According to the Supplementary Foods Office (ODS) of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), magnesium is a cofactor of more than 300 enzyme reactions in the body.
About 50-60% of magnesium is stored in bones and this mineral plays an important role in bone formation, and also participates in the transportation of calcium ions through cell membranes.
Magnesium deficiency can affect the activity of vitamin D and calcium regulating hormones, thereby reducing the effectiveness of calcium use in the body.
One of the easy-to-prepare and magnesium-rich dishes is spinach stir-fried with tofu. This is a combination of magnesium-rich foods and abundant plant-based calcium sources.
In addition to magnesium, spinach also contains vitamin K, folate and many antioxidants that are beneficial for health.
To increase calcium absorption efficiency, spinach can be combined with other calcium-rich foods such as calcium precipitated tofu, milk or fish eaten with bones.
Tofu is a suitable choice because many products are processed with calcium salts, which helps supplement a significant amount of calcium.
When combined with stir-fried spinach and a small amount of vegetable oil, the dish not only provides magnesium but also supplements high-quality protein and healthy fats, creating favorable conditions for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
In addition to spinach, nuts such as pumpkin seeds, almonds, chia seeds and beans are also very good sources of magnesium.
According to the NIH, just about 28g of roasted pumpkin seeds provides about 156 mg of magnesium, equivalent to more than one-third of an adult's daily needs.
Adding nuts to snacks or sprinkling them on salads and yogurt will help increase magnesium in your diet without using supplements.
Nutrition experts also emphasize that magnesium does not work independently. For the body to absorb and use calcium effectively, it is necessary to simultaneously ensure sufficient vitamin D, protein and regular physical activity.
In addition to supplementing magnesium, adults should maintain recommended calcium levels, limit alcoholic beverages, do not smoke and do weight-bearing exercises such as walking or strength training to stimulate bone formation.
