Freshly picked corn on the cob is one of the great joys of summertime eating. If you keep added butter and salt to a minimum, corn is a healthy source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber whether it's fresh, frozen or canned. While corn provides the mineral most known for its role in bone health -- calcium -- it also delivers two other nutrients that are essential for strong bones and teeth.
Bone Basics
Bones are active not only during growth spurts but also throughout your entire life. The body constantly removes old, worn or injured bone and replaces it with new bone. Our bones also release calcium into the blood any time it's needed for other vital functions such as muscle contraction and nerve signals. This constant activity, called bone remodeling, requires an adequate supply of calcium, as well as other nutrients vital to the process, such as vitamins D and K, and two minerals provided by corn: phosphorus and magnesium.
Magnesium
Magnesium has important functions throughout the body. It helps cells create energy, and it's needed for the production of DNA, RNA, antioxidants and proteins. It assists muscle contraction and nerve impulses by carrying potassium and calcium across cell membranes. But about 60 percent of magnesium in the body is located in the bones, where it contributes to density and assists with the ongoing rebuilding of bones. A deficiency in magnesium results in lower levels of calcium, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
Phosphorus
Next to calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body is phosphorus, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. In the form of phosphate, it builds and strengthens teeth and bones by making up more than half of the mineral mass. It also contributes structure to cell membranes, participates in chemical reactions, helps filter waste in the kidneys and helps maintain the acid-base balance in the body.
Considerations
An upper limit on the consumption of phosphorus of 4 g/day for adults has been established because the mineral can become toxic. High levels of phosphorus can result in calcification of tissues other than bones, such as the kidneys. Without enough magnesium, calcium levels drop, and the body becomes more resistant to the role of vitamin D.
