpkin Seeds
It’s about that time! Be sure to save the seeds from your carving pumpkin this fall to roast them up fresh! You can salt or sweeten them up, sprinkle them on salads or add them to your favorite granola or trail mix recipe, like this one.
Almonds
These are delicious whole and raw, straight out of the tin. Or maybe you prefer slivered almonds over a salad (toss them onto a spinach or a figgy melon salad for a double helping of magnesium), or some almond butter on your sandwich instead of peanut butter. Pears and almonds go together well in salads and pastries, while Game Day snacks can easily incorporate almonds into a flavorful blend like this Spiced Nut Mix.
Avocado
Slice it up beside almost anything, spread it over toast, or make some homemade guac. If you’re interested in something sweeter, I recently wrote about some indulgent avocado desserts here as well.
Dark Chocolate
From health food store candy bars, cookies, biscotti, cake, and brownies to even a decadent dark chocolate and red wine fondue, the options are endless for this magnesium-rich delight!
Figs
If you’ve never tried anything with figs besides Fig Newmans, it’s time to branch out a little! These are pretty little fruits when sliced up, so you’ll often find them adorning the edges of cakes and tarts, or showing up against the glass in a jar of almond milk chia fig pudding. Double your magnesium dose when you dip them in dark chocolate here. Make some tasty fig maple preserves for your toast and pancakes or mix a little with your next fruit salad and cucumbers for this lovely Fruit Salad with a Twist recipe.
Mix Them Together for A Tasty Original Blend
Mix and match these foods with your favorites to easily incorporate them into your diet. If you’re still at a loss, try plugging the desired ingredient into the search field at Foodgawker.com to find an assortment of recipes to suit your tastes.
Since this recipe features several of the above-named foods (including spinach, figs, and avocado to boot), getting a few these salads onto your table should do the trick in upping your family’s magnesium levels: Don’t skip this Fig Spinach Salad recipe. This mouth-watering Watermelon Avocado Spinach salad with Poppyseed Dressing features spinach, avocado, and almonds aside watermelon too, and this Ultimate Green Smoothie Bowlintegrates much of the same with sliced up bananas as well — another great magnesium-rich food!
