Chances are you’re not getting enough magnesium in your diet. According to the USDA Agricultural Research Report, 7 out of 10 Americans are not able to meet the daily recommended amount of magnesium through diet alone.
While foods such as dark chocolate, avocados, bananas, and almonds are all high in magnesium – most of us simply don’t consume enough in one day to meet the daily recommended amount of magnesium. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that having proper levels of magnesium can support men’s health such as proper muscle function, cardiovascular health, and energy metabolism.
Why Magnesium Is Important for Men’s Health
Magnesium is critical for hundreds of individual metabolic reactions that are essential for men including: proper muscle function, energy metabolism, and cardiovascular health. Absorption of magnesium decreases with age and it is important in healthy brain function. Magnesium is also critical for the endurance of athletes and men that are very active, in order to help maintain electrolyte and energy levels.
How Men Can Improve Their Levels of Magnesium
According to the USDA, high amounts of magnesium can be found in a variety of foods such as green and leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, bananas, and avocados. For instance, 1 cup of cooked spinach has 157 mg of magnesium or 37% of the recommended daily intake while a similar serving of cooked black beans contains 120 mg or 28% of your daily recommended intake, and a 1oz serving of cashews contains 82 mg of magnesium or 20% of your daily recommended intake.
Dark chocolate contains approximately 64 mg of magnesium per 1 oz serving, though men cannot live on chocolate alone! If you do use increasing your consumption of magnesium as a reason to buy some chocolate – make sure to purchase a bar with at least 70% cocoa solids3 and make sure to also watch your overall consumption of sugar.
Personally, I enjoy consuming cacao nibs since they are the least processed cocoa product that you can find in most markets and are also low in sugar since they haven’t been processed into a chocolate bar. This makes it more healthy than other alternatives but still tastes great and it is fun to just take a pinch and pop it in your mouth as a quick snack.
Luckily, all these dietary sources contain high amounts of other vitamins, minerals, and other elements that are important to supporting men’s health as well. For instance, dark chocolate contains iron, copper, prebiotic fiber, and antioxidants that will help support your body’s health across a variety of important areas.
What About Supplements Containing Magnesium?
Magnesium isn’t a new trend for improving men’s health and there are many ways that you can easily meet 100% of the daily recommended amount of the mineral. While a healthy, well-balanced diet is important, it’s not always easy to achieve the daily recommended amount so supplementation is a great way to help bridge the gap. However, it’s important to know that not all magnesium supplements are equal in quality. Some uncoated supplements may cause digestive issues and other supplements containing other forms of magnesium, like magnesium oxide, may simply not be absorbed as efficiently by the body.
You should always make sure to contact your doctor or healthcare provider before starting a new regimen.
