Phosphorus
Intake model: one reported food record, food date unconfirmed. References: man aged 19–30. How to read the references.
Review. The substantial estimate remains incomplete: boneless fish phosphorus and restaurant additive/recipe details are unresolved. Review the information rather than diagnosing excess.
Linked eating record; usual intake and clinical status unestablished · Reviewed 2026-10-10
Intake confidence: Moderate. Quantity confidence: Limited. Body status: Unassessed.
FDA values describe food labels.
Phosphorus
2,560 mg available-value subtotal from food; some foods are unquantified.
| Recommended intake | Upper reference | Food label reference |
|---|---|---|
| 700 mg (RDA) US National Academies · Food and oral supplements | 4,000 mg (UL) US National Academies · Food and oral supplements | 1,250 mg (DV) FDA · Adults and children 4+ |
Other authority and form-specific references
- Not established
EFSA / SCF · No EFSA nutrient UL for dietary phosphorusAbsence of a European UL does not invalidate the distinct US established UL or imply unlimited safety.
Food contributions and uncertainty
Values are available for 12 of 13 recorded foods. The displayed number is an available-value subtotal. 1 contribution(s) use an incomplete recipe or comparator. Product identity and portion assumptions still limit accuracy.
The saved portion/recipe scenarios span 2,446–2,769 mg. This is a sensitivity range, not a confidence interval; uncertain food composition and unreported foods can fall outside it.
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| Food | Model portion | Contribution | Source basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trader Joe's European style organic plain nonfat yogurt | 907 g reported | 1,424 mg | Generic USDA comparator |
| RT RT roast chicken meat and skin | 299 g estimated | 544 mg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Trader Joe's Organic basmati rice frozen | 283 g reported | 122 mg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Banana | 472 g reported | 104 mg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Hass avocado | 150 g assumed | 78 mg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Trader Joe's Organic raw almonds | 15 g estimated | 72 mg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Raw English walnuts | 15 g assumed | 52 mg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Raspberries | 170 g assumed | 49 mg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Large beefsteak tomato | 182 g assumed | 44 mg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Red bell pepper | 150 g assumed | 39 mg | Generic USDA comparator |
| Navel orange | 140 g assumed | 32 mg | Generic USDA comparator |
Unquantified: Crown Prince Natural Skinless boneless sardines in olive oil.
Provisional or modeled zeros:
- RT RT chimichurri: Partial recipe estimate.
These are model inputs or current label declarations. They do not prove exact absence in the original package.
Role, references and source differences
Phosphorus is part of bone mineral, cell membranes and molecules used in energy metabolism. For adults aged 19–30, the US RDA is 700 mg/day and the UL is 4,000 mg/day from all sources. The reference is for healthy people; impaired renal handling changes the clinical question. Phosphorus in food is not absorbed identically from every source, and phosphate additives can contribute amounts absent from food tables. NIH phosphorus fact sheet
What this estimate contains
The latest available subtotal is about 2,560 mg. Generic yogurt composition contributes about 1,424 mg and estimated chicken about 544 mg. The sardine phosphorus value is deliberately missing: the available generic comparator includes bones and is unsuitable for quantifying this boneless product. The restaurant recipe and any phosphate additives have not been verified.
The attention flag is Review, an information review of a fairly substantial but incomplete estimate, rather than an excess diagnosis. No phosphorus-directed addition is indicated. The result does not measure serum phosphate, and being below the UL cannot prove that every possible addition would be beneficial. Conversely, being several times the RDA does not itself identify a toxic intake.
A relevant human experiment, with a limited endpoint
Gutiérrez and colleagues fed ten healthy adults an additive-free diet for one week, followed by otherwise matched foods containing phosphate additives for another week. The additive diet supplied about 606 mg/day more measured phosphorus, with increases in several mineral-regulating biomarkers, including FGF23. This was a small, short sequential experiment; it did not measure fractures or demonstrate long-term disease in healthy people. Its parallel mouse findings should not be presented as human bone damage. Gutiérrez et al., 2015
NIH notes inconsistent observational associations and a lack of evidence that phosphorus restriction prevents cardiovascular disease in healthy adults. This uncertainty matters: a biomarker response and a population association are not a clinical-outcome trial. NIH phosphorus outcome discussion
Practical interpretation
If product information becomes available, preserve phosphate-containing ingredients and a credible composition source. Do not calculate a precise calcium-to-phosphorus target from this partial log or remove enjoyable yogurt solely to optimize that ratio. Portion accuracy and the overall diet remain the first levers; a phosphorus supplement would solve no demonstrated problem here.