Top 10 Vegetables Highest in Magnesium

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Evidence Based. References sourced from PubMed. Powered by USDA Nutrition Data.
Top 10 Vegetables Highest in Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral required by the body for muscle and nerve function, maintaining heart rhythm, building strong bones, and energy production. (1,2,3)

Magnesium is an electrolyte, and a deficiency in magnesium can lead to numbness, abnormal heart rhythms, coronary spasms. (4) In the long term, magnesium deficiency increases the risk of stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and migraine. (5)

Vegetables are an extremely nutrient dense food group and it is no surprise that vegetables are a good source of magnesium.

Vegetables high in magnesium include spinach, Swiss chard, lima beans, acorn squash, artichokes, kale, peas, okra, sweet corn, and potatoes. The daily value (DV) for magnesium is 420mg. (6,7)

See the top 10 vegetables high in magnesium below, and for more, see the extended list of less common vegetables rich in magnesium, list of high magnesium fruits, and the article on the top 10 high magnesium foods.

List of Vegetables High in Magnesium

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A printable one-page sheet of the top 10 high magnesium vegetables. Vegetables high in magnesium include spinach, Swiss chard, lima beans, acorn squash, artichokes, kale, peas, okra, sweet corn, and potatoes.

Even More Magnesium Rich Vegetables

FoodServingMagnesium
1. Taro + 1 cup sliced 17% DV
(70mg)
2. Burdock Root + 1 cup 12% DV
(49mg)
3. Nopales + 1 cup sliced 11% DV
(45mg)
4. Fireweed Leaves + 1 cup 9% DV
(36mg)
5. Sweet Potato Leaves + 1 cup chopped 7% DV
(31mg)
6. Parsley + per cup 7% DV
(30mg)
7. Purslane + 1 cup 7% DV
(29mg)
8. Beet Greens + per cup fresh 6% DV
(27mg)
9. Sweet Potato Leaves + 1 cup chopped 6% DV
(25mg)
10. Garden Cress + 1 cup 5% DV
(19mg)
11. Amaranth Leaves + 1 cup 4% DV
(15mg)
12. Spirulina + 1 tbsp 3% DV
(14mg)
13. Wakame Seaweed + 2 tbsp (1/8 cup) 3% DV
(11mg)

How Much Magnesium Do You Need Everyday?

The daily value (%DV) for Magnesium is 420mg and is a general target intended for most people. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) shows specific targets by age and gender. The RDA for magnesium is between 300mg - 420mg for most people. (7)

Life StageRDA
Children
1-3 years old80mg
4-8 years old130mg
Males
9-13 years old240mg
14-18 years old410mg
19-30 years old310mg
31-70 years old420mg
70+ years old420mg
Females
9-13 years old240mg
14-18 years old360mg
19-30 years old310mg
31-70 years old320mg
70+ years old320mg
Pregnancy
14-18 years old335mg
19-30 years old290mg
31-50 years old300mg
Lactation
14-18 years old400mg
19-30 years old350mg
31-50 years old360mg
Source: National Library of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes for Magnesium

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Data Sources and References

  1. Limaye CS, Londhey VA, Nadkart MY, Borges NE. Magnesium and Human Health: Perspectives and Research Directions J Assoc Physicians India. 2011 Jan;59:19-22. 21751660
  2. Robertson SP, Johnson JD, Potter JD. Magnesium and the regulation of muscle contraction Biophys J. 1981 Jun;34(3):559-69. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(81)84868-0. 7195747
  3. Robertson SP, Johnson JD, Potter JD. Magnesium and the regulation of muscle contraction Biophys J. 1981 Jun;34(3):559-69. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(81)84868-0. 7195747
  4. Rude RK. Clinical manifestations of magnesium deficiency Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1993 Jun;22(2):377-95. 8325293
  5. Kirkland AE, Sarlo GL, Holton KF. The Effect of Magnesium Deficiency on Neurological Disorders: A Narrative Review Article Nutrients. 2018 Jun 6;10(6):730. doi: 10.3390/nu10060730. 29882776
  6. U.S.FDA - Daily Value on the New Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
  7. Institute of Medicine (US) Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1998. 20845565
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