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Top 5 Common Food Sources of Phosphorus
Looking to get extra phosphorus in your diet? Look no further! My team and I have crunched the numbers and did all the math to determine the top 5 common food sources of this mineral, per serving. Even though phosphorus is present in most foods, there’s very few foods that provide half of the daily value of phosphorus per serving, so it’s important to choose a variety of phosphorus rich foods that deliver smaller amounts, and and sprinkle those throughout the day. Getting enough phosphorus as part of a healthy balanced diet is important since a large collection of studies show that getting nutrients from dietary supplements or multivitamins doesn’t improve health outcomes compared to getting nutrients from foods!
| Rank | Food | Nutrivore Score | Serving Size (Raw) | Phosphorus (mg/serving) | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soybeans, Mature Seeds | 326 | 1/2 cup | 654.7 | 52 |
| 2 | Atlantic Sardines, Canned in Oil, w/ bone | 654 | 4 oz / 115 g | 563.5 | 45 |
| 3 | Hemp Seeds, Hulled | 415 | 1 oz / 28 g | 467.8 | 37 |
| 4 | Chicken Egg, Yolk | 342 | 100 g (6 eggs) | 390.0 | 31 |
| 5 | Scallops, Mixed Species | 645 | 4 oz / 115 g | 384.1 | 31 |
Want to know more about this essential mineral including what phosphorus does in the body, how much phosphorus we need, what happens if we have low phosphorus levels or if we get too much, and even more high-phosphorus foods? Keep reading to learn all there is to know!
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What Is Phosphorus and What Does It Do?
Phosphorus is a highly abundant mineral in the human body, playing important structural roles as a component of bones (as calcium phosphate crystals), nucleic acids (as sugar-phosphate backbones), and cell membranes (as the phospholipid bilayer). It also helps maintain the body’s acid-base balance, and is needed to create a molecule involved in oxygen delivery to tissues. A number of enzymes, hormones, and cell-signaling molecules also rely on phosphorus (via the process of phosphorylation) to become activated and carry out their functions.
Most research on the health effects of phosphorus have pointed to problems with excess intake. Studies suggest that excess dietary phosphorus is associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis—possibly due to the effects phosphorus has on the regulation of certain hormones (including vitamin D and parathyroid hormone) and cell differentiation. When it comes to bone health, getting enough calcium appears particularly important for protecting against the effects of high phosphorus consumption!
Learn more about phosphorus here.
Phosphorus Deficiency
A 2011 study evaluated American’s usual nutrient intake including nutrients that are naturally-occurring in foods, from fortified and enriched foods, and from supplements. The results indicated that 2.0% of American adults usual diet falls short of the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for phosphorus intake.
Groups At Risk
Due to its abundance in foods (as well as its high bioavailability), phosphorus deficiency is rare. Even when dietary intake is low, the body is generally able to compensate by increasing renal absorption so that blood levels of phosphorus can remain stable.
However, those at higher risk of phosphorus deficiency include:
- individuals with inherited renal phosphorus-wasting disorders,
- alcoholics,
- people with respiratory alkalosis,
- anorexic patients on high-calorie re-feeding regimens, and
- diabetics recovering from diabetic ketoacidosis.
Learn more here.
Symptoms of Deficiency
Low blood phosphorus, known as hypophosphatemia, can lead to symptoms such as muscle weakness, numbness in the extremities, bone pain and fragility, loss of appetite, and respiratory failure. It also increases susceptibility to infections and causes bone softening. In severe, untreated cases, hypophosphatemia can become life-threatening.
Learn more here.
Problems From Too Much Phosphorus
High phosphorus intake and elevated blood levels (hyperphosphatemia) have been linked to adverse health outcomes, including increased all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and kidney disease to name a few. Even levels at the high end of normal are associated with greater risks of cardiovascular disease, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and left ventricular hypertrophy. Impaired kidney function is a common cause of hyperphosphatemia, as the kidneys play a vital role in excreting excess phosphorus (in this case dialysis can help remove the excess). Problems caused by excess phosphorus likely stem from the ways phosphorus is regulated—particularly the secretion or action of parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, and fibroblast growth factor 23. High phosphorus levels can cause disordered regulation of these hormones, such as impairing the synthesis of active vitamin D (in turn increasing the risk of kidney disease, heart disease, and calcium phosphate buildup in the organs and other soft tissue). It can also lead to vascular calcification, bone mineral loss, and other complications. Interestingly, the calcium-to-phosphorus dietary ratio may be more important than phosphorus intake alone when it comes to influencing skeletal health, with sufficient calcium potentially mitigating phosphorus’s negative effects. To limit risks, the tolerable upper intake level for phosphorus is set at 4,000 mg daily for adults under 70 and 3,000 mg for older adults.
Learn more here.
How Much Phosphorus Do We Need?
The following table summarizes the current recommended amounts of phosphorus, based on age, gender, or situation. Keep in mind that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require food labels to list phosphorus content unless phosphorus has been added to the food.
| 0 – 6 months | |||||
| 6 months to < 12 months | |||||
| 1 yr – 3 yrs | |||||
| 4 yrs – 8 yrs | |||||
| 9 yrs – 13 yrs | |||||
| 14 yrs – 18 yrs | |||||
| 19 yrs – 50 yrs | |||||
| 51+ yrs | |||||
| Pregnant (14 – 18 yrs) | |||||
| Pregnant (19 – 30 yrs) | |||||
| Pregnant (31 – 50 yrs) | |||||
| Lactating (14 – 18 yrs) | |||||
| Lactating (19 – 30 yrs) | |||||
| Lactating (31 – 50 yrs) |
Nutrient Daily Values
Nutrition requirements and recommended nutrient intake for infants, children, adolescents, adults, mature adults, and pregnant and lactating individuals.
More Food Sources of Phosphorus
Phosphorous is present in most foods, but it’s particularly abundant in protein-rich items such as dairy products, fish, shellfish, poultry, organ meats, seeds, and legumes. Whole grains and bakery products such as breads and tortillas are also common food sources of phosphorus. This mineral is also found in many common food additives (such as the phosphate additive phosphoric acid used in soft drinks), so it’s often abundant in fast foods and processed foods (anything from cereals to waffles to ice cream).
Best Food Sources of Phosphorus
The following foods have high concentrations of phosphorus, containing at least 50% of the recommended dietary allowance per serving, making them our best food sources of this valuable mineral!
Good Food Sources of Phosphorus
The following foods are excellent or good sources of phosphorus, containing at least 10% (and up to 50%) of the daily value per serving. Just missing the list at 9% is lentils!
Top 5 Common Food Sources
If you’re looking for top 5 common food sources of other important nutrients check out these posts!
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Expand to see all scientific references for this article.
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