A 30-food Indian vegetarian chart with milligrams of magnesium per 100 g, per common serving, and the share of the ICMR-NIN allowance each serving covers.
How much magnesium an adult needs
The ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for magnesium is 440 mg a day for an adult man and 370 mg a day for an adult woman. The RDA is set high enough to cover nearly every healthy adult, so it is the right yardstick for judging a single meal or snack. The estimated average requirement, a lower figure used to judge whether a whole group's diet is adequate, is 370 mg for men and 310 mg for women.
Every percentage in this article is a share of the RDA: 440 mg for men and 370 mg for women. A food listed at 20% covers a fifth of a man's daily target. Milligrams per 100 g describe the food itself, while milligrams per serving describe a portion you would normally eat. Pulses are listed cooked, nuts and seeds raw or dry roasted, flour dry, and fruit raw unless the name says otherwise.
Food tables give averages that vary by variety, soil and cooking, so treat each figure as an estimate. For the wider picture on intake in India, read the magnesium deficiency problem in India, which has a shorter food list. This page is the full chart.
The full chart: Indian foods with magnesium per 100 g and per serving
The chart covers 30 foods across seeds, nuts, dark chocolate, pulses, millets and whole grains, leafy greens and fruit. Nut, seed, chocolate, pulse, oat and most fruit values come from the USDA FoodData Central database. Millet and whole wheat flour values come from Indian food composition tables, which are the better reference for the flours used in Indian kitchens.
Seeds, nuts and dark chocolate
Seeds carry the most magnesium of any common food. Pumpkin seeds, sesame and chia each give a useful amount in a small spoon, which makes them an easy add-on for oats, dal rice or chutney. Nuts follow closely. A small handful of almonds covers about a sixth of the man's RDA, and cashews do slightly better. For a fuller look at pumpkin seeds, see the pumpkin seeds nutrition guide.
| Food | Serving | mg per 100 g | mg per serving | % RDA (man / woman) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin seeds, roasted | 1 tbsp (10 g) | 550 | 55 | 13% / 15% |
| Sesame seeds, whole | 1 tbsp (10 g) | 351 | 35 | 8% / 9% |
| Chia seeds | 1 tbsp (12 g) | 335 | 40 | 9% / 11% |
| Flaxseed, ground | 1 tbsp (7 g) | 392 | 27 | 6% / 7% |
| Cashews, raw | 28 g (about 18 nuts) | 292 | 82 | 19% / 22% |
| Almonds | 28 g (about 23 nuts) | 270 | 76 | 17% / 21% |
| Walnuts | 28 g (about 14 halves) | 158 | 44 | 10% / 12% |
| Peanuts, roasted | 30 g (small handful) | 168 | 50 | 11% / 14% |
| Pistachios | 28 g | 121 | 34 | 8% / 9% |
| Dark chocolate, 70 to 85% cacao | 20 g | 228 | 46 | 10% / 12% |
Pulses
Pulses are a steady, everyday source. Chickpeas, soybeans and kidney beans each give roughly 70 mg per typical portion, and lentils give a little less. Pulses also carry phytate, covered in the cooking section below.
| Food | Serving | mg per 100 g | mg per serving | % RDA (man / woman) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chickpeas (kabuli chana), cooked | 1 katori (about 150 g) | 48 | 72 | 16% / 19% |
| Soybeans, cooked | 100 g | 74 | 74 | 17% / 20% |
| Kidney beans (rajma), cooked | 1 katori (about 150 g) | 45 | 68 | 15% / 18% |
| Lentils (masoor dal), cooked | 1 katori (about 150 g) | 36 | 54 | 12% / 15% |
Millets and whole grains
Millets are a strong magnesium source in an Indian kitchen. Jowar, ragi and bajra flours each give more magnesium than refined wheat flour, and two rotis from 50 g of bajra flour supply about 16% of the man's RDA. Whole wheat atta sits close to ragi and bajra.
| Food | Serving | mg per 100 g | mg per serving | % RDA (man / woman) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jowar (sorghum), dry | 50 g flour (about 2 rotis) | 171 | 86 | 20% / 23% |
| Ragi (finger millet), dry | 50 g flour | 137 | 69 | 16% / 19% |
| Bajra (pearl millet), dry | 50 g flour | 137 | 69 | 16% / 19% |
| Whole wheat atta | 50 g flour | 132 | 66 | 15% / 18% |
| Amaranth (rajgira) grain, dry | 30 g | 248 | 74 | 17% / 20% |
| Oats, dry | 40 g (uncooked) | 138 | 55 | 13% / 15% |
Leafy greens
Spinach is the leafy green with the most magnesium per serving on this chart. Moringa (drumstick) leaves are richer per 100 g, but a typical portion is small, so the per-serving figure is modest. Cooked spinach shrinks in the pan, so 100 g (about half a cup) is a realistic portion.
| Food | Serving | mg per 100 g | mg per serving | % RDA (man / woman) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spinach (palak), cooked | 100 g (about half a cup) | 87 | 87 | 20% / 24% |
| Drumstick (moringa) leaves, raw | 20 g | 147 | 29 | 7% / 8% |
Magnesium products in The Stack range
The sample day below shows how a varied plate can reach the target. These products suit an evening routine that adds magnesium or glycine on top of food. None replaces meals.
Top 10 magnesium-rich foods by serving
Ranking by typical serving changes the order. Cooked spinach and jowar flour lead because a normal portion is heavier than a few nuts. Seeds rank lower only because a spoonful weighs little.
| Rank | Food and serving | mg per serving | % RDA (man / woman) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spinach (palak), cooked, 100 g | 87 | 20% / 24% |
| 2 | Jowar (sorghum) flour, 50 g | 86 | 20% / 23% |
| 3 | Cashews, raw, 28 g | 82 | 19% / 22% |
| 4 | Almonds, 28 g | 76 | 17% / 21% |
| 5 | Soybeans, cooked, 100 g | 74 | 17% / 20% |
| 6 | Amaranth (rajgira) grain, 30 g | 74 | 17% / 20% |
| 7 | Chickpeas (kabuli chana), cooked, 1 katori | 72 | 16% / 19% |
| 8 | Ragi (finger millet) flour, 50 g | 69 | 16% / 19% |
| 9 | Bajra (pearl millet) flour, 50 g | 69 | 16% / 19% |
| 10 | Kidney beans (rajma), cooked, 1 katori | 68 | 15% / 18% |
Magnesium-rich fruits: which ones have the most
Fresh fruit is a modest source of magnesium. The fruits with the most are dried, because drying removes water and leaves the mineral in a smaller weight. Dried figs and dates lead the list. Dried fruit is also concentrated in sugar, so count a portion toward the day's carbohydrate.
| Fruit | Serving | mg per 100 g | mg per serving | % RDA (man / woman) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dried figs (anjeer) | 2 figs (40 g) | 68 | 27 | 6% / 7% |
| Medjool dates | 2 dates (48 g) | 54 | 26 | 6% / 7% |
| Jackfruit, raw | 1 cup (150 g) | 29 | 44 | 10% / 12% |
| Avocado | half a medium fruit (68 g) | 29 | 20 | 5% / 5% |
| Raisins | 30 g | 32 | 10 | 2% / 3% |
| Banana | 1 medium (118 g) | 27 | 32 | 7% / 9% |
| Papaya | 1 cup of cubes (140 g) | 21 | 29 | 7% / 8% |
| Guava | 1 medium (100 g) | 22 | 22 | 5% / 6% |
Among fresh fruit, jackfruit gives the most per serving, followed by banana, papaya and guava. Avocado is slightly richer than banana per 100 g, but a typical half fruit gives less. A banana gives about 32 mg, which is useful as part of a day's plate but is not a major source on its own.
A sample vegetarian day that reaches the RDA
The day below uses only the foods in the chart. It is built from common Indian portions, so it shows what a normal plate can add up to rather than a prescription.
| Meal | What is on the plate | Magnesium (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 40 g oats cooked in water, 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1 banana | 127 mg (55 + 40 + 32) |
| Lunch | 2 bajra rotis from 50 g flour, 1 katori chana, 100 g cooked palak | 228 mg (69 + 72 + 87) |
| Snack | 28 g almonds | 76 mg |
| Evening | 20 g dark chocolate, 70 to 85% cacao | 46 mg |
| Total | About 477 mg | About 108% of the man's RDA, 129% of the woman's |
Without the chocolate, the day still gives about 431 mg. That is about 98% of the man's allowance and 116% of the woman's. Adding a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds to the oats adds about 55 mg more, if you want a larger margin. These totals use rounded food-table averages, and absorption from food is partial, so the day gives a sensible margin rather than a guaranteed intake.
Cooking, soaking and phytate: what is lost
Preparation changes how much magnesium reaches the plate. Milling is the largest loss. Whole wheat flour contains about 132 mg per 100 g in Indian food tables, while refined flour (maida) contains about 54 mg, because the bran and germ hold most of the mineral. Choosing atta, ragi or bajra over maida keeps most of it in the meal.
Boiling moves magnesium into the cooking water. Keep the water in dal, rasam or soup, or steam greens with little water. Pouring away boiled spinach water removes some of the mineral along with the bitterness.
Dry roasting changes the magnesium figure only a little, and salted nuts add sodium, so buy unsalted if you eat them often.
Seeds, whole grains and pulses also contain phytate, a compound that binds magnesium and some other minerals and reduces how much the body takes up. Soaking, sprouting and fermenting lower phytate. Overnight soaking of pulses, sprouting moong and fermenting batter for idli, dosa or dhokla are traditional methods that do this. Some minerals also pass into soaking water, so discard it and cook in fresh water. Phytate is a reason to vary grains and pulses and to prepare them well, not a reason to drop them.
When food is not enough and a supplement fits
Food should come first. The sample day shows that a varied vegetarian plate can reach the RDA without a capsule. A supplement is a separate decision for three situations: your diet is consistently short, for example mostly refined flour with few pulses, seeds or greens; a doctor has checked your levels or advised one; or you want a fixed evening routine and your meals are already sorted. Signs such as muscle cramps or poor sleep do not confirm low magnesium on their own. The symptoms of magnesium deficiency guide explains why those signs need a doctor's review.
The most direct evidence on oral magnesium and sleep is a 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis by Mah and Pitre in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies.1 It pooled three randomised trials with 151 older adults who had insomnia symptoms. Participants took magnesium oxide or citrate at about 320 to 729 mg of elemental magnesium a day, compared with placebo. Sleep onset was about 17 minutes shorter after magnesium, while the gain in total sleep time was not statistically significant. The authors rated the evidence as low to very low quality, and soft stools were the side effect they noted. The result supports considering a supplement in some adults, not a proven effect for every adult.
The Deep Rest magnesium bisglycinate capsule provides 92.2 mg of elemental magnesium per capsule. That is about a fifth of the man's RDA and a quarter of the woman's. The product data lists one capsule a day before bedtime, and the label is the reference for timing. On top of the sample day above, the total would be about 570 mg, so count your whole intake before starting. Magnesium can loosen stools, so follow the label rather than taking extra to speed results.
Speak to a qualified healthcare professional before starting if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have kidney disease, or take prescribed medicines, because magnesium can change how some medicines are absorbed. The ways your body uses magnesium article explains what the mineral does, which helps you judge whether a supplement is worth discussing.
Frequently asked questions
Which Indian food has the most magnesium per serving?
Cooked spinach at 100 g gives about 87 mg, followed closely by jowar flour and cashews. Per 100 g, seeds lead, with roasted pumpkin seeds at about 550 mg.
Is dark chocolate a good source?
A 70 to 85% dark chocolate gives about 228 mg per 100 g, so a 20 g portion gives about 46 mg. It also carries sugar and fat, so count the calories when you eat it.
Does soaking remove magnesium?
Soaking lowers phytate, which lets the body take up more of the magnesium in pulses and grains. Some magnesium also passes into the soaking water, so discard that water and cook in fresh water.
Can I get enough magnesium without a supplement?
On paper, yes. The sample day gives about 477 mg from ordinary foods. Your real intake depends on what you eat each day, so a simple food diary for a week shows where the gaps are.
Is a banana a good magnesium source?
It is a moderate one. A medium banana gives about 32 mg, roughly 7% of the man's RDA. It is useful in a day's plate but is not a major source on its own.
Are the numbers in this chart exact?
No. They are averages from food tables and vary with variety, soil, ripeness and cooking. Use them to compare foods and build a plate, not to measure intake to the milligram.
Can I take Deep Rest with a food-based magnesium plan?
Add up your total first, then follow the label. Speak to a qualified healthcare professional if you are pregnant, have kidney disease or take medicines, before you combine it with other magnesium products.
Disclaimer: This article is for general education and is not medical advice. It does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition. Speak to a qualified healthcare professional before starting a supplement, especially if you are pregnant, have a medical condition or take medicines.
References
- Mah J, Pitre T. Oral magnesium supplementation for insomnia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2021;21:125. PubMed 33865376
- Indian Council of Medical Research, National Institute of Nutrition. A brief note on nutrient requirements for Indians: Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) and Estimated Average Requirements (EAR), 2020. nin.res.in
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central, SR Legacy and Foundation Foods databases. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- Indian food composition values for cereals and millets, as reproduced in the Mohan Foundation food tables. mohanfoundation.org
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