Nuts are one of the best sources of magnesium.
We’re going to take a quick look at how much magnesium is in all the common nuts. Note that all the data on this page is per 100 gram serving.
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How Much Magnesium Do You Need?
The amount of magnesium you need varies significantly based on age and gender, with kids not needing too much.
Adults need roughly 300-400 mg per day to be healthy, but getting a bit more is not a bad thing.
It is possible to get too much magnesium if taking a magnesium supplement, so that should be factored in when appropriate.
Nuts High in Magnesium
Using a basis of 400 mg for the RDA, I created the table below.
It shows the amount of magnesium for several nuts, along with how that amount compares to the RDA.
| Magnesium (mg) | Magnesium (%RDA) | |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil nut | 375.94 | 94.0 |
| Almonds | 270.37 | 67.6 |
| Cashews | 259.85 | 65.0 |
| Pine nuts | 251 | 62.8 |
| Peanuts | 168.49 | 42.1 |
| Hazelnut | 162.96 | 40.7 |
| Walnuts | 157.26 | 39.3 |
| Macadamia nut | 129.85 | 32.5 |
| Pecans | 121.21 | 30.3 |
| Pistachio nuts | 120.33 | 30.1 |
It’s clear that nuts are overall a great source of magnesium. Just one 100 gram serving of any nut will give someone a large chunk of the RDA.
However, certain nuts like brazil nuts, almonds, and cashews stand out among the rest.
Which Nuts Are Highest in Magnesium?
Brazil nuts are highest in magnesium of any common nut. They are also the nut highest in selenium. Since brazil nuts have so much selenium, they should only be eaten in small servings (so 100 grams is actually too much).
In practical terms, almonds and cashews still have a high amount of magnesium and can be eaten in larger amounts without safety concerns. They both have about two-thirds of the RDA in a 100 gram serving.
Which Nuts Are Lowest in Magnesium?
Pistachios, pecans, and macadamia nuts have the lowest amount of magnesium among nuts. However, they all have about 30% of the RDA for an adult male, which is still a significant amount.
Are Nuts a Good Magnesium Source Compared to Alternatives?
Nuts are one of the best plant-based sources of magnesium.
The only better plant source of magnesium per 100 grams are seeds. The best seeds in terms of magnesium content are:
- Hemp
- Flax
- Sesame
- Chia
- Pumpkin
With that being said, there’s also a good amount of magnesium in a wide variety of vegetables and grains. As long as someone is eating a fairly diverse range of whole foods, they should easily get enough magnesium.
