Magnesium-Rich Vegetarian Foods in India: 28 Foods Ranked (IFCT 2017)
Seeds, nuts, pulses and whole grains come up when vegetarians look for magnesium. This guide ranks 28 foods by magnesium per 100 g using Table 5 of the ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), then shows what a serving we chose holds. It ranks the magnesium in the food, not how much the body absorbs, which IFCT does not report.
The short answer
By IFCT 2017, sunflower seeds have the most magnesium of the 28 foods here at 413 mg per 100 g, then black sesame at 390 mg and white sesame at 372 mg. Among pulses, dry soybean has 259 mg and whole moong 198 mg. Ragi has 146 mg, wheat atta 125 mg and raw milled rice 19.30 mg. Whole cow milk has 8.28 mg per 100 g. Our reading: per 100 g the seeds lead, but a spoon of seeds is a far smaller serving than a bowl of dal, so look at the serving table too.
28 foods ranked by magnesium per 100 g
Each row is one IFCT 2017 Table 5 row (minerals and trace elements), per 100 g edible portion as listed in the book, mean value as printed. Seeds, nuts, grains and pulses are dry or raw; leaves are raw; milk is as sold. Where IFCT lists several varieties we use one row and name it. Cashew nuts and garden cress seeds tie at 307 mg.
| Food (IFCT 2017 Table 5 row) | Magnesium per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Sunflower seeds (H020) | 413 mg |
| Gingelly seeds, black (black sesame, til) (H009) | 390 mg |
| Gingelly seeds, white (white sesame, til) (H011) | 372 mg |
| Linseeds (flaxseed, alsi) (H014) | 349 mg |
| Almond (H001) | 318 mg |
| Cashew nut (H005) | 307 mg |
| Garden cress, seeds (halim) (H008) | 307 mg |
| Amaranth seed, pale brown (rajgira) (A002) | 270 mg |
| Soybean, brown, dry (B024) | 259 mg |
| Green gram, whole, dry (whole moong) (B011) | 198 mg |
| Ground nut (peanut), raw (H012) | 197 mg |
| Amaranth leaves, green, raw (chaulai) (C002) | 194 mg |
| Walnut (H021) | 180 mg |
| Black gram dal, dry (urad dal) (B003) | 173 mg |
| Rajmah, brown, dry (B019) | 164 mg |
| Bengal gram, whole, dry (whole chana) (B002) | 160 mg |
| Ragi (the grain, raw) (A010) | 146 mg |
| Jowar (sorghum) (A005) | 133 mg |
| Wheat flour, atta (A019) | 125 mg |
| Bajra (pearl millet) (A003) | 124 mg |
| Red gram dal, dry (toor dal) (B021) | 119 mg |
| Bengal gram dal, dry (chana dal) (B001) | 118 mg |
| Rice, raw, brown (A013) | 93.91 mg |
| Spinach, raw (palak) (C033) | 86.97 mg |
| Wheat flour, refined (maida) (A018) | 30.69 mg |
| Paneer (L003) | 26.62 mg |
| Rice, raw, milled (A015) | 19.30 mg |
| Milk, whole, cow (L002) | 8.28 mg |
Several spices (cumin, poppy seeds, coriander and others) also have high magnesium per 100 g in IFCT 2017, but they are eaten in grams, so they are left out of this ranking.
Magnesium in a serving, with weights we chose
IFCT lists food per 100 g, so a serving needs a weight, and these are ours. Each figure is magnesium per 100 g times the grams, divided by 100, to the nearest 0.1 mg.
| Serving (weights are ours) | Magnesium |
|---|---|
| 10 g black sesame (H009) | 39.0 mg |
| 20 g sunflower seeds (H020) | 82.6 mg |
| 20 g almonds (H001) | 63.6 mg |
| 20 g cashew nuts (H005) | 61.4 mg |
| 30 g whole moong, dry (B011) | 59.4 mg |
| 30 g rajmah, dry (B019) | 49.2 mg |
| 30 g chana dal, dry (B001) | 35.4 mg |
| 40 g wheat flour (atta) (A019) | 50.0 mg |
| 30 g ragi grain, raw (A010) | 43.8 mg |
| 30 g bajra grain, raw (A003) | 37.2 mg |
| 100 g raw amaranth leaves (C002) | 194.0 mg |
| 100 g raw spinach (C033) | 87.0 mg |
| 50 g paneer (L003) | 13.3 mg |
| 200 g whole cow milk (L002) | 16.6 mg |
| 30 g raw milled rice (A015) | 5.8 mg |
What the numbers say
- Seeds and nuts lead, in small servings. Sunflower seeds have 413 mg per 100 g and almonds 318 mg, so 20 g of sunflower seeds holds about 82.6 mg and 20 g of almonds about 63.6 mg.
- Soybean and whole moong top the pulses. Whole moong has 198 mg; whole chana has 160 mg against 118 mg for chana dal. For protein in the same dals, see which dal has the most protein.
- Ragi, jowar and atta are well ahead of maida and rice. 146, 133 and 125 mg per 100 g against 30.69 mg for refined flour and 19.30 mg for raw milled rice; brown rice has 93.91 mg. See millets vs rice and wheat.
- Milk is low per 100 g. Whole cow milk has 8.28 mg and paneer 26.62 mg; raw spinach has 86.97 mg.
The same Table 5 also gives calcium, iron and zinc, and we rank calcium and iron in calcium-rich vegetarian foods and iron-rich vegetarian foods. For a vitamin from another table of the same book, see vitamin E-rich vegetarian foods.
What the requirement tables say
The ICMR-NIN 2020 brief note on nutrient requirements for Indians (PDF page 6) lists, for magnesium, an RDA of 440 mg in its Table 3 (males) and 370 mg in its Table 4 (females), and an EAR of 370 mg and 310 mg. The tables, as we read them, do not say here what diet the figures assume. As a size check, our arithmetic: 20 g of sunflower seeds holds about 82.6 mg of magnesium, which is 82.6 / 440 = 19% of 440 mg and 82.6 / 370 = 22% of 370 mg. That is food content against a table figure, not a statement about what you need or absorb.
What this page leaves out
- Absorption: IFCT 2017 reports the magnesium in the food, not how much the body takes up, and we did not read a source that gives this for Indian foods, so we make no claim for any single food.
- Cooked values and foods with no IFCT row (roti, cooked dal, ragi flour, curd, tofu).
- Magnesium-fortified foods, supplements, magnesium in water and non-vegetarian sources.
- Whether you have enough magnesium: only a doctor can tell you that.
A note on health
This article is general educational content, not medical advice. It does not say that any food prevents or treats any condition or low magnesium. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, follow a restricted diet, have a medical condition (including kidney problems), take medicines or have been told your magnesium is low, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own situation before changing your diet or taking any supplement.
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Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
Which vegetarian foods have the most magnesium?
In IFCT 2017 Table 5, per 100 g, sunflower seeds (H020) have 413 mg of magnesium, black sesame (H009) 390 mg, white sesame (H011) 372 mg, linseeds (H014) 349 mg and almonds (H001) 318 mg. Seeds and nuts are eaten in small amounts, so a 20 g serving of sunflower seeds holds about 82.6 mg by our arithmetic.
Which dal or pulse has the most magnesium?
Among the pulses here, IFCT 2017 gives dry soybean (B024) 259 mg of magnesium per 100 g, then whole moong (B011) 198 mg, urad dal (B003) 173 mg, brown rajmah (B019) 164 mg, whole chana (B002) 160 mg, toor dal (B021) 119 mg and chana dal (B001) 118 mg. A 30 g serving of dry whole moong holds about 59.4 mg by our arithmetic. These are dry values; IFCT 2017 has no rows for cooked dal.
Is there more magnesium in ragi, jowar, atta, bajra or rice?
Per 100 g, IFCT 2017 lists ragi (A010) at 146 mg of magnesium, jowar (A005) 133 mg, wheat flour (atta, A019) 125 mg, bajra (A003) 124 mg, brown rice (A013) 93.91 mg, refined wheat flour (maida, A018) 30.69 mg and raw milled rice (A015) 19.30 mg. IFCT 2017 has no row for roti or cooked rice, so we give no figures for them.
How much magnesium do I need each day, and do I need a supplement?
The ICMR-NIN 2020 brief note lists a magnesium RDA of 440 mg in its table for males and 370 mg in its table for females, with EARs of 370 mg and 310 mg. This page does not say whether you are getting enough, and it does not recommend supplements. If you think your magnesium may be low, or you have a medical condition or take medicines, ask a doctor or registered dietitian.
Sources
- ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017). Table 5 (Minerals and Trace Elements), magnesium (Mg) column, per 100 g edible portion, rows opened and read from the PDF on 24 Oct 2026: cereals A002, A003, A005, A010, A013, A015, A018 (PDF page 152) and A019 (page 154); pulses B001, B002, B003, B011 (page 154), B019, B021 and B024 (page 156); leaves C002 (page 156) and C033 (page 160); nuts and seeds H001, H005, H008, H009, H011, H012, H014 (page 180) and H020, H021 (page 182); milk and paneer L002, L003 (page 184).
- ICMR-NIN, Nutrient Requirements for Indians 2020, brief note, Tables 3 and 4, PDF page 6.
The serving weights and the serving magnesium figures are NYUS's own arithmetic, and every sentence starting "Our reading" is NYUS opinion, not from a study. Names in brackets are our matching to the IFCT row names.