Phosphorus Intake for CKD
IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDNEYS! UNDERSTANDING HOW THE FOOD YOU EAT IMPACTS YOUR KIDNEY HEALTH IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TO SUPPORTING THIS VITAL ORGAN. IF YOUR DOCTOR HAS MENTIONED REDUCED KIDNEY FUNCTION OR CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE TO YOU, WORKING WITH A REGISTERED DIETITIAN IS THE BEST STEP YOU CAN TAKE TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
What you need to know about Chronic Kidney Disease
CKD is often associated with elevated phosphorus levels, because your kidneys cannot properly filter it out of your blood. Excess phosphorus causes body changes that pull calcium out of your bones and can cause calcium deposits it in your blood vessels, lungs, eyes, and heart. This can lead to increased risk of heart attack, stroke or even death.
What to Look Out for in Food Labels
Unfortunately, phosphorus is not one of the nutrients that is listed on the nutrition facts labels, so you have to know what to look for in the ingredients list and what foods are naturally high in phosphorus. Be careful of any ingredients that contain any form of phosphates, phosphoric acid, or phytic acid.
High Phosphorus Food to Limit or Avoid*
Beverages: ale, chocolate drinks, drinks made with milk, canned iced teas, beer, cocoa, dark colas
Dairy: cheese, custard, milk, cream soups, cottage cheese, ice cream, pudding, yogurt
Protein: carp, beef liver, fish roe, oysters, crayfish, chicken, liver, organ meats, sardines
Vegetables/Legumes: dried beans and peas, baked beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, limas, pork and beans, soy beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, lentils, northern beans, split peas
Other foods: most processed prepared foods, deli meats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, pizza, bran cereals, caramels, seeds, whole grain products, brewer’s yeast, nuts, wheat germ, tortilla chips, cheese puffs
*list from the National Kidney Foundation
Sources:
https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/phosphorus
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Phosphorus-HealthProfessional/
REMEMBER, VISITS WITH A REGISTERED DIETITIAN ARE COVERED BY MOST INSURANCE CARRIERS FOR IN-PERSON AND TELE-HEALTH VISITS. ASK US A QUESTION OR REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT TO LEARN MORE!
