3 Best Magnesium-Rich Foods That Can Help Naturally Lower Blood Pressure

Are you getting enough magnesium? If not, you might be missing out on a natural way to reduce your blood pressure — and set yourself up for longevity.

How important is magnesium to leading a long, healthy life? Pretty important, according to a 2010 study in the American Heart Journal that followed 14,232 adults between the ages of 45 and 64 for 12 years. By the end of the study, 264 of the subjects had experienced sudden cardiac death. Those who had survived exhibited higher magnesium levels than those who had passed away, leading to the conclusion that low levels of magnesium might be connected to a higher risk of dying from heart disease.

That said, it can be tough to figure out which foods will get you enough magnesium — and you need several hundred milligrams to perform at peak levels. According to a fact sheet published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), men need between 400 and 420 milligrams of magnesium a day, and women between 310 and 320 milligrams. Consequently, you may find it helpful to eat magnesium-rich meals and snacks made with seeds, tree nuts and peanuts, or soy products.

Getting magnesium from seeds, nuts, and soy allows you to reach your daily desired amount of magnesium without eating huge portions. As an NIH fact sheet indicates, an ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds offers 156 milligrams of magnesium. (That's half of your daily suggested value if you're a woman.) If you prefer the taste or texture of chia seeds, aim for one ounce and you'll garner 111 milligrams of magnesium.

In terms of dry-roasted nuts, an ounce of almonds clocks in at 80 milligrams of magnesium, whereas an ounce of cashews provides 74 milligrams. And when you crave creamy peanut butter, you only have to eat two tablespoons to fuel up on 49 milligrams of magnesium. Both soy milk and cooked edamame are strong in the magnesium department, too: Drink a cup of soy milk to consume 61 milligrams of magnesium or chow down on a half-cup of edamame for 50 milligrams.

By mixing and matching these versatile magnesium sources throughout your meals, you can meet your magnesium goals. As your health reward, you may find it simpler to manage or maintain your blood pressure. A 2012 review in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at the relationship between blood pressure levels and magnesium across 140 studies. The results indicated a slight dip in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure when at least 370 milligrams of magnesium was consumed daily.

Without a doubt, magnesium has shown promise as a hypertension tool. There's just one problem: It doesn't necessarily work as a blood pressure lowering agent for everyone.

For example, a 2021 review in Nutrients evaluated the results of 49 trials involving magnesium's connection with blood pressure. The reviewers concluded that taking 240 milligrams of magnesium a day seemed to lower the blood pressure in individuals who were taking blood pressure medications for unmanaged high blood pressure. For individuals who weren't taking any blood pressure medications but took at least 600 milligrams of magnesium a day, the same results occurred. However, individuals who had controlled or normal blood pressure saw no effect from taking magnesium. In other words, magnesium appeared to have only selective blood pressure reduction abilities.

Even if the magnesium in seeds, tree nuts, peanuts, and soy doesn't make your blood pressure go down, you'll gain nutritional advantages from eating each food regularly. WebMD explains that pumpkin seeds are packed with heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats. And figures from the USDA show that an ounce of almonds contain more than 3.5 grams of dietary fiber.