Top 10 Fruits Highest in Magnesium

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Top 10 Fruits Highest in Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral required by the body for muscle and nerve function, maintaining heart rhythm, building strong bones, and energy production. (1,2,3)

Magnesium is an electrolyte, and a deficiency in magnesium can lead to numbness, abnormal heart rhythms, coronary spasms. (4) In the long term, magnesium deficiency increases the risk of stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and migraine. (5)

Fruits are high in fiber and are also a very good source of potassium in addition to magnesium.

Fruits high in magnesium include dried figs, avocados, guavas, bananas, kiwi fruit, papayas, blackberries, raspberries, cantaloupes, and grapefruit. The daily value (DV) for magnesium 420mg per day. (6,7)

Below are the top 10 fruits highest in magnesium. For more, see the extended list of less common fruits rich in magnesium, high magnesium vegetables, and the article on high magnesium foods.

List of Fruits High in Magnesium

Figs1 Dried Figs
Magnesium
1 Cup
Magnesium
per 100g
Magnesium
per 200 Calories
101mg
(24% DV)
68mg
(16% DV)
55mg
(13% DV)

More Dried Fruit High in Magnesium

  • 21% DV per cup of prunes
  • 19% DV per cup of apricots
  • 16% DV per cup of dates
  • 15% DV per cup of zante currants
  • 14% DV per cup of raisins
Half an avocado2 Avocados
Magnesium
per Avocado
Magnesium
per 100g
Magnesium
per 200 Calories
58mg
(14% DV)
29mg
(7% DV)
36mg
(9% DV)
Bananas3 Bananas
Magnesium
per Cup Sliced
Magnesium
per 100g
Magnesium
per 200 Calories
41mg
(10% DV)
27mg
(6% DV)
61mg
(14% DV)
Half a guava4 Guavas
Magnesium
per Cup
Magnesium
per 100g
Magnesium
per 200 Calories
36mg
(9% DV)
22mg
(5% DV)
65mg
(15% DV)
Slices of kiwifruit5 Kiwifruit
Magnesium
per Cup
Magnesium
per 100g
Magnesium
per 200 Calories
31mg
(7% DV)
17mg
(4% DV)
56mg
(13% DV)
Papayas6 Papaya
Magnesium
per Cup
Magnesium
per 100g
Magnesium
per 200 Calories
30mg
(7% DV)
21mg
(5% DV)
98mg
(23% DV)
Blackberries on the stem7 Blackberries
Magnesium
per Cup
Magnesium
per 100g
Magnesium
per 200 Calories
29mg
(7% DV)
20mg
(5% DV)
93mg
(22% DV)
A bunch of raspberries8 Raspberries
Magnesium
per Cup
Magnesium
per 100g
Magnesium
per 200 Calories
27mg
(6% DV)
22mg
(5% DV)
85mg
(20% DV)
A cantaloupe with a cantaloupe wedge9 Cantaloupe
Magnesium
per Cup
Magnesium
per 100g
Magnesium
per 200 Calories
21mg
(5% DV)
12mg
(3% DV)
71mg
(17% DV)
Cross section of grapefruit10 Grapefruit
Magnesium
1 Cup Sections
Magnesium
per 100g
Magnesium
per 200 Calories
21mg
(5% DV)
9mg
(2% DV)
43mg
(10% DV)

Printable One Page Sheet

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A printable one-page sheet of the top 10 fruits high in magnesium. Fruits high in magnesium include dried figs, avocados, guavas, bananas, kiwi fruit, papayas, blackberries, raspberries, cantaloupes, and grapefruit.

Even More Magnesium Rich Fruits

FoodServingMagnesium
1 Prickly Pearsper cup30% DV
(127mg)
2 Plantains1 cup mashed20% DV
(82mg)
3 Passion-Fruit (Granadilla)per cup16% DV
(68mg)
4 Breadfruit1 cup13% DV
(55mg)
5 Jackfruit1 cup sliced11% DV
(48mg)
6 Sapodilla1 cup pulp7% DV
(29mg)
7 Mulberriesper cup6% DV
(25mg)
8 Strawberriesper Cup5% DV
(22mg)
9 Watermelonper cup4% DV
(15mg)
10 Rhubarbper cup3% DV
(15mg)

How Much Magnesium Do You Need Everyday?

The daily value (%DV) for Magnesium is 420mg and is a general target intended for most people. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) shows specific targets by age and gender. The RDA for magnesium is between 300mg - 420mg for most people. (7)

Life StageRDA
Children
1-3 years old80mg
4-8 years old130mg
Males
9-13 years old240mg
14-18 years old410mg
19-30 years old310mg
31-70 years old420mg
70+ years old420mg
Females
9-13 years old240mg
14-18 years old360mg
19-30 years old310mg
31-70 years old320mg
70+ years old320mg
Pregnancy
14-18 years old335mg
19-30 years old290mg
31-50 years old300mg
Lactation
14-18 years old400mg
19-30 years old350mg
31-50 years old360mg

About the Data

Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.

You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.

Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.

About Nutrient Targets

Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.

Some of the most popular targets include:
  • Daily Value (%DV) - The daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a particular nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that's found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
  • Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5%) healthy individuals. It's more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Institutes of Health.
  • Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, but is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
  • Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake of that particular nutrient has not yet been scientifically determined.

See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.

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Data Sources and References

  1. Limaye CS, Londhey VA, Nadkart MY, Borges NE. Magnesium and Human Health: Perspectives and Research Directions J Assoc Physicians India. 2011 Jan;59:19-22. 21751660
  2. Robertson SP, Johnson JD, Potter JD. Magnesium and the regulation of muscle contraction Biophys J. 1981 Jun;34(3):559-69. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(81)84868-0. 7195747
  3. Robertson SP, Johnson JD, Potter JD. Magnesium and the regulation of muscle contraction Biophys J. 1981 Jun;34(3):559-69. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(81)84868-0. 7195747
  4. Rude RK. Clinical manifestations of magnesium deficiency Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1993 Jun;22(2):377-95. 8325293
  5. Kirkland AE, Sarlo GL, Holton KF. The Effect of Magnesium Deficiency on Neurological Disorders: A Narrative Review Article Nutrients. 2018 Jun 6;10(6):730. doi: 10.3390/nu10060730. 29882776
  6. U.S.FDA - Daily Value on the New Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
  7. Institute of Medicine (US) Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1998. 20845565
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