Magnesium in Coffee

Two coffees and a little magnesiumI was out browsing the lists of magnesium rich foods once again – a weird hobby, but that’s what running a website about magnesium foods will do to you.

I came across this list, and was wowed by the number one magnesium super food right at the top. None other than coffee. 15,999 milligrams! That’s an outrageous number, considering your daily requirements are less than 500, or at most 800 if you follow the strongest proponents of magnesium. What does almost 16 grams of magnesium actually mean here? That’s enough to give diarrhea to you even if all you eat are rocks and starchy white rice.

This demonstrates a problem that many such lists have. If they list according to magnesium per 100 gram (about 4 ounces) servings, you’ll get things at the top of the list such as soy sauce, and fresh ground coffee (not the water, just the ground coffee beans).  Try downing 4 ounces of soy sauce or coffee beans in a sitting. You won’t enjoy it, and most likely you’ll stop to get sick before you get even close.

The items at the top of nutrition lists based on one serving size will be top-heavy with things that aren’t meant to be eaten in those volumes.

Lists based on calories have the same issue. While they can be helpful, you will find very low calorie things such as salt, coffee, and kombu seaweed that, once again, cannot be eaten in any bulk.

This is why we need to talk about magnesium foods one by one. So, let’s talk about coffee…

I love coffee, and so I love any excuse to drink more of it. However there’s a problem. Coffee both drains your body of magnesium and contribute. First the contribution:

One 8 oz. cup of coffee will provide you with 7 mg of magnesium. That’s it. If you drink 5 or 6 such cups per day, you’ll get the benefit of 35-42 mg of magnesium. Now, compare that to a cup of spinach, which will give you about 150 mg of magnesium, and a whole lot more nutrition to boot. So yes, coffee gives you some magnesium, but it’s hardly the preferred source.

Now the bad news. Caffeine causes your body to lose magnesium, mainly through the urine. In the long run, coffee probably costs you more magnesium than it gives you.

So, all in all, coffee is not the place to to to get your extra magnesium. On the other hand, if you enjoy drinking coffee, go for it. It does contribute a bit of magnesium to make up for what it takes, and it is one of the most enjoyable things a person can drink.

For a little more on coffee, head over to the Harvard School of Public Health. No matter how much magnesium in coffee there is, this will make you feel good about drinking it.

Magnesium During Pregnancy

Magnesium and Pregnancy - Some ThoughtsIs Magnesium Safe During Pregnancy?

As long as you don’t overdo it, yes. The United States daily requirements for magnesium are actually increased in pregnant women as follows:

Adult Female: 300mg

Pregnant Female: 320mg

Breastfeeding Female: 350mg

That’s too little according to many sources. The Baby Center goes even farther:

Pregnant women, 19 to 30 years of age: 350 milligrams (mg) of magnesium per day
Pregnant, 18 and younger: 400 mg
Pregnant, 31 and older: 360 mg
Breastfeeding women, 19 to 30: 310 mg
Breastfeeding, 18 and younger: 360 mg
Breastfeeding, 31 and older: 320 mg

There is some evidence that magnesium helps prevent the uterus from contracting too soon, though this is still inconclusive. Magnesium certainly helps prevent cramps, though.

Magnesium citrate, on the other hand, is something that the FDA recommends taking only when the benefits outweigh the risks.

In BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in August 2007, two studies are cited. The first study concluded:

“Additional magnesium appeared to benefit the fetus during labour. Significantly fewer showed fetal heart rate irregularities, meconium-stained liquor and partogram abnormalities. The supplemented group also had fewer late stillbirths either before or during labour.”

“It must be stressed that these secondary findings, although of interest, need to be substantiated by further work. Until then, supplementation cannot be recommended but poorly nourished women should be encouraged to eat a diet that contains adequate magnesium, in particular brown – rather than white – bread.”

The second study had the following comments:

“In our commentary, we recommend further research to find out whether improving calcium intake from before pregnancy might reduce not only blood pressure, but associated problems such as protein in the urine as well. We suggest that fortification of staple foods might make the benefits of adequate calcium intake available to all pregnant women, not only those with access to antenatal care.”

“While these studies show that the consumption of certain minerals during pregnancy results in favourable outcomes for mother or baby, it must be stressed that in these studies, the intake of supplements are carefully measured.”

“Women should attend their antenatal clinics so that tests identifying problems can be carried out. If they are interested to know more about supplementation, they should speak to their GPs and midwives for further advice.”

“We should note that women who do not have a deficiency in magnesium or calcium need to be careful about taking extra supplements if they don’t need it.”

So, while magnesium looked like a plus, these were undernourished women in the study. Assuming you have a healthy diet, you may want to think twice about using magnesium supplements.

There are several other studies, and while most suggest that magnesium is  beneficial for the fetus, almost all balance that by saying that the results for well-nourished women may be different.

So What to Do?

In light of the research, try eating better. An extra serving of spinach, nuts or halibut each day may do wonders. If you really feel the need to take supplements, at least try to make sure the dosage is not much over the RDA of 350mg.