Fish and seafood high in magnesium (per serving)
14 fish and seafood ranked by magnesium per common serving, from USDA FoodData Central. Fish, salmon leads with 104 mg per 3 oz (25% of the Daily Value), followed by Fish, mackerel (82 mg) and Fish, ling (69 mg).
Top 10 at a glance
Top 10 fish and seafood highest in magnesium
- Fish, salmon (chinook, cooked, dry heat)3 oz (85 g) · 196 kcal104 mg25% DV
- Fish, mackerel (Atlantic, cooked, dry heat)3 oz (85 g) · 223 kcal82 mg20% DV
- Fish, ling (cooked, dry heat)3 oz (85 g) · 94 kcal69 mg16% DV
- Fish, pollock (Alaska, cooked, dry heat (may contain additives to retain moisture))3 oz (85 g) · 94 kcal69 mg16% DV
- Fish, tuna (fresh, bluefin, cooked, dry heat)3 oz (85 g) · 156 kcal54 mg13% DV
- Crustaceans, crab (queen, cooked, moist heat)3 oz (85 g) · 98 kcal54 mg13% DV
- Mollusks, oyster (eastern, canned)3 oz (85 g) · 58 kcal46 mg11% DV
- Fish, haddock (smoked)3 oz (85 g) · 99 kcal46 mg11% DV
- Crustaceans, lobster (northern, cooked, moist heat)3 oz (85 g) · 76 kcal37 mg8.7% DV
- Crustaceans, shrimp (cooked)3 oz (85 g) · 84 kcal33 mg7.9% DV
All 14 fish and seafood ranked
Sort any column. Serving sizes are USDA household measures (a cup, a medium fruit, 3 oz of cooked meat or fish, 1 oz of nuts or cheese). %DV is based on the FDA Daily Value of 420 mg.
| # | Food | Serving | Magnesium (mg) | % Daily Value | Per 100 g | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fish, salmon (chinook, cooked, dry heat) | 3 oz (85 g) | 104 | 122 | 196 | |
| 2 | Fish, mackerel (Atlantic, cooked, dry heat) | 3 oz (85 g) | 82 | 97 | 223 | |
| 3 | Fish, ling (cooked, dry heat) | 3 oz (85 g) | 69 | 81 | 94 | |
| 4 | Fish, pollock (Alaska, cooked, dry heat (may contain additives to retain moisture)) | 3 oz (85 g) | 69 | 81 | 94 | |
| 5 | Fish, tuna (fresh, bluefin, cooked, dry heat) | 3 oz (85 g) | 54 | 64 | 156 | |
| 6 | Crustaceans, crab (queen, cooked, moist heat) | 3 oz (85 g) | 54 | 63 | 98 | |
| 7 | Mollusks, oyster (eastern, canned) | 3 oz (85 g) | 46 | 54 | 58 | |
| 8 | Fish, haddock (smoked) | 3 oz (85 g) | 46 | 54 | 99 | |
| 9 | Crustaceans, lobster (northern, cooked, moist heat) | 3 oz (85 g) | 37 | 43 | 76 | |
| 10 | Crustaceans, shrimp (cooked) | 3 oz (85 g) | 33 | 39 | 84 | |
| 11 | Mollusks, mussel (blue, cooked, moist heat) | 3 oz (85 g) | 31 | 37 | 146 | |
| 12 | Mollusks, scallop ((bay and sea), cooked, steamed) | 3 oz (85 g) | 31 | 37 | 94 | |
| 13 | Mollusks, clam (mixed species, canned, drained solids) | 3 oz (85 g) | 27 | 32 | 121 | |
| 14 | Salmon, sockeye (canned, total can contents) | 3 oz (85 g) | 26 | 30 | 130 |
Magnesium in specific foods
How this list is built. Values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, with Foundation Foods analytical updates where available). The pool is 1,677 whole foods: fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, grains, fish, meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. Spices, herbs, baby foods, powders, flours, dried and freeze-dried items, juices, processed meats, organ meats other than liver and uncommon foods are excluded; meats, fish, grains and legumes are ranked cooked. Each food family appears once and no single animal or plant fills more than six places. Ranking is by amount per serving; the per-100 g column is shown for reference. A food that USDA has not analysed for magnesium is left out rather than counted as zero. Full methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which food is highest in magnesium?
Among fish and seafood in the USDA database, Fish, salmon (chinook, cooked, dry heat) has the most magnesium per serving: 104 mg per 3 oz (25% of the Daily Value). Per 100 g it contains 122 mg.
How much magnesium do I need per day?
The FDA Daily Value used on Nutrition Facts labels is 420 mg of magnesium for adults and children aged 4 and over. Individual needs vary with age, sex, pregnancy and health conditions.
What counts as a food high in magnesium?
FDA labeling rules call a food a 'good source' when one serving provides 10 to 19% of the Daily Value and 'high' or 'excellent' at 20% or more. 1 of the 14 foods on this list reach 20% DV per serving.
Related rankings
- Foods high in potassium
- Foods high in iron
- Foods high in calcium
- Foods high in zinc
- Foods high in selenium
- Foods high in copper
- All foods high in magnesium
- Fruits high in magnesium
- Vegetables high in magnesium
- Legumes high in magnesium
- Nuts and seeds high in magnesium
- Grains high in magnesium
- Meat and poultry high in magnesium
- Dairy and eggs high in magnesium
Nutrient values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, April 2018; Foundation Foods, April 2026) and shown per serving as described on each page. %DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. This is nutrition data for general information, not medical or dietary advice; talk to a clinician or registered dietitian about your own needs. How the numbers are calculated.