Dark chocolate gets most of the credit when people talk about magnesium. It's a good source, but according to Health, it isn't the richest one. Health points to six foods that top it: pumpkin seeds, spinach, amaranth, Brazil nuts, chia, and soybeans.
Below, you'll find where each one fits in a Paleo-inspired kitchen, plus simple ways to use them this week. Two of the six need a flag first, and I'll say which.
First, the Paleo reality check
Not all six sit comfortably in a strict Paleo template. Pumpkin seeds, spinach, Brazil nuts, and chia are easy fits. Amaranth is a pseudo-grain, and soybeans are a legume, so many Paleo eaters skip both. If you follow a stricter approach, lean on the first four. If you're more flexible (this site's "Beyond Basic Paleo" territory), amaranth and soybeans are options to consider on your own terms.
Health's list doesn't rank the six or give magnesium amounts in the material I have, so I won't invent numbers. The takeaway is simple: these foods rank above dark chocolate, and all of them are easy to cook with.
Pumpkin seeds: the easiest daily add
Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) need no cooking and keep well in a pantry jar, which makes them the lowest-effort swap on the list.
- Snack: Toast a cup in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes with salt and smoked paprika.
- Breakfast: Sprinkle over a fruit bowl or coconut yogurt.
- Dinner: Blitz into a pesto with basil, garlic, and olive oil instead of pine nuts and cheese.
Spinach: the one-pan workhorse
Spinach wilts in about a minute, so it slides into nearly anything.
- Fold two big handfuls into scrambled eggs at the end of cooking.
- Stir into a finished soup right before serving.
- Add to a sausage-and-sweet-potato skillet during the last two minutes.
A bag that's about to turn is perfect for a quick sauté in olive oil and garlic.
Brazil nuts: small handful, big role
Brazil nuts are rich and filling, so a few go a long way. Keep them in a small container near your coffee or in a bag for the car. Chop them into a trail mix with dried fruit and pumpkin seeds, or pulse them into a crumbly topping for baked fruit.
Chia: your Smart Swap for thickening and binding
Chia earns its spot in the "Smart Swaps" category because it replaces other ingredients as well as adding nutrition.
- Pudding: Stir 3 tablespoons into a cup of coconut milk, rest it overnight, and top with berries. It's a fruit-forward sweet treat with no refined sugar.
- Egg stand-in for baking: Mix 1 tablespoon chia with 3 tablespoons water, let it gel for 10 minutes, and use it in place of one egg in muffins or pancakes. It's a common kitchen trick, so test it in a small batch first.
- Jam: Mash berries, warm them, and stir in a spoonful of chia to thicken.
Amaranth: for the flexible eater
If your version of Paleo allows it, amaranth cooks into a porridge. Simmer it with about three times its volume in water until soft, then top with cinnamon and sliced apple. If you skip grains, leave it out and rely on the other items.
Soybeans: another flexible-eater option
Soybeans are legumes, so strict Paleo eaters usually pass. If you do include them, edamame is a simple way in: steam, salt, and eat as a snack or toss into a salad. Everyone else can skip this one with no loss, since the other five cover the ground.
A simple magnesium-forward day
Here's how it could look without cooking anything complicated:
- Breakfast: Eggs scrambled with spinach, plus a handful of pumpkin seeds on the side.
- Snack: Two or three Brazil nuts and an apple.
- Lunch: Big salad of spinach, leftover chicken, avocado, and toasted pepitas.
- Dessert: Chia pudding with berries.
Nothing there requires a special trip to the store, and most of it works as meal prep. Toast a batch of pepitas on Sunday, wash the spinach, and make a jar of chia pudding for the next two days.
Keep the chocolate
This isn't a reason to ditch dark chocolate. Health frames it as high in magnesium, just not the highest. A square after dinner can sit alongside everything above. Think of these six as the foods that do the heavier lifting.
If you do one thing this week, buy a bag of pumpkin seeds and toast them. Put them on your next three meals and you've started the upgrade.
