Magnesium Health Watch

Magnesium, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K are particularly important for bone health.  Eating smart can often get you the vitamins and minerals you need.

For example, enjoying some lowfat yogurt can get up to half of a day’s calcium.

Vitamin D can be a tricky one, as it’s not present in many foods, though many are vitamin d fortified.

A handful of almonds can take care of 1/4 of your daily magnesium needs.

Enhance your diet with soybeans and leafy greens, and you’ll be well on your way to the right magnesium levels.

Here Cooking light presents the foods that best supply these vitamins.  On calcium and tofu:

“A great non-dairy source of calcium is tofu. Just one-half cup of firm tofu fortified with calcium has about 20 percent of the daily recommendation for calcium. (Not every tofu is made this way, so look for labels that declare it’s a good source of calcium.) Tofu is also a good source of protein and a wonderful addition to any stir-fry.”

All Photos – Calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin K are key nutrients for healthy bones. Our RD shows you good food sources. – Photos – CookingLight.com.

It’s easy to get ample magnesium from your diet if you know what to look for.  Foods like beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains and leafy greens are incredibly nutritious and packed with magnesium.

This article lists several great, magnesium-rich vegetarian recipes.   Here’s one to get you started:

Mediterranean Tomato, Lentil and Spinach Soup

Serve this hearty vegetarian soup with crusty whole wheat bread for a complete meal. I like the sharp and slightly salty addition of freshly grated good Parmesan cheese, but omit it if serving to vegans.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried basil leaves
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each dried oregano and thyme leaves
• Pinch each dried rosemary leaves, crumbled, and pepper
• 3 cups (750 mL) vegetable stock
• 1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes, including juice
• 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) lentils, drained and rinsed
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3 cups (750 mL) fresh baby spinach leaves
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in seasonings, vegetable stock, tomatoes, lentils and lemon juice.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 5 minutes. Stir in spinach leaves until wilted, about 30 seconds. Serve with Parmesan, if desired.

Makes 8 cups (2 L), 4 servings.

More Information
Tomato Tip: If you have canned whole tomatoes rather than diced, an easy way to cut them up is using kitchen shears. Pour tomato liquid into soup (to avoid messy overflow) and cut tomatoes in the can.

Nutritional information
Per Serving: 280 cal, 20 g protein, 6 g fat, 42 g carb, 10 g fibre, 1265 mg sodium. Excellent source vit A, vit C, folate, niacin, thiamin, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc. Very high source dietary fibre. Calories : 280

Welcome to Homemakers.com : Food & Nutrition : Satisfying magnesium-rich sources -.

As you probably know, migraine triggers are different for everyone.   Some have found that their diet may trigger migraines.  Whether it’s MSG, red wine or nitrates, there are a lot of hidden ingredients that can contribute to this condition.  If you’re looking to determine the migraine trigger, it’s important to pay close attention to what you consume.  Try keeping a daily journal.  It can help you identify patterns and relationships between the food you eat and the onset of migraines.

This article suggests riboflavin and, you guessed it, magnesium as supplements to help prevent migraines:

“Are there any foods or supplements that can help prevent a migraine?

Magnesium. It’s thought that a deficiency of the mineral magnesium in the brain can cause nerve cells to be overly excited, triggering a migraine attack. Some studies have shown that taking a magnesium supplement can reduce migraine frequency in adults and children.

The best sources of magnesium include whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, dried fruit and leafy green vegetables.

Studies have given patients 600 milligrams of magnesium per day as a supplement. But before supplementing, speak to your health care provider. Taking more than 350 milligrams of magnesium can cause diarrhea and stomach upset”

CTV News | Leslie Beck’s Q and A: Can the foods you eat cause a migraine headache?.

Delicious Living provides a rich resource page on all things magnesium.  There are links to articles on magnesium’s role in heart health, bone health,  mood, muscular development, sleep and more.  It also includes links to magnesium-rich food recipes such as this one for Nutty Oatmeal Chocolate Bars.

Although it would be great if we reached for broccoli instead of sweets when we’re stressed, there’s no need to feel guilty with these treats. Oats have a calming effect, and chocolate contains magnesium, believed to help ease anxiety. To make cookies instead of bars, drop tablespoons of dough onto a prepared cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes.

Nutty Oatmeal Chocolate Bars (makes 24)

1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup natural cane sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 medium eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or raisins

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, cream together syrup, sugar, butter, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla. In a medium bowl, mix together cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, oats, flour, and walnuts. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring until just moistened. Add chocolate chips or raisins and stir again until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.

3. Spread mixture evenly in pan. Bake on center rack for about 20 minutes. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes on a wire rack before slicing.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
Calories: 158 calories
% fat calories: 30
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 21mg
Protein: 5g
Carbohydrate: 24g
Fiber: 3g
Sodium: 104mg
Sources: James Rouse, ND, and Debra Rouse, ND.

Magnesium and your health.

We wanted to let you know about our ever-expanding Magnesium Rich Foods site on Squidoo.  There, we post additional information on magnesium-rich food sources, magnesium mineral supplements and more.  This includes informative videos, great tips on from experts, and featured nutritional products from Amazon.

Visit: http://www.squidoo.com/magnesiumfoods