Nuts and seeds high in magnesium (per serving)
12 nuts and seeds ranked by magnesium per common serving, from USDA FoodData Central. Seeds, hemp seed leads with 198 mg per 1 oz (47% of the Daily Value), followed by Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels (156 mg) and Nuts, brazilnuts (107 mg).
Top 10 at a glance
Top 10 nuts and seeds highest in magnesium
- Seeds, hemp seed (hulled)1 oz (28 g) · 157 kcal198 mg47% DV
- Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels (roasted, without salt)1 oz (28 g) · 163 kcal156 mg37% DV
- Nuts, brazilnuts (dried, unblanched)1 oz (6 kernels) (28 g) · 187 kcal107 mg25% DV
- Seeds, flaxseed1 oz (28 g) · 151 kcal105 mg25% DV
- Seeds, sesame seeds (whole, roasted and toasted)1 oz (28 g) · 160 kcal101 mg24% DV
- Seeds, sunflower seed butter (without salt)2 tbsp (32 g) · 197 kcal100 mg24% DV
- Seeds, sesame butter (tahini, from unroasted kernels (non-chemically removed seed coat))2 tbsp (28 g) · 170 kcal99 mg24% DV
- Nuts, almond butter (plain, without salt added)2 tbsp (32 g) · 196 kcal86 mg20% DV
- Nuts, pilinuts (dried)1 oz (15 kernels) (28 g) · 204 kcal86 mg20% DV
- Nuts, cashew butter (plain, without salt added)2 tbsp (32 g) · 188 kcal83 mg20% DV
All 12 nuts and seeds 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 | Seeds, hemp seed (hulled) | 1 oz (28 g) | 198 | 700 | 157 | |
| 2 | Seeds, pumpkin and squash seed kernels (roasted, without salt) | 1 oz (28 g) | 156 | 550 | 163 | |
| 3 | Nuts, brazilnuts (dried, unblanched) | 1 oz (6 kernels) (28 g) | 107 | 376 | 187 | |
| 4 | Seeds, flaxseed | 1 oz (28 g) | 105 | 372 | 151 | |
| 5 | Seeds, sesame seeds (whole, roasted and toasted) | 1 oz (28 g) | 101 | 356 | 160 | |
| 6 | Seeds, sunflower seed butter (without salt) | 2 tbsp (32 g) | 100 | 311 | 197 | |
| 7 | Seeds, sesame butter (tahini, from unroasted kernels (non-chemically removed seed coat)) | 2 tbsp (28 g) | 99 | 353 | 170 | |
| 8 | Nuts, almond butter (plain, without salt added) | 2 tbsp (32 g) | 86 | 268 | 196 | |
| 9 | Nuts, pilinuts (dried) | 1 oz (15 kernels) (28 g) | 86 | 302 | 204 | |
| 10 | Nuts, cashew butter (plain, without salt added) | 2 tbsp (32 g) | 83 | 258 | 188 | |
| 11 | Nuts, almonds (dry roasted, without salt added) | 1 oz (22 whole kernels) (28 g) | 79 | 279 | 170 | |
| 12 | Nuts, cashew nuts (oil roasted, without salt added) | 1 oz (18 kernels) (28 g) | 77 | 273 | 164 |
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 nuts and seeds in the USDA database, Seeds, hemp seed (hulled) has the most magnesium per serving: 198 mg per 1 oz (47% of the Daily Value). Per 100 g it contains 700 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. 9 of the 12 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
- Grains 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.