Forget the kale smoothies and twice-boiled quinoa – it’s time to shine the spotlight on an oldie but goodie in the world of nutrients: Magnesium. This underrated mineral comes packed with punch, helping regulate everything from blood sugar to muscle function. Not impressed yet? Recent studies have also suggested that upping your magnesium intake could decrease your risk of metabolic syndrome by a significant 21%.

But before you run off to grab that magnesium supplement and start swallowing them like Tic Tacs hoping it’ll turn your body into some metabolic crime-fighting machine, slow your roll there, partner. There's more to this story than meets the eye.

Like any good detective show, we've got ourselves a meta-analysis – a review of a bunch of studies to see if there's some grand conspiracy at play. Sure, people with a high intake of magnesium seem to have a lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome, but there's a twist.

Turns out, those same people are the types that have other healthy habits (shock horror!). So, the researchers couldn’t exactly pin all the health benefits on our beloved magnesium alone. Plus, there were some, shall we say… “interpretations” in how they defined metabolic syndrome, how much magnesium they were really ingesting, and such. Who's to say what's accurate when things are based on self-reported food intake, right? (We know you conveniently forgot about that midnight ice-cream binge, Karen. No judgment.)

Lastly, let's not forget about the big elephant in the room – the distinction between magnesium-rich foods vs. supplements. Though you might be tempted to pop those pills, remember that nutrients from whole foods are always the top banana.

Now that we've suitably bursted your bubble on the miracle fix, go on, embrace these magnesium-loaded foods (greens, legumes, nuts, and whole grains). While more research is needed, this is one simple way a balanced diet can support your health. Told you wellness wasn't all kale and misery.