Don’t skip a beat- You might be losing out on your daily Magnesium requirements which remains undiagnosed even after blood tests. Magnesium deficiency is the only deficiency that doesn’t show outward signs or symptoms if mild.

Magnesium is the supporting actor in any successful blockbuster movie. It helps the body achieve a healthy life, free of diseases, maintain normal functioning of brain and nerves, and maintains strength of bones. It is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body.

Did you know that only 1% of magnesium is found in our body through a blood test and the blood serum only identifies 3% of magnesium in our body?

If not clinically, then we must try to understand our body and hear to what it says. In most of the deficiencies, the body starts showing signs and symptoms but due to our own ignorance, we tend to ignore these till it becomes routine interrupting. Hence, it is important to get a sense of magnesium levels in our body through various observations from our daily activities. There are certain signs that can lead to conclusions on magnesium levels.

Symptoms- Signs of magnesium deprivation

1. Anxiety
2. Hyperactivity
3. Muscle cramping/ muscle spasms
4. Involuntary eye movements
5. Irregular heart rhythms
6. Depression
7. Parkinson’s disease
8. Cluster headache
9. Asthma
10. Cluster headaches
11. Osteoporosis
12. Premenstrual syndrome
13. Chest pain (angina)
14. Cardiac arrhythmias
15. Coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis

So here is giving you a list of those important dietary supplements (all natural) to replenish magnesium deficiency in an average person.

1. Beans– Beans are powerful sources of magnesium and many other essential nutrients. In fact, these are so magnificently important that it is prescribed to pregnant women for a healthy growth of child.

Beans varieties like soybeans, black beans, navy beans, etc. are all rich in magnesium.

2. Nuts– Diets rich in nuts and seeds —and to a lesser extent, whole grains —would be the best way for you to limit your risk of having this deficiency. Two servings of nuts daily could is ideal.

Here’s an example of some everyday food choices that would provide you with the DV for magnesium:

2 ounces of cashew nuts and 2 cups of boiled spinach

2 ounces pumpkin seeds, 2 ounces cashews, and 2 ounces of organic almonds

3. Green leafy vegetables – green leafy vegetables are superfoods that are most powerful sources of replenishing this deficiency. Choose raw or cooked baby spinach, collard greens, kale, or Swiss chard and you’ll be stocking your body with magnesium for very few calories. Buying foods from your local farmers market and foods that are grown organically may have higher levels of magnesium. The soil from conventional farms is depleted of magnesium because they don’t rotate their crops or let the land rest. Also, they typically only put nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium back in the soil, but leave out magnesium.

Typically, the foods you’ll find that are highest in magnesium are green leafy vegetables, which are packed with chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is known as the “life blood” of a plant and has the ability to absorb the sun’s light and turn it into energy.

4. Banana– My grandmother used to teach me when I was quite a kid that banana was created by god so that everyone could afford minimum essential minerals in the world. It is a powerful fruit, yet underrated. It helps considerably in replenishing its deficiencies.
5. Dark Chocolate– Yes, the ultimate indulgence that you have ever thought about is here in the list. Now you have an excuse to hog on to your favorite piece of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate has magnesium that condensed chocolate loses in the process.

Other foods that are also high in magnesium include: salmon, coriander, cashews, goat cheese and artichokes.

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