Obesity in America
Posts tagged Fruits And Vegetables
All About Magnesium
May 13th
Magnesium is an important essential mineral for the body . It is involved in hundreds of enzymatic reactions, including those that contribute to production of energy and cardiovascular function.
Considering its immense importance to our health , it is a sad to report that magnesium intake has been on the decline since the early 1990s. For instance, the biggest decreases in dietary magnesium have been seen in the American diet (what a surprise!) as a result of supplemental vitamin D and calcium supplements, increased phosphorus, alcohol, caffeine, and sugar intake, and constant consumption of refined and processed foods.
And the worst part is that the average American only gets 1.5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day  . Considering that magnesium is abundantly found in these foods it’s no wonder we a have a problem .
What Does it Do?
Magnesium, also considered the “anti stress” mineral . It is a natural tranquilizer as it functions to relax skeletal muscle as well as the smooth muscles of blood vessels and the GI tract.
Research has indicated that decreased blood and tissue levels of magnesium are correlated with high blood pressure, kidney stones, and heart attacks .
But it’s no surprise that we would see such issues since magnesium has a relaxing effect on the body . Therefore, low levels of this vital mineral means that many contraction (calcium-stimulated)-relaxation (magnesium-stimulated) relationships are disrupted tipping the scales toward a state of “constriction” or “contraction”.
For instance, studies have shown that a decreased density of magnesium is found in the heart and blood of heart attack victims.
Because of its influence on the heart (which in turn in the greatest reservoir of magnesium), it is considered important in preventing coronary artery spasm, a significant cause of heart attacks. Spasms of the blood vessels lead to insufficient oxygen supply, which results in pain, injury, or death of the muscle tissue that they nourish.
To function optimally, magnesium must be balanced in the body with calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium chloride. For instance, too little magnesium leads to more calcium flowing into the vascular muscle cells, causing them to contract – leading to tighter vessels and higher blood pressure.
For women, magnesium’s relaxing effects has implications for helping to facilitate PMS .
It also a big role to play in allowing the body to eliminate properly . Adequate magnesium allows your bowels to relax and thus allow the passage of waste from the colon.
These are just a few of the many vital functions that magnesium performs in our body. Needless to say, it is an important which we need to get from our diet and possibly supplementation.
Where can Magnesium be Found ?
Magnesium is mostly derived from vegetables . As a component of chlorophyll, magnesium is to the plants what iron is to the hemoglobin of our red blood vessels. In fact, chlorophyll and hemoglobin have the EXACT same molecular structure differing only in their main mineral – magnesium and iron, respectively.
This molecular identity is one of the reasons that green vegetables are so amazing for the human body. Chlorophyll is the pigment that gives plants their green colour. It also important to plant photosynthesis – the process of converting sunlight, CO2, and water into carbohydrates and oxygen. As a result, when we ingest green foods we essentially infuse the sun’s energy right into our blood stream. Pretty powerful if you ask me!
Green leafy dark vegetables are the best sources of magnesium . Think kale, swiss chard, spinach, arugula, watercress, and anything else that is green.
Most nuts, seeds, and legumes also have high amounts of magnesium and should be incorporated into a raw food diet.
Below are some examples of magnesium-rich foods :
Spinach (1 cup, boiled) – 156 mg
Swiss chard (1 cup, boiled) – 150 mg
Pumpkin seeds (1/4 cup, raw) – 185 mg
Sesame seeds (1/4 cup, raw) – 126 mg
Black beans (1 cup, cooked) – 120 mg
Cashews (1/4 cup, raw) – 89 mg
Kale (1 cup, boiled) – 24 mg
How Much Do I Need?
The minimum required intake of magnesium can be expressed as about 6 mg/kg of body weight. For instance, a 150-pound person would need about 410 mg per day.
In general, for men over 19 years of age, the recommendation is 400 mg of magnesium per day, while for women of the same age it’s about 360 mg per day.
However, the problem is that the average American diet only supplies about 120 mg of magnesium per 1,000 calories. Which means that we need enhance the nutrient density of our food intake without over-doing the calories!
So what’s the take home message from this information ?
Eat more plant-based foods! Especially dark green leafy vegetables. All you need to do is add one more cup of spinach or swiss chard to your meals and you will most likely have doubled the average American diet intake!
