The mineral phosphorus resides primarily in your bones, but it is also used by every cell in your body as a major structural component. Phosphorus facilitates the use of carbohydrates and fat during metabolism and it helps synthesize proteins, which are important for normal growth and repair of your muscles, cells and tissues. The Percent Daily Value of phosphorus is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet but may vary depending on your health needs.
Percent Daily Value of Phosphorus
Daily value and amount per serving refers to the measure of a particular nutrient in foods, and you can find this information on nutrition labels. The percent daily value is the percentage of total nutrients for one serving of a food item based on the standard 2,000-calorie diet. The percent daily value of phosphorus is standardized at 1,000 mg. The percent daily value is different from the recommended dietary allowance. The RDA serves as a guide to ensure you get the total standardized daily intake of a nutrient to achieve normal health benefits from that nutrient. The RDA for daily phosphorus in adults is 700 mg.
Calculating Percent Daily Value
Determine the amount of phosphorus in a food item using the amount per serving divided by the standardized daily value, which is 1,000 mg. Then multiply that number by 100 to get the percent daily value. For example, one slice of whole wheat bread contains 57 mg of phosphorus. Divide 57 by 1,000, which equals 0.057. Multiply 0.057 by 100 and the percent of phosphorus you get from that slice of bread is 5.7. Most nutrition labels include the percent daily value per serving of food so you may not have to calculate the percentage.
Daily Phosphorus Consumption
To maintain adequate health, consume 100 percent daily value for phosphorus based on your specific calorie needs. If you have kidney disease this may not be equivalent to 1,000 mg percent daily value, notes the American Association of Kidney Patients. Kidney disease can alter your metabolic processes and too much phosphorus increases muscle weakness and pain in the joints or bones. If you are a healthy adult use the standardized daily value percentages listed on nutrition facts labels. Keep in mind that even healthy adults can consume too much phosphorus, which may result in abnormal blood levels of phosphate. The tolerable upper intake level for phosphorus should not exceed 4,000 mg per day.
High Phosphorus Foods
Dairy products including milk and yogurt contain 247 to 385 mg of phosphorus per 8 oz. serving. A 3 oz. serving of cooked beef, chicken, turkey or fish yields 155 to 252 mg of phosphorus. Nut varieties including almonds or peanuts contain 107 to 134 mg per 1 oz. serving and legumes or lentils have 170 to 200 mg per 1/2 cup cooked serving. Grains like bread or pasta and fruits or vegetables are generally low in phosphorus.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute: Phosphorus; Jane Higdon PhD; 2003
- MayoClinic.com; Percent Daily Value; What Does it Mean?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.; May 2010
- MedlinePlus: Phosphorus in Diet
- American Association of Kidney Patients; How To Use and Understand Food Labels; Nikki Sclafani, M.S., R.D.; July 2003
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