Do you have low magnesium? It is a common condition but shows up more readily in certain populations. Read on to see if you are at risk for low magnesium and what you can do about it.
What Can Cause Low Magnesium:
While this deficiency can happen to anyone. There are certain populations that are more at risk. Below, we look at 10 populations that are most likely to be deficient. We also explore why they have a higher risk, overall.
The Elderly
One reason the elderly are at risk is that older adults tend to consume less magnesium in their diet. Also, as people age, their body is less able to absorb the magnesium in the food they eat.
Another potential cause is high intake of medicines. As people age, the amount of prescription drugs tends to increase. Many of these medications interfere with absorption.
Magnesium deficiencies are associated with several diseases, including Alzheimer's. Unfortunately, multivitamins do not contain 100% of the US Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of magnesium. So, a supplement may be necessary to prevent deficiency in the elderly.
Children with Autism
Children with autism often have sensory processing and motor issues that affect their choice of food. The diet is often severely limited. What is known as the “white diet” is common. For example, macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, apple juice, crackers are common favorites. A diet limited to only white foods is going to be deficient in many nutrients, including magnesium.
If a child is severely limiting their food intake, a multivitamin with minerals is recommended. A magnesium supplement may be necessary as well. Check with your doctor before supplementing with magnesium. Every child's nutrition needs are unique, and too much of one nutrient can negatively affect the status of another nutrient in the body.
People who Restrict Carbohydrates
Many of the foods high in carbohydrates are also high in magnesium. For example, whole grain breads and cereals, beans and peas, and leafy green vegetables are high in magnesium. In contrast, foods that are low in carbohydrates also tend to be low in magnesium. For example, meat and cheese. Thus, if you are on a low carb or ketogenic diet, it may be necessary to supplement your diet with magnesium.
People who Consume Certain Types of Antacids
Two types of antacids, known as Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) and H2 inhibitors, interfere with magnesium absorption. These are medications that reduce the amount of acid produced in the stomach. Reducing acid production increases the pH of the stomach. This in turn decreases the ability of stomach to break down magnesium into a form the body can use. As a result, people taking these types of antacids are at increased risk of deficiency.
People who are diabetic are at risk for magnesium deficiency. In diabetes, blood sugars run high. In an attempt to flush out the extra sugars, the kidneys increase urine production. As a result, there will be an increased loss of important nutrients including magnesium.
People with Crohn’s Disease
Crohn's disease causes many digestive issues including frequent bouts of diarrhea. As a result, magnesium is lost. Crohn's disease also interferes with absorption of magnesium.
People with Intestinal Removal
The intestines are where most of the nutrient absorption occurs. When part of the intestines are removed, or not functioning properly, magnesium absorption is decreased.
People Who are Alcohol Dependent
People who are alcohol dependent don't usually eat a diet sufficient in nutrients. Also, what they do eat gets excreted through the urine. Thus, people who are alcohol dependent are at risk for magnesium deficiency.
People Who Take Thiazide Diuretics
All diuretics cause increased urination to prevent water retention. Thiazide diuretics are used to treat blood pressure. Unfortunately, a side effect is increased loss of important nutrients including magnesium.
Below are the Most Common Generic Names of Thiazide Diuretics:
Chlorothiazide
Metolazone
Indapamide
Hydrochlorothiazide
Chlorthalidone
Methyclothiazide
People Eating the American Diet
The American diet is high in processed foods and refined breads and cereals. It is also high in meat and cheese, and low in whole grains, vegetables, and fruit. The result is inadequate intake of many nutrients, including magnesium.
The Effect of The Refining Process
When whole grain breads are refined to make white bread, the outer bran and germ are removed. The same thing happens when brown rice is refined to make white rice. Most vitamins, minerals and fiber are in the bran and the germ. Thus, most of the nutrients are removed during the refining process.
There is virtually no magnesium, vitamin E, vitamin B6, thiamin, niacin, or folate remaining in the refined product before fortification.
In 1941, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that all “fortified” or “enriched” labeled breads, cereals, and rice must include iron, riboflavin, thiamin, and niacin. The folate requirement was added later. Thus, all “fortified” and “enriched” breads are good sources of iron, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, and folate.
They are NOT, however, good sources of magnesium, vitamin E, or vitamin B6. Thus, the American diet is severely lacking in many nutrients, including magnesium.
Below is a magnesium rich dish for you to try:
Note that you can go into the free myfitnesspal.com app on android or Apple and the QR code in the recipe will work for you.
I used to LOVE Banquet TV dinners, especially the ones with Salisbury Steak and mashed potatoes. As a single person, they were my go to when I felt like having a hearty meal but didn't want to cook. I especially loved them because they were so cheap.
But of course, after studying nutrition all those years, I started to compulsively read ingredient lists. As a result, I haven’t had a Banquet TV dinner in 20 years.
I’m going to take a risk here and tell you why I’m mentioning this.
I had a dream a couple of weeks ago about a Banquet HUNGRY-MAN dinner. (That’s right, I’m a bit nuts)! =)
Anyway, In the dream, there was a mom struggling with behavior issues in her son, and a doctor had written a note asking if by any chance her son’s behavior issues that day started after eating lunch.
His lunch was a Banquet Hungry-Man dinner.
I remember thinking, “Wow! What a good doctor!” I remember the mom was worried about too many calories. However, in the dream, I was remembering and explaining to her about all of the stuff they put in those Banquet dinners, and how much better for you homemade cooking is.
She was a person who liked cooking but didn’t have a lot of time. Sound like anyone you know?
When I woke up that morning, I knew I needed to invest some time and energy into looking at what exactly the current Banquet dinners contain.
My husband went to the store for me—he’s such a great guy—and looked for the Hungry-man version, they didn’t have it, so we settled for the regular Banquet dinner.
When he brought it home, the first thing I noticed was that the label was WAY smaller than it was 20 years ago—though that could just be my aging eyes! LOL
I wish I could say I was totally shocked by what was on the label, but of course I wasn’t. My husband took a picture of the ingredients, so I could read them, I kid you not!
First, the mashed potatoes had three lines of ingredients, including Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), BHT, and a bunch of other yucky stuff; the Salisbury steak patty, over two lines with MSG also as an ingredient; the apple dessert contained some choice ingredients as well. If you want to see what's in the dinner, here is the link to Banquet. (Though, keep in mind that the company spends an unusual amount of time “explaining away” the bizarre ingredients).
Since the ingredients are truly horrendous, and since the main reason we eat TV dinners is because they’re quick and easy, my husband and I put our heads together to create a delicious alternative. Ron and Nathan prepared the Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes and corn last Thursday.
And last night, Ron finally prepared the Apple Cinnamon Dessert.
This meal shouldn't be too difficult, and most of the ingredients will be freezable and reheatable, just like a ”real” TV dinner. 🙂 Also, if you are concerned about calorie content, don't forget that you can reduce serving size.
In the meantime, here are some older posts I have written related to diet and our kiddos (even though some of them focus on ADHD or Autism, they really do apply to all of us, because artificial additives aren't good for ANYONE, and we all need a healthy, balanced diet).
As teachers and homeschool moms, we strive to provide our students with inspiring role models in all disciplines of study. One area that both educators and students often overlook is Food Science and Technology – an area enriched by the contributions of many black pioneers in the past.
In Honor of Black History Month
From inventors and innovators to activists, scientists and entrepreneurs, black pioneers have shaped food science in a multitude of ways. For example, they advanced public health initiatives through technology and inspired cooks with their creativity. To honor their indispensable impact, let us turn now to discover some of the amazing black minds who revolutionized this field!
George Washington Carver
Carver was a major contributor to the field of food science and technology. He is best known for his work with peanuts, but he also made significant contributions to the fields of soybeans, sweet potatoes, and other crops. Carver developed new methods for processing and utilizing these crops, which helped to improve the diets of many Americans.
Leah Chase
Was an amazing woman and an important figure in food science and technology. She is best known for her work as a chef and restaurateur in New Orleans, where she helped to develop Creole cuisine. Chase's restaurant, Dooky Chase's, was a popular gathering place for both locals and tourists, and she was known for her use of fresh, local ingredients.
George Crum
Best known for inventing the potato chip, Crum was working as a chef in a Saratoga Springs resort when he was asked to make a dish that would be suitable for a customer with sensitive teeth. In order to meet this request, Crum sliced the potatoes very thin and fried them. The result was an instant success, and the potato chip has been a popular snack food ever since. (It is suggested that it was his sister who made the discovery).
Lloyd Augustus Hall
Another important black pioneer in food science and technology, Hall is best known for his work in the area of food preservation. Hall developed many new methods for preserving food, which helped to keep foods safe from spoilage and contamination. He also developed new packaging methods that helped to extend the shelf life of foods.
James Hemings
James is best known for his work as a chef at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello estate. In fact, he was responsible for preparing many of the meals served at Jefferson's home, and he is credited with introducing many new foods to Jefferson's table, including ice cream and macaroni and cheese.
Joseph Lee
Lee was an innovative figure who contributed greatly to food science and technology. He is best known for his work in developing the first bread-making machine. Lee's machine allowed bread to be made much more quickly and easily than it could be made by hand, which helped to revolutionize the baking industry.
Edna Lewis
is another significant figure in food history. She is best known for her work as a chef and author. Lewis wrote several cookbooks that featured recipes using fresh, local ingredients. She was also known for her advocacy of using seasonal produce in cooking.
Marie Maynard Daly
is another important pioneer in food science and technology. She is best known for her work in developing new methods of analyzing nutrients in foods. Daly's work helped to improve the understanding of how diet affects health, and she also developed new methods of fortifying foods with vitamins and minerals.
Norbert Rillieux
Rillieux is best known for his work in developing the multiple-effect evaporator, which revolutionized the sugar industry. Rillieux's evaporator allowed sugar to be produced much more efficiently than it had been previously. This helped to make sugar more affordable for consumers.
Alfred L. Cralle
is also a significant figure in food science and technology history. He is best known for inventing the ice cream scoop. Cralle's invention made it possible to portion out ice cream much more easily than it could be done by hand. This helped to make ice cream a popular dessert item.
Malinda Russell
Malinda wrote and published the cookbook A Domestic Recipe Book: Containing Five Hundred Useful Recipes For All Kinds Of Plain And Rich Cake (1866). This cookbook was one of the first cookbooks written by an African American author, and it contained many innovative recipes that were ahead of their time.
Frederick McKinley Jones
Frederick influenced food science & technology in a significant way. He invented mechanical refrigeration units used specifically for transporting perishable goods such as fruit & dairy products over long distances. This greatly increased both quantity & quality control measures throughout American markets & supermarkets where these items were sold.
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