Q: How much magnesium do pecans contain and what are the health benefits of eating magnesium-rich foods?
A: A one-ounce serving of Georgia pecans (19 halves) provides about 34 milligrams of magnesium or about 8 percent of the Daily Value (400 milligrams) for the mineral. According to the National Institutes of Health, eating a wide variety of nuts, legumes, whole grains and vegetables will help you meet your daily dietary need for magnesium. Why is it so important to get enough magnesium every day? For starters, it’s the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, with about 50 percent of it found in your bones. Moreover, magnesium is required by the body’s cells for more than 300 biochemical reactions involved in muscle and nerve function, maintaining a healthy immune system, building and maintaining bone and manufacturing proteins. Several large population studies suggest that getting enough magnesium is also important for helping to prevent chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. There are plenty of good reasons to make Georgia pecans a regular source of magnesium in your diet.
