- Written by Bhaavyaa
Magnesium's main role is as a constituent of bone. It assists in the transmission of nerve impulses and is also important for muscle contraction. It is an essential cofactor for about 90 enzymes which will function properly only when magnesium is present. Two such enzymes - cocarboxylase and coenzyme A - are involved in extracting energy from food.
Thus, magnesium is an extremely important mineral.
Recent developments in science have proven that it’s involved in thousands of chemical reactions in our body and helps us maintain good health.
Also, did you know that Dark Chocolate is super high in Magnesium? It's a perfect cherry on cake ;)
A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of dark chocolate provides 16% of the RDI for magnesium. It’s also beneficial for gut and heart health, and is loaded with antioxidants.
Lets see what might happen if magnesium is present in less quantities in our body. Mild epsilon deficiency is quiet common especially in diabetics, and people suffering from malabsorption syndromes, COELIAC DISEASE and some forms of kidney disease especially those with low body stores of the mineral. Levels may also be reduced on a short term when illness causes severe diarrhoea. This can lead to muscle twitching (tetany) or convulsions. Also, magnesium deficiency has for a considerable time been recognised as a cause of cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).
Although a daily intake of more than 2g of magnesium may result in a large proportion being unabsorbed, the body's control of the magnesium status of its tissues is not very efficient. This is because control is exerted by the kidneys and this varies, depending on the person's intake of other dietary constituents. For example, alcohol increases magnesium output.
Need some good sources of magnesium? There's nuts, seeds, green leafy veggies, bananas, whole grains, tofu, legumes to name a few. Oh, and dark chocolate ofc.
The next time you go to a grocery store don't forget to pick up some dark chocolate.