Grains high in magnesium (per serving)
17 grains ranked by magnesium per common serving, from USDA FoodData Central. Teff, cooked leads with 126 mg per 1 cup (30% of the Daily Value), followed by Quinoa, cooked (118 mg) and Cereals, oats (112 mg).
Top 10 at a glance
Top 10 grains highest in magnesium
- Teff, cooked1 cup (252 g) · 255 kcal126 mg30% DV
- Quinoa, cooked1 cup (185 g) · 222 kcal118 mg28% DV
- Cereals, oats (regular and quick, not fortified, dry)1 cup (81 g) · 307 kcal112 mg27% DV
- Spelt, cooked1 cup (194 g) · 246 kcal95 mg23% DV
- Spaghetti, spinach (cooked)1 cup (140 g) · 182 kcal87 mg21% DV
- Rice, brown (medium-grain, cooked)1 cup (195 g) · 218 kcal86 mg20% DV
- Buckwheat groats, roasted (cooked)1 cup (168 g) · 155 kcal86 mg20% DV
- Wheat, KAMUT khorasan (cooked)1 cup (172 g) · 227 kcal83 mg20% DV
- Millet, cooked1 cup (174 g) · 207 kcal77 mg18% DV
- Pasta, whole-wheat (cooked)1 cup spaghetti not packed (117 g) · 174 kcal63 mg15% DV
All 17 grains 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 | Teff, cooked | 1 cup (252 g) | 126 | 50 | 255 | |
| 2 | Quinoa, cooked | 1 cup (185 g) | 118 | 64 | 222 | |
| 3 | Cereals, oats (regular and quick, not fortified, dry) | 1 cup (81 g) | 112 | 138 | 307 | |
| 4 | Spelt, cooked | 1 cup (194 g) | 95 | 49 | 246 | |
| 5 | Spaghetti, spinach (cooked) | 1 cup (140 g) | 87 | 62 | 182 | |
| 6 | Rice, brown (medium-grain, cooked) | 1 cup (195 g) | 86 | 44 | 218 | |
| 7 | Buckwheat groats, roasted (cooked) | 1 cup (168 g) | 86 | 51 | 155 | |
| 8 | Wheat, KAMUT khorasan (cooked) | 1 cup (172 g) | 83 | 48 | 227 | |
| 9 | Millet, cooked | 1 cup (174 g) | 77 | 44 | 207 | |
| 10 | Pasta, whole-wheat (cooked) | 1 cup spaghetti not packed (117 g) | 63 | 54 | 174 | |
| 11 | Bulgur, cooked | 1 cup (182 g) | 58 | 32 | 151 | |
| 12 | Wild rice, cooked | 1 cup (164 g) | 52 | 32 | 166 | |
| 13 | Pasta, gluten-free (corn, cooked) | 1 cup (140 g) | 50 | 36 | 176 | |
| 14 | Barley, pearled (cooked) | 1 cup (157 g) | 35 | 22 | 193 | |
| 15 | Couscous, cooked | 1 cup, cooked (157 g) | 13 | 8 | 176 | |
| 16 | Noodles, japanese (soba, cooked) | 1 cup (114 g) | 10 | 9 | 113 | |
| 17 | Rice noodles, cooked | 1 cup (176 g) | 5 | 3 | 190 |
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 grains in the USDA database, Teff, cooked has the most magnesium per serving: 126 mg per 1 cup (30% of the Daily Value). Per 100 g it contains 50 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. 7 of the 17 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
- Fish and seafood 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.