Magnesium and Chocolate Cravings

Chocolate contains magnesium which can be why we crave it.

Our bodies are actually looking for a magnesium dose!  Clever hey?

Magnesium is required for bone mineralisation, along with calcium and phosphorus, building of protein, enzyme action, normal muscle contraction, nerve impulse transmission, maintenance of teeth and functioning of the immune system.  It is also crucial for energy metabolism, without magnesium your muscles aren’t able to make use of glucose to make them fire.  It also supports normal immune system function and regulates blood pressure.

Most people are currently deficient in magnesium as it is not present in the soil in the same levels it used to be.  It is therefore not in the foods we eat in sufficient amounts.  Magnesium is not present in high amounts of the foods we eat regularly.  There is a reasonable amount in broccoli, tomato juice, pinto beans (the beans in baked beans) and tofu.  Unless you eat a lot of these foods, chances are you are deficient.  Excellent sources are halibut, cashews and artichokes but they are not foods most people would eat regularly.

Do you experience:-

• Painful muscle cramps and spasms?

• Facial tics?

• Nerve twitches around the eyes or involuntary eye movements?

• And of course, chocolate cravings?

Neuromuscular symptoms such as these are among the classic signs of magnesium deficit.

Do you also experience:-

• Anxiety?

• Times of hyperactivity?

• Difficulty getting to sleep?

• Difficulty staying asleep?

These can also be signs of magnesium deficiency.

Magnesium is essential for gym goers, especially body builders and people doing physical work as their muscles are using more magnesium on a regular basis.

If you do not get enough dietary magnesium, you could experience muscle weakness, continual muscle contraction or twitching and fatigue.  Magnesium keeps your muscles functioning as they should.

If you are considering taking a magnesium supplement make sure you get magnesium in a form other than magnesium oxide.  Magnesium oxide is too big for it to be efficiently absorbed by the body.  A powder is more readily absorbed than a tablet.  Have a chat to someone at your local pharmacy or health food shop for a recommended supplement.  For a quick magnesium boost if you have sore, tired muscles, soak in a bath with a generous amount of Epsom salts which is basically magnesium.  As well as helping your muscles you will have an awesome nights sleep!