#013 Nutrient Deep Dive: Magnesium

If you have never thought about your magnesium intake before, today is the day!

My semester of nutrition study at the Endeavour College of Natural Health left me with a huge interest in nutrition.

I am definitely not an expert, but the 26 units I slogged through – from amino acids to fat soluble vitamins - was definitely the most intense ‘for fun’ study I have done – and it has piqued my interest in how what we eat impacts our wellbeing.

This week, we take a deep dive into one of the macrominerals, magnesium.

What are macrominerals?

Macrominerals are minerals needed in relatively large amounts in the diet (greater than 100mg daily) to support body functions. Unlike vitamins, minerals in food are not affected by heat, light, and storage, but because they are water-soluble, they may be lost through water-processing and cooking methods. There are 7 different macrominerals: calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chloride, and magnesium.

Magnesium plays a role in over 300 enzyme reactions in the human body! Its functions include helping with muscle and nerve function, regulating blood pressure, and supporting the immune system.

Excitingly (!) in Australia, we collect some data (just not very regularly) on the nutrition of Australians. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2011-12, one in three people aged two years and over (37% of males and 34% of females) did not meet their requirements for magnesium.

In developed countries, our intake of magnesium appears to be declining due to the increased use of refined grains and processed foods. Given our ever increasing consumption of processed foods, my guess is that the number of Australians with inadequate magnesium intake is higher today than in 2011. Are you one of them?

Why do we need magnesium?

Magnesium is a part of our bones, where it acts as a structural component and a magnesium reserve, and it has a key role in cell function, energy use, muscle and nerve function, and calcium metabolism.

How much do we need every day?

The recommended dietary intake for women (31-70+ years) is 320mg/day and for men (31-70+ years) is 420mg/day.

Could you be magnesium deficient?

Some indicators of inadequate levels of magnesium could include:

·      Lethargy, weakness, muscle tremors, spasms, twitches, cramps, seizures.

·      Lack of appetite, tight throat, sensation of a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing, indigestion, constipation, diarrhoea.

·      Irregular heart rhythm, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, poor circulation.

·      Nervous tension, agitation, irritability, depression, mood swings, decreased attention span

·      Premenstrual syndrome

If you suspect you have a magnesium deficiency, make an appointment to chat to your GP about it.

How do we up our magnesium intake?

It is always better to get our vitamins and minerals from food sources, where possible.

Magnesium is found in many food sources, however, food processing and refining affect the content by up to 85%, making grains such as white flour and rice, poor sources.

This table outlines the highest food sources of magnesium (per 100g – noting it is pretty difficult to eat 100g of poppy seeds!)

Source: My lecture notes! Endeavour College of Natural Health

Some easy ways to increase your magnesium intake include:

·      Whip up a jar of magnesium super seed mix, including pumpkin, flax, poppy, sunflower, and chia seeds. Add a generous dash to your cereal, sprinkle it on salads, or on top of avo toast (or avocado and vegemite for some extra magnesium – and B vitamins!)

·      Make your own muesli – include unprocessed wheat bran and oats – and add some of your seed mix for a super boost.

·      Make a super easy chia pudding – here is one of my favourite recipes – and top it with the super seed mix.

Hopefully this post has you making a super seed mix and adding it to everything – I sure am!

Be well

Alicia