Your Diet Probably Lacks Magnesium. Let’s Fix That.

What it is, what it does, and why most people don’t get enough of this important nutrient

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

Ah, the Western diet. It gave us 24/7 burger joints, endless isles of crunchy snacks, and more sweet treat options than you can hope to enjoy in a lifetime. But with all this abundance, we are getting more calories but fewer nutrients.

Eating a typical Western diet means more fat, sugar, and salt, but fewer vitamins and minerals.

Just because you have enough food on your plate, doesn’t mean you get enough nutrients. And magnesium is one of the major things missing from our meals.

Estimates say up to 2/3 of the population isn’t getting enough magnesium in their diet — and suboptimal intake can have far-reaching consequences.

In this article, we’ll look at the main functions of magnesium in the body, how it affects disease risk, and why you need more of it in your diet (& not from pills.)

Less magnesium, more problems

Magnesium is a co-factor to over 300 enzymes, making it an essential element for a range of biochemical processes. Normal magnesium levels mean you can regulate your blood pressure and blood sugar efficiently among other health benefits. Images by the author.