What does it do?
Phosphorus works in a tag team with calcium to form healthy teeth and bones, giving rigidity to bones and teeth. About 80% of the body’s phosphorus is found in our bones, but the remaining 20% has a rather different story to tell. This is found in our tissues as phosphate, and is vital for the chemical reactions our bodies rely on to produce energy from food, as well as helping form the cell walls of every cell in our bodies. Without phosphate, we wouldn’t be able to metabolise any of our food and drink for the general purpose of living, so it’s handy.
What’s the story?
Phosphorus has quite the backstory. It was discovered in 1669 almost entirely by accident, by an enterprising (or desperate?) German alchemist filtering buckets of urine in search of an ingredient that would turn other substances into gold. Given that no-one has (not unsurprisingly) yet cracked this particular conundrum, but phosphorus is used in a wide variety of roles, it should perhaps be the ‘phosphorus stone’ and not the ‘philosopher’s stone’ that we talk about today..
How much do I need?
Adult men and women aged 19 and over need 550 mg per day.
What are good sources?
It’s difficult to be deficient in phosphorus as it appears in most of the big food groups. Meat (particularly turkey and beef), fish, shellfish, eggs, dairy foods, lentils, nuts and whole grains are all good ways to get your phosphorus.
Any ideas for using those ingredients?
Shakshuka/Jewelled brown rice/red lentil curry/hunter’s chicken/scallops with pea and mint puree/seared coriander beef/marmite nuts
References
British Nutrition Foundation (2021) Nutrition Requirements. Available here.
The Royal Society of Chemistry (2017). Periodic Table, Phosphorus. Available here [accessed 6th July 2017].
Ursell, A. (2011) Vitamins & Minerals handbook. London, Dorling Kindersley Ltd.