10 Foods High in Phosphorus
Even though phosphorus might not be discussed as frequently as some of the more popular nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and iron, it’s nonetheless very important for our bodies. Phosphorus is present in every cell of our body, and knowing that, you can begin to understand why it’s important for us to get enough of it from our diet.
Phosphorus helps the body convert food into usable energy. It’s partly responsible for our metabolism and helps to fuel us up from a cellular level. Not only that, but it’s an important component of helping us develop healthy bones and teeth.
Phosphorus can be found in a wide variety of foods, from dairy to whole grains. As long as we get around 700mg of phosphorus on a daily basis, experts say that we should be fine. If you don’t get enough phosphorus, symptoms of a deficiency can include anxiety, decreased appetite, irritability, breathing difficulty, laziness, and changes to mood.
Here are ten of the best sources of phosphorus that you can find at your local grocery store. Eat these on a regular basis and you will be able to avoid any chance of a phosphorus deficiency!
Phosphorus Rich Food #1: Whole Wheat
If you are a big fan of whole wheat cereals or anything with wheat bran in it, then we have good news for you: you probably don’t have to worry about a phosphorus deficiency! Wheat is one of the best sources of phosphorus, and it’s also a great source of other nutritive compounds.
A cup of whole wheat - which can be found in all sorts of foods like bread and cereals - will give you 59% of the daily recommended intake of phosphorus. You’ll also get a whopping 15 grams of dietary fiber which, despite being harder to digest because of the gluten, is still a pretty healthy dose. Wheat also provides you with other essential nutrients like manganese and selenium.
Phosphorus Rich Food #2: Cheese
Cheese is one of the best sources of phosphorus that you can buy. Cottage cheese and cheddar are highest in phosphorus, with a single cup of cheese providing you with about 676 mg of phosphorus. That’s almost 100% of your daily recommended dose.
Not only is cheese a good source of phosphorus, it’s a good source of protein and calcium. The same amount of cheese will give you around 33 grams of protein and 952 grams of calcium. People on a low fat diet should be careful though as cheese is quite high in saturated fat.
Phosphorus Rich Food #3: Peanut Butter
Vegans and vegetarians delight, because peanut butter is one of the best sources of phosphorus. It’s best to get an organic variety, because it will provide more nutrients and a higher quality source of protein.
One hundred grams of peanut butter will give you around 358 mg of phosphorus, which is half your daily recommended dose. Peanut butter is also filled with manganese and niacin, two other nutrients necessary for good health.
Phosphorus Rich Food #4: Corn
Corn is another good source of phosphorus. It’s also able to retain a lot of its nutritional value during the canning process, so you can get a similar amount of phosphorus from canned corn as you could from fresh corn.
A cup of corn will give you 349 mg of phosphorus, which is about half your daily required dose. Corn is low in fat and cholesterol, and contains few calories, so it can be considered an ideal food for people watching their weight. Corn is also loaded with antioxidants, which can help prevent the emergence of diseases.
Phosphorus Rich Food #5: Broccoli
Broccoli, and other cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, are great sources of phosphorus. 100 grams of broccoli will give you about 66 mg of phosphorus. While this isn’t as much phosphorus as some of the other foods on the list, it can still contribute to meeting your daily recommended intake.
Broccoli is also a great source of other nutrients like iron, calcium and vitamin A. It’s low in fat & cholesterol and contains hardly any calories considering how nutritionally dense it is. Broccoli is also known for being one of the best natural cancer fighters.
Phosphorus Rich Food #6: Chicken
Another food that’s a great source of phosphorus is chicken. A good serving of chicken will give you 25% of your daily dose of phosphorus, which is around 166 mg.
Chicken’s also a great source of protein and niacin. However, it’s got a lot of saturated fat in it. If you want to avoid getting a hefty dose of saturated fat, remove the skin before you eat it - this is where most of the saturated fat lies.
Eating chicken breast can hep fight high blood pressure and other forms of vascular disease. However, like anything, eating too much of it can contribute to illness. Make sure to limit your consumption to a few times a week.
Phosphorus Rich Food #7: Garlic
Garlic is a great source of phosphorus, if you’re able to eat a lot of it. A cup of garlic will give you 208 mg of the nutrient, or 30% of your RDI. Unfortunately, a cup of garlic is quite a bit! Adding it into your daily meals will help you meet your daily requirements, though.
Garlic is also a great source of antioxidants and works as a fantastic antibacterial. This is why garlic can be so useful helping you fight off illnesses. It’s also a good source of other nutrients like calcium and selenium.
Phosphorus Rich Food #8: Nuts
While we have already mentioned peanut butter as being a good source of phosphorus, but there are a lot of other nuts that can provide a similar amount of this important nutrient. Brazil nuts, almonds and cashews are among the best nut sources of phosphorus.
They are also great sources of nutrition because they last for a long time if they’re properly prepared. A single ounce of these nuts will provide you with between 20-25% of your daily recommended intake for phosphorus.
Nuts are also great sources of omega-3 fatty acids which are important for maintaining the health of your blood vessels and your cognitive abilities.
Phosphorus Rich Food #9: Chocolate
While milk chocolate may not be the best source of nutrients, you can certainly get a lot of good nutrients - like phosphorus - from dark chocolate and cacao. A bar of good quality dark chocolate will give you around 208 mg of phosphorus if it has a cacao content of around 75%.
Cacao is also a good source of calcium and potassium, though unfortunately cacao is a pretty significant source of saturated fat. That said, chocolate is known for being one of the best sources of antioxidants and can help you slow the aging process.
Phosphorus Rich Food #10: Fish
Fish, especially salmon, are great sources of phosphorus. If you eat 100 grams of salmon you’ll be getting about 200 mg of phosphorus, which equates to roughly 29% of your daily recommended dose.
Fish is also loaded with omega-3 fatty acids which help maintain your cardiovascular system and the health of your brain. Potassium and protein are two other nutrients found in high amounts in fish.
