Magnesium in diet is an important that is often overlooked. In fact, up to 90 percent of Americans don't get the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of magnesium from their diet alone. This might account for the fact that the amount of magnesium in diet people are getting has plummeted over 50 percent over the last century! If you aren't getting enough magnesium in diet, you might be experiencing symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Symptoms can include leg cramps, migraines, fatigue, loss of appetite, depression, nausea and vomiting or high blood pressure.
"Not getting the right amount of magnesium in diet is a growing concern for everyone-it's vital to overall health, especially for those people with certain medical conditions," says Andrea Rosanoff, co-author of a consumer education book titled "The Magnesium Factor." "Eating foods like leafy greens, mixed nuts and whole grain foods that contain a lot of magnesium is a good start, but it's also important to take a magnesium supplement, to make sure you are getting the right amount."
So why is magnesium in diet so important? It plays a big part in keeping the heart healthy, making sure bones are strong and helping the body absorb other important minerals such as calcium and potassium. Magnesium supplementation also helps people with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease maintain adequate magnesium in diet levels which is especially important for these patients.
Magnesium in diet is also important to women who are pregnant, experience menopause or are at risk for osteoporosis. Getting the right amount of magnesium daily can help prevent leg cramps, migraines and fatigue.
It is estimated that up to 80 percent of those with type 2 diabetes have a magnesium deficiency. This happens when high glucose levels make the body flush magnesium from its system. In a recent study, people with diabetes who took magnesium supplements had improved insulin and glucose levels.
Magnesium in diet helps in keeping your heart healthy, making sure your bones are strong, and helps your body absorb important minerals like calcium and potassium, prevent constipation, kidney stones, gallstones, and osteoporosis. If you have type two diabetes or a cardiovascular disease maintaining an adequate level of magnesium in diet is important. Magnesium helps the stabilization of the heart rhythms, preventing abnormal blood clotting in the heart. Taking magnesium supplements with type two diabetes helps improve insulin and glucose levels.
Most magnesium in diet comes from vegetables, such as dark green, leafy vegetables. Other foods that are good sources of magnesium:
Fruits or vegetables (such as bananas, dried apricots, and avocados)
Nuts (such as almonds and cashews)
Peas and beans (legumes), seeds
Soy products (such as soy flour and tofu)
Whole grains (such as brown rice and millet)
You should note that refined grains are generally low in magnesium in diet. When white flour is processed, the magnesium rich germ and bran are removed. Bread made from whole grain wheat flour provides more magnesium than bread made from white refined flour. Tap water can be a source of magnesium, but the amount varies according to the water supply. Water that naturally contains more minerals is described as “hard”. “Hard” water usually contains more magnesium than “soft” water.magnesium in diet