Phosphorus is one of those ambiguous nutrients that not many really think about. When comparing to iron, zinc and b-12, phosphorous is like the shy friend.
But it is an important nutrient nonetheless. And you’d be glad to know that it’s relatively easy to get out of a well-planned vegan diet.
Let’s go through which sources of phosphorous you can start including in your shopping list.
Almonds
A great snack, rich in calcium, vitamin E and a range of other nutrients.
You’d be glad to know that merely half a cup of almonds provides a solid 34% of your daily intake of phosphorous.
Consider almonds as a healthy, go-to snack to boost your levels.
Lentils
A great legume, not as widely embraced in the Western world but a solid inclusion regardless. Lentils are versatile and great in a wide array of dishes.
You can also get your zinc and iron from a good amount of lentils, which you can enjoy in a vegan lasagne, bolognese or lentil soup, as a few options.
1 cup of cooked lentils provides 36% of your daily recommended phosphorous.
Oats
A great way to boost your energy in the morning. Great in smoothies, burgers as a binder or vegan overnight oats.
Rich in manganese as well as a wide range of other nutrients including zinc – Oats are also a great source of phosphorous, providing 41% in half a cup’s worth.
Amaranth
A pseudo-cereal not known by many, cooks like porridge, but is a lot smaller than that of a common oat grain.
Rich in iron and other nutrients; you can expect to receive 36% of your recommended phosphorous in one cup of cooked amaranth.
Try them today in my amaranth fritters recipe.
Adzuki beans
Another uncommon legume on the market. High in protein, tasty and satiating, adzuki beans are one to add to your shopping list.
Just one cup’s worth of cooked adzuki beans provides you with 39% of your recommended phosphorous.
Hazelnuts
One of the most famous nuts. Often overlooked in terms of its health benefits, likely due to nutella and kinder bueno stealing the spotlight…
A mere ounce of hazelnuts, or 28 grams, provides 8% of your day’s worth of phosphorous. Personally when I start snacking on them I can’t stop!
Chickpeas
One of the most versatile legumes, an alkaline bean. The chickpea is great for an array of nutrients, inclusive of iron, zinc and calcium.
But in this case, one cup of cooked chickpeas provides 28% of your recommended phosphorous.
You can incorporate them into your diet with our homemade hummus recipe, or our vegan falafels.
Quinoa
My personal favourite alternative to rice; Quinoa is a pseudo-cereal high in a wide array of nutrients, lovely paired with lentils and a salad.
1 cup of cooked quinoa provides 28% of your recommended daily phosphorous intake.
Try it in our red lentil sun dried tomato quinoa recipe!
Why do we need phosphorous?
The role of phosphorous is a vital one. The nutrient helps with the body’s formation of bones and teeth, as well as for assisted metabolism of carbs and fats in the body.
Phosphorous is necessary for the synthesis of protein for growth and repair, as well as general maintenance works in the body.
Benefits of phosphorous
Here are some of the benefits of phosphorous:
- May help strengthen teeth
- Can improve post-workout pain
- Can assist with more efficient kidney waste management
- Aids in the production of DNA and RNA
- Good for the body’s general energy management
Vegan diets are rich in a wide array of nutrients, and not all of them are vegan superfoods like you’d think.
Hopefully you enjoyed this post and got some inspiration on the next foods to add to your shopping list. Till next time!
