7 magnesium-rich superfoods to try this winter that can improve your health

Magnesium helps with blood sugar, exercise, mood, sleep, and more. You can overcome the winter blues and make the most of the season by including magnesium in your diet

Magnesium is crucial for the brain and body. It can aid with blood sugar balance, mood, sleep, and exercise performance, among many other things. It is found in some foods, including leafy greens and nuts, and in supplements.

 

Nothing makes you feel more lethargic and exhausted than a winter morning. However, you can overcome the winter blues and feel your best self by including magnesium in your diet. You should include seven items high in magnesium in your regular diet during the winter months, according to this study. 

What Is Magnesium?

One mineral that is essential to the proper operation of your body is magnesium. The mineral determines more than 300 internal chemical reactions. Your nerves and muscles cannot communicate with one another if you are deficient in magnesium. Additionally, magnesium maintains healthy joint cartilage, balanced blood sugar, and a steady heartbeat. It aids in the synthesis of DNA, bone, and protein.

 

Your body doesn't manufacture magnesium on its own. Your age and gender will determine how much you require. You require 310 milligrams every day if you are a woman who is 19 years of age or older, and 350 milligrams if you are pregnant. You require 400 milligrams per day if you are an adult male under thirty. Men require 420 mg beyond the age of thirty.

Why is Magnesium important in winter?

Low levels of serotonin, popularly known as the happy hormone, are created in the body as a result of the cold weather. The body produces more serotonin when magnesium is present. This can help you guard against Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression triggered by reduced exposure to sunlight. Magnesium helps regulate the winter-induced mood swings and anxiety by balancing cortisol in the body.

 

The season also brings stress, which originates because of a variety of reasons. Acting as an “anti-stress” mineral, Magnesium helps regulate the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis (HPA), the system which handles our body’s stress response. It also helps the body relax by helping in the activity of neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). 

 

Magnesium is essential for a number of processes, including immune system stimulation, blood pressure regulation, bone formation, stress management, protein synthesis, muscle contraction, and many more. In addition, it is a necessary mineral that is a part of more than 300 enzymatic processes in the body. 

Magnesium rich foods to try this winter

1. Leafy Vegetables

 

In addition to being a great source of magnesium, leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, and mustard greens are also very nutrient-dense. For example, 78 mg of magnesium can be found in half a cup of spinach. 

 

2. Nuts and seeds

 

    • Roasted almonds consists of 8 mg of magnesium

    • Roasted Cashews consists of 72 mg of magnesium

    • Peanuts have 49 per cent of magnesium present in them

    • Pumpkin seeds have 150 mg of magnesium. 

      

3. Dark Chocolate 

Dark chocolate has health benefits in addition to its deliciousness. It has 64 mg of magnesium, making it extremely rich in the mineral.

 

4. Tofu 

If you follow a vegetarian or even vegan diet, tofu, often called bean curd, is best for you. It is a very nutrient-dense, low-calorie food that has 35 mg of magnesium.

 

5. Whole Wheat 

Whole wheat, which has 160 mg of magnesium per cup, is an alternative to white flour.

 

6. Bananas 

In addition to being high in magnesium, bananas also include manganese, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. There are 37 mg of magnesium in one banana.

 

 7. Avocados 

One avocado delivers 58 mg of magnesium and also contains beneficial fats that are required for the body.