Give Your Diet A Magnesium Boost With One Dried Fruit

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We all know that our bodies need certain amounts of vitamins and minerals daily to function optimally, get us through the day feeling energized, and keep us healthy. These little bits of goodness naturally come from the food and beverages we put into our bodies, so what we eat is vital in nourishing us. Magnesium is one of those vitamins that is absolutely essential, as it helps our bodies to build protein, bones, and even DNA — along with supporting the immune system and keeping our muscles and nerves functioning well.

In our busy lifestyles, it's easy to pick up pre-packaged foods that are quick to prep but lack sufficient nutrients. Luckily, there are always healthy options that are convenient, too — we just need to choose them. And dried apricots are an underrated way to add more magnesium to your diet. A cup of dried apricots carries just under 42 milligrams of magnesium, which is nearly 10% of our recommended daily intake as adults. So, that's a great boost in just a solid handful. 

And these super-powered little nuggets, aside from being a great replacement when that candy craving bites, also hold around ⅕ of your daily fiber needs in just three or four dried apricots, and significant amounts of iron, potassium, manganese, and zinc. With about 50% of Americans not getting enough magnesium in their daily diets, it's good to know that we can turn to dried apricots to help fill a portion of this gap. They're quick and easy to snack on, and can even be cooked into food if the idea of these tangy, chewy little rounds doesn't really appeal to you.

So, you're not dried apricots' number one fan? That's okay, because there are loads of ways that you can slot them into your meals to not only benefit from the magnesium content, but add unique and vibrant flavors to your food. Let's start with dessert (because we all know that you have a separate pocket in your tummy for dessert, wink-wink). Try an apricot buttermilk coffee cake topped with cinnamon brown-sugar streusel — the 12 ounces of dried apricots inside yield about 63 milligrams of magnesium. But go easy here — that's in the whole cake, so work out your magnesium intake per slice. Or, try a five-ingredient goat cheese and apricot appetizer, with each bite giving you one dried apricot's worth of magnesium (but amplified in flavor with honey, pecans, and thyme).

Incorporating dried apricots into main course dishes is just as easy. Duck breast with apricot chutney is beyond delish and gives you your 41.6 milligrams of magnesium in the gorgeous sauce. Or, jet to the healthier and leaner side of life and throw together a Moroccan chickpea salad, which will give you ¾ of a cup of dried apricots along with other nutrient-rich ingredients to boost your health. You can also just get creative and try dried apricots with some of the simplest dishes, like adding them to a bowl of Greek yogurt with honey for breakfast or chopping up a few and mixing them into a fruit salad. You also can't go wrong with dried apricot, honey, and cinnamon muffins. Order a 1-pound bag from Herbaila on Amazon to get started.