Drink These 5 Beverages For A Magnesium Boost

If protein is the king of the food groups when it comes to social media obsession, magnesium is its equivalent in the world of nutrients. One of seven macro-minerals in the body, magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical processes that help in a whole range of essential functions, from maintaining a steady heartbeat to adjusting blood glucose levels and keeping nerve and muscle function working properly.

The essential macro-mineral has been in the spotlight primarily for the role it plays in reducing stress and improving the quality of sleep. Consciously increasing your magnesium intake can also reduce fatigue and boost energy, cut the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, relieve anxiety, and decrease the frequency and intensity of migraines. And while there are many magnesium supplements on the market which should be taken only after consulting with a doctor, it's easy to boost your intake by paying special attention to your diet. One underrated way to add magnesium to your diet is by eating pumpkin seeds. Quinoa is another trendy food that boosts magnesium consumption.

It's not just superfoods either. You can make a significant dent in your daily magnesium requirements (between 320 mg and 420 mg depending on age and gender) by consuming the right drinks. Here are five beverages you should be reaching for if you're looking for a magnesium boost.

Low in saturated fats and high in Omega-3 fatty acids, soy milk has a long history, traveling from Asia to America and gaining popularity during the World Wars when milk was in short supply. Among the many health and environmental benefits of drinking soy milk is the fact that it is high in magnesium. One cup of soy milk contains 60 mg of magnesium, which accounts for approximately 15% of your daily requirement. This is nearly 2½ times the amount in regular milk.

You can either drink soy milk straight or with a little bit of sugar to enhance the sweetness. If you feel like giving it an even bigger magnesium boost, you can make a milkshake by blitzing in bananas, blackberries, almonds and peanuts — all of which are rich in magnesium.

You might also want to try your hand at making your own soy milk; you'll be surprised at how easy it is. Made by grinding soaked soybeans and water and then straining it out through a muslin cloth, fresh soy milk can taste very different from the store-bought variants, and you'll get significantly more enjoyment from gulping down your magnesium hit.

There are few things in life that make you feel as smug as drinking a green smoothie — it just screams good health. Not only is our cool and refreshing green smoothie recipe healthy, tasty, and deeply satisfying, it is also a magnesium bomb. Made by combining coconut milk with avocado, spinach, mint, pineapple, bananas, lemon juice, spirulina, and mint leaves, this smoothie is jam-packed with ingredients that are rich in magnesium. Another often-overlooked smoothie addition is green tea, rich as it is in both anti-oxidants and magnesium.

Depending on the ingredients you use, one glass of green smoothie can deliver over 150 mg of magnesium! As good a way as any to get your day started. The one small negative when it comes to making and drinking green smoothies is the consistency. Because raw fruits and vegetables are high on water content, the smoothie itself can be on the watery side. You can effortlessly improve the consistency of green smoothies with this one tip: Freeze your fruits and veggies before blitzing them into the smoothie.

While both soy milk and green smoothies can be tasty, they don't come close to hot chocolate on a scale of One to Warm Hug. And guess what? They don't hold a candle to hot chocolate when it comes to magnesium either, especially if made with raw cacao powder instead of cocoa or chocolate.

Cacao is essentially a less-processed form of cocoa that is made by fermenting and roasting the beans at low temperatures. Cacao powder carries more nutritional value than chocolate thanks to the gentler processing, and it's a true magnesium powerhouse. Just three spoons of cacao nibs contain 160 mg magnesium, which is approximately 40% of your daily requirement.

To make a hot chocolate that's super-rich in magnesium, heat 1 cup of milk (plant-based works too) in a saucepan. Add 1-1½ tablespoons of cacao powder, a couple of drops of vanilla essence, a cinnamon stick and stir. You will probably need a sweetener since raw cacao can be quite bitter. Bonus tip: Adding a pinch of salt will take your drink to the next level. If you're feeling particularly indulgent, start with our recipe for the ultimate hot chocolate and swap out the cocoa powder for cacao to give it a magnesium boost.

Coconut palms are referred to as the tree of life because of the wide range of uses they can be put to — the leaves and trunks are used to build homes, the husk doubles up as fuel, the shells double up as cups and bowls, and the fruit itself has so many uses, from making milk to oil. The water isn't just delicious — it's also full of nutrients, salts, and sugars. You can call it an energy drink manufactured in nature (even athletes are turning to coconut water as a replacement for sugary sports drinks). And, before we forget, it's a useful source of magnesium, with 1 cup of coconut water delivering 60 mg of magnesium.

Of all the drinks on this list, this one's probably the lightest and most smashable in its original form. It doesn't need a sweetener like soy milk or cacao, nor does it require extra effort like pre-freezing fruits and veggies to fix consistency issues as with a green smoothie. Just crack open the fruit (or more likely, the carton) and pour it straight down your gullet. Coconut waters also adds character to a variety of beverages. From giving your lemonade a tropical twist to bringing a nutty sweetness to coffee, here are 12 ways to use coconut water and make your magnesium hit more interesting.

Rounding off our nutrient-packed, magnesium-rich list is ABC juice — or Apple-Beetroot-Carrot juice for the uninitiated. As the name suggests, ABC juice is made by blitzing apples, beetroots, and carrots along with water, the result of which is a drink that's fully loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. You can add layers of flavor to your juice by adding ginger and lime or orange juice as well.

Regularly drinking ABC juice can provide several health benefits including  better skin and hair, boosted energy levels, improved liver function, and better gut and heart health. The fact that two of the three core ingredients are high in magnesium makes this a very good drink when you're seeking a magnesium boost. Carrot juice delivers 33 mg magnesium, while beet juice has 25 mg of magnesium per cup. A bit of warning though: ABC juice is best consumed in moderation. If you have underlying medical conditions, it's a good idea to consult a doctor before making it a regular part of your diet.