Why magnesium?
Avoiding muscular aches and pains after exercise is the aim of the game for any sports person. Whether you exercise by taking your dog for a brisk walk down the beach, or whether you are training hard five times a week for your next marathon, it is important to support your muscular function through diet.
If you are prone to muscle pain you may benefit from increasing your magnesium intake as this can help to relieve such symptoms. Magnesium encourages the muscles to relax so if you are deficient in it then your muscles may become generally tense, knotted and prone to cramps.
Magnesium supplements
Magnesium supplements are a popular option for those looking to up their intake however, many products contain a high quantity. Since too much magnesium is associated with fatigue, muscle weakness, diarrhoea and low blood pressure, you'll need to make sure the magnesium supplement you choose is not too high.
Our Balance Mineral Drink makes a good alternative to regular magnesium supplements because it contains a combination of vitamins and minerals including vitamin D, zinc and calcium, alongside that all-important magnesium.
This has a number of effects on the body but, most importantly, it helps to support normal muscle function and bone maintenance. It also makes a good drink post exercise as it helps to replace the vitamins and minerals lost through exercise, plus it tops up energy levels to help fight tiredness and fatigue.
My Top Tip:
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Pour one sachet of Balance Mineral Drink into a glass containing 150ml of water or milk and then stir well. The drink has a natural strawberry flavour so is both refreshing and tasty!
Top 5 foods rich in magnesium
Magnesium is also abundant in a variety of foods making it quite easy to keep you levels topped up through your diet:
- Dark leafy greens – the likes of spinach and kale are very high in magnesium and as a bonus they are abundant in iron too!
- Nuts and seeds – Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds contain a very high amount of magnesium, as do brazil nuts and almonds
- Fish – certain types of fish, including salmon and halibut are a good source of magnesium. Combining this with vegetables that are rich in magnesium will create a meal that helps fight muscle aches and pains
- Fruit – often recommended as a healthy, energy-filled snack, fruit, especially bananas, avocados and pears, will help to boost magnesium levels. However, they can also be combined into many main meals as well - explore our recipe hub for some ideas!
- Grains – what better way is there to start the day than with a magnesium-filled bowl of oatmeal or bran flakes?
Magnesium-rich recipes
The easiest way to incorporate magnesium into your diet is through your meals. Try out these delicious tried and tested magnesium-rich recipes:
Avocado Soup
Preparation time approx. 40 minutes
+ 40 minutes cooking time
+ time to cool
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
75 g leek
75 g celeriac
1 shallot, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp brown rice
½ tbsp olive oil
50 ml white wine according to taste
600 ml Plantaforce vegetable bouillon
1 ripe avocado, approx. 250 g
50 g mascarpone
Herbamare® Original
Kelpamare® seasoning or soy sauce
Optional: ground chilli to decorate
- Dice the leek and celeriac. Fry with shallot, bay leaf and rice in the oil. Add wine according to taste and leave to cook out. Add vegetable bouillon, bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 40 minutes with lid on.
- Remove bay leaf. Halve the avocado, rub halves together to remove the stone. Peel flesh off the fruit and chop (Read our guide on how to cut, slice and peel an avocado). Leave some pieces aside to decorate the soup with, and add the rest. Puree the soup finely, pass through a sieve, stir in mascarpone. Season to taste and leave to cool.
- Before serving, garnish the soup with some chopped pieces of avocado, and a sprinkling of ground chilli.
Halibut with pea and nut puree
Preparation time approx. 50 minutes
+ 10 minutes baking time
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
ORANGE NUT CRUST:
75 g walnuts
½ unwaxed orange
1 tsp runny honey
3–4 sprigs of marjoram
½ tbsp walnut oil
Kelpamare® seasoning or soy sauce
Herbamare® Original
Freshly ground pepper
4 halibut fillets of 80 g
1 tbsp olive oil for frying
PEA AND NUT PUREE :
20 g shelled almonds, pine nuts and shelled
pistachios
200 ml milk
1 Plantaforce® vegetable bouillon cube
Nutmeg, freshly grated
500 g green peas, fresh or frozen
2 tsp olive oil
1tsp lemon juice
- For the orange and nut crust, toast the nuts in a non-stick frying panwith no added fat. Add grated orange peel together with honey and marjoram and grind in the blender. Work to a paste with the oil and approx. 1 tbsp orange juice and season to taste with Kelpamare, Herbamare and pepper. Marinate the fish in the remaining orange juice.
- For the pea puree, set aside the almonds, a few pine nuts and pistachios as a garnish and toast the rest in a non-stick frying pan without any fat until golden brown. Ground these finely.
- Bring the milk with the Plantaforce cube and nutmeg to the boil. Pour boiling water over the frozen peas and leave to drain. Add to milk. If using fresh peas add immediately and leave to cook for 6 to 8 minutes with the lid off. Puree finely. Add ground nuts and mix well. Season well with Herbamare and pepper and add flavour with the oil. Heat gently. Scatter over the nuts that were set aside. Keep warm.
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Pat the fish dry. Put the oil into a gratin dish, turn the fish in it and spread out in the dish. Spread orange and nut mixture over the fish. Bake in the centre of the oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Grilled pears
Preparation time approx. 50 minutes
+ 15 minutes grilling
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
500 ml water
2 tbsp Bambu® Coffee substitute
2 tbsp raw cane sugar
4 pears of about 150 g, not too ripe
FILLING:
50 g fresh cheese
1 tbsp Bambu® Instant
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
50 g crystallised ginger
MERINGUE :
1 tbsp butter
1 egg white
Pinch of sea salt
1 tbsp raw cane sugar
1 tbsp light spelt flour
1 egg yolk
- Bring the water, Bambu and sugar to the boil. Peel the pears, halve and core. Cook in the Bambu stock until al dente. Take out 4 pear halves and put into a gratin dish. Cook the rest of the pears until quite soft.
- For the filling, mix the cheese with Bambu and cinnamon. Chop the ginger and add to mixture. Fill the al dente pear halves with the ginger mixture and pour over some of the Bambu stock. Preheat the oven to 175 °C.
- For the meringue, melt the butter, and leave to cool a little. Beat the egg white with the salt until halfway stiff. Add sugar and beat once more until the mixture is stiff. Add flour and stir in the yoke with the butter. Divide the meringue between the pear halves and bake in the centre of the oven for about 15 minutes until golden.
- Meanwhile puree the rest of the pear halves with 100 ml of Bambu stock to make a sauce. Divide between 4 dessert plates and place the grilled pears on top.
Serve warm or cold.
Originally published 26th July 2014 (updated on 30 January 2019)
