Magnesium 102: Magnesium Supplements

Magnesium When the Garden Sleeps

Magnesium is critical to good health, and in our last post we looked at natural vegetable sources available in Minnesota. But what if it's the middle of winter and some of these vegetables are not available locally?

There are some excellent magnesium supplements out there, helpful when the snow’s knee-deep and the CSA box is just a memory. This post looks at some of the most popular magnesium supplements and what they’re good for.

Magnesium Citrate

One of the most common forms. Highly bioavailable, which just means your body can absorb it easily. It’s also commonly used as a laxative, so if you’re feeling bound up, this is your friend. If you’re not, tread lightly. A modest dose is often enough to replenish levels without causing a bathroom emergency. Good for general use if your digestion can handle it.

Magnesium Malate

A lesser-known form, but worth your attention. Magnesium malate binds the mineral to malic acid, which plays a role in energy production. This form is often recommended for people with fatigue or muscle pain (especially those dealing with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue). It’s gentle on the stomach and may provide a subtle energy lift without being stimulating.

Magnesium L-Threonate

Absorption and bioavailablilty are keys to the how magnesium will penetrate key body structures. Magtein the form of magnesium in L-Threonate is the only magnesium shown to rise the concentration of magnesium in the brain. The journal Neuron reported the researchers found that  magnesium played a key role in synaptic plasticity, (learning and memory). L-Threonate enhances learning, working memory, short term memory, long term memory and even the quality of sleep. Magtein a patented form, restores aging neuron function. This is a little more expensive, but good stuff.

Magnesium Sulfate

Also known as Epsom salt. This one’s not typically taken orally, though it technically can be. What it’s really great for is soaking. A hot bath with a few cups of Epsom salt lets magnesium absorb through the skin—helping to relax muscles, ease soreness, and maybe even lift your mood. It’s not going to change your blood magnesium levels dramatically, but when the windchill hits double digits below zero, a long soak with this can feel like survival-level self-care.

Magnesium Chelate

This is a broad category, but when people say “chelated magnesium,” they’re often talking about magnesium glycinate or bisglycinate. This form is bound to amino acids, which helps with absorption and also makes it easier on the digestive tract. It’s often recommended for those who need magnesium but can’t tolerate the bowel-loosening effects of citrate. Known for promoting calm, reducing muscle tension, and helping with sleep. If you’re the kind of person who lies awake thinking about seed catalogues and greenhouse plans, this one might help you get to sleep without the 2 a.m. Pinterest scroll.

So What Should You Take?

If you’re just trying to maintain overall health during a long northern winter, magnesium glycinate is a solid, gentle choice. If you need brain support, memory, mood, or cognitive clarity, L-Threonate is worth the extra cost. If digestion is sluggish, citrate can help, though you may want to plan your day accordingly. And if you’ve been shoveling snow for the third time this week, don’t underestimate a good Epsom soak.

Of course, nothing beats whole food sources, and when the season allows, leafy greens, legumes, and seeds should be your first line of defense. But Minnesota doesn’t care about your mineral levels in February, and a supplement might be what keeps the wheels turning until spring.

Stay warm, stay fed, and magnesiumed up.

Growing Radishes

Delicious crunchy radishes are one of the first of the garden plants out of the ground in the spring. They can be planted as soon as the ground thaws. Radishes require ground temperatures of 40 degrees or so to germinate. If planted in close proximity to adequate growing conditions the radishes will come up when conditions are right. They are basically on autopilot and will take care of themselves.

I've planted radishes in early march and had good results with them growing. If a few get frozen there are typically enough to still have a good crop. Radish seed is also pretty inexpensive in bulk.

Another trick we use is to plant a light crop of radishes over the top of carrot seed. This is a good marker for where the carrot seed is planted. The carrots germinate slowly and are just coming up when the radishes are ready to harvest. The radishes provide some protection for the tiny carrots and are easily harvested or eliminated if they are not needed.

Don't forget to plant succession crops every few weeks. Most people assume that radishes don't grow in the heat of the summer. But we have had good luck growing them in compost with adequate water. They need to be harvested before they get too large or they can get hot.

Radishes are very fun for young children to plant and pick. Even if they are too spicy for young tastes they are still a lot of fun to grow.

Radish seed has very long germination so you can buy bulk ahead and save. Get enough for 3-5 years and you should be fine.

Black Garlic - Join the Dark Side

The process for black garlic originated in Korea. It is the same garlic that we offer as fresh garlic (typically the variety Music) but fermented at elevated temperature and humidity.

It is very probiotic and has 2x the health benefits of fresh garlic.

It has a wonderful mild garlic flavor with overtones of molasses.

I am making commercial quantities of black garlic this year.

Let's look at how this works.

You Gotta Ask The Right Questions

In a didactic (teaching) environment I often think long and hard before asking a question. I assume the teacher is a subject matter expert and knows what they are talking about.

But I have run into a few exceptions.

Let's explore this topic.

My TEDx Talk V

Continuing the transcript of my TED talk on "Farmers Market as a Business Incubator".

My TEDx Talk IV

 Continuing the transcript of my TED talk on "Farmers Market as a Business Incubator".

My TEDx Talk III

Continuing the transcript of my TED talk on "Farmers Market as a Business Incubator".

My TEDx Talk II

Continuing the transcript of my TED talk on "Farmers Market as a Business Incubator".

Magnesium 101, The Miracle of Magnesium

Magnesium is essential to more than 300 biochemical processes in the human body and over 3,700 magnesium binding sites. The functions the need magnesium include:

• Blood pressure regulation
• Protein synthesis
• Neurological function
• Blood sugar control
• Energy metabolism
• Antioxidant production

Most of the US population is deficient in magnesium.

This post is about magnesium rich natural food sources...

Buckwheat pan cakes with Blue Berries

I've been doing a lower carb diet lately and I wanted to make pancakes for breakfast last Sunday morning.

Buckwheat is about half the carbs of regular flour.

I threw in some blue berries for good measure.

Here is the recipe.