There is a quiet consequence of removing wheat that rarely gets mentioned. Whole-grain wheat was one of the everyday sources of magnesium in the typical diet, and the gluten-free products that replace it, made from refined rice and starches, carry almost none. Reviews of gluten-free diets list magnesium among the nutrients that commonly come up short (Vici et al., 2016).
Magnesium is involved in muscle relaxation, nerve signalling, and the body’s sleep chemistry. Women in perimenopause and menopause often describe restless legs, night cramps, tight shoulders, and light, unrefreshing sleep. None of those is a diagnosis of low magnesium and this post cannot tell you whether yours is. What it can do is show you where the food sources are, because most gluten-free women are not eating them.
The gluten-free magnesium foods
Pumpkin seeds. The standout. A quarter cup carries around 150 milligrams, close to half the daily reference intake for women. Toast them, salt them lightly, keep a jar on the counter.
Dark leafy greens. Spinach, Swiss chard, beet greens. A cup cooked is roughly 150 milligrams for spinach. Wilted into eggs, stirred into soup, or under a piece of fish.
Legumes. Black beans, lentils, chickpeas, edamame. A cup cooked lands between 70 and 120 milligrams, plus the fibre and protein a midlife plate needs anyway.
Almonds and cashews. A small handful is about 80 milligrams.
Dark chocolate and cacao. A 30-gram square of 70 per cent or higher is around 65 milligrams. This is the most cheerful item on the list.
Avocado, bananas, and certified gluten-free oats round it out at 40 to 60 milligrams a serving.
A day that adds up
Breakfast: certified gluten-free oats with a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds and half a banana. Lunch: lentil soup with a handful of spinach wilted in. Snack: a small handful of almonds. Dinner: fish over chard with a half cup of black beans. After: two squares of dark chocolate.
That is somewhere around 350 to 400 milligrams from food alone, without any of it feeling like effort.
Two honest notes
Research on magnesium and sleep in older adults is modest and mostly small trials (Abbasi et al., 2012); it is not a cure for menopausal insomnia and I would not present it as one. And this post is about food. Whether you should take a magnesium supplement, and in what form, is a question for your healthcare provider, particularly if you have a kidney condition or take medication.
Built into the plan. The free 5-Day Gluten-Free Reset uses these foods at dinner every night. Nothing to count, nothing to weigh. Get the free guide.
From a celiac herbalist and food educator.
References
Vici G, Belli L, Biondi M, Polzonetti V. Gluten free diet and nutrient deficiencies: A review. Clinical Nutrition. 2016;35(6):1236–1241.
Abbasi B, Kimiagar M, Sadeghniiat K, et al. The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. 2012;17(12):1161–1169.
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
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This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Gil Gavrilovic is a Holistic Health Practitioner and Herbalist and is not state-licensed, state-certified, or state-registered as a Colorado health-care professional. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine.
