Magnesium recommended daily allowance

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for an adult male is 420 mg of magnesium per day, and 320 mg for an adult female (Clinical Nutrition Service, NIH). Magnesium deficiency is rare if a well-balanced diet is consumed that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. Potable water can also contribute significant amounts of Mg to the diet especially in hard-water areas however, softened water is depleted in magnesium. 

Cheese is an important dietary source of several minerals, in particular calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium (Table XV). A 100-g serving of hard cheese provides ca. 800 mg Ca, which represents the Recommended Daily Allowance for most adults (Food and Nutrition Board, 1980). However, acid-coagulated cheeses, e.g.. Cottage, contain considerably lower levels of calcium than rennet-coagulated varieties (Renner, 1987). 

Generally, seaweed contains high ash content indicating appreciable amounts of minerals. Mineral content of seaweed can account for up to 36% of its dry mass and mineral macronutrients include sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, chlorine, sulfur, and phosphorus whereas the micronutrients include iodine, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, molybdenum, fluoride, manganese, boron, nickel, and cobalt. Among these minerals, calcium holds 4-7% of dry matter. At 7% calcium, a t) ical daily portion size of seaweed (8 g dry weight) provides 560 mg of calcium which is a considerable amount compared to its recommended daily allowance (800-1000 mg) (Anonymous, 2004). In seaweeds, calcium is available as calcium phosphate, and that is more bioavailable than the form of calcium in milk, which is calcium carbonate. 

Interestingly, seaweed contains considerably high amoimts of iron and copper compared to food sources renowned to contain those minerals such as, meat and spinach (Holland et ah, 1993). In addition, a normal portion size of brown seaweed, which includes species such as Laminaria and Undaria, provides more than 50% of the recommended daily allowance of magnesium. Therefore, seaweed can be used as a food supplement to fulfill most of the important mineral requirements of the body. 

Recommended daily allowance of magnesium is 400-430 mg for men and 310-360 mg for women, with an extra 40 mg needed for pregnancy. 

RECOMMENDED DAILY ALLOWANCE OF MAGNESIUM. The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) of... 

Surveys indicate that the magnesium content of the average American diet is about 120 mg per 1,000 Calories (kcal). Thus, a person consuming a varied diet of about 2,000 Calories (kcal) will get 240 mg of magnesium. However, a woman following diets limiting intake to 1,000 to 1,500 Calories (kcal) will likely have magnesium intakes below the recommended daily allowance. 

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