Healthy Tips at a Glance

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Dietary needs may vary based on severity and type of kidney disease.

Please discuss with your provider whether you should restrict or add the nutrients below to your diet.

How can I control my phosphorus level?

You can keep your phosphorus level normal by understanding both your diet and medications. Phosphorus can be found naturally in various foods (organic phosphorus). It should be noted that Phosphorus found in animal foods is absorbed more easily than phosphorus found in plant foods.

Phosphorus that has been added to food in the form of an additive or preservative (inorganic phosphorus) is found in most processed foods. Avoiding phosphorus additives can lower your intake of phosphorus. Phosphorus additives are found on the list of ingredients on the nutrition facts label under “PHOS”.

Phosphorus additives found in foods include:

Dicalcium phosphate
Disodium phosphate
Monosodium phosphate
Phosphoric acid
Sodium hexameta-phosphate
Trisodium phosphate
Sodium tripolyphosphate
Tetrasodium pyrophosphate

Your kidney dietitian and physician will help you with this. Here is a list of foods high in phosphorous and lower phosphorus alternatives:

High Phosphorus Food to Limit / Avoid
Beverages	beer/ale cocoa drinks made with milk canned iced teas bottled beverages with phosphate additives	chocolate drinks dark colas pepper type soda (Dr Pepper)
Lower phosphorus alternatives: water, coffee, tea, rice milk (unenriched), apple juice, cranberry juice, grape juice, lemonade, ginger ale, lemon lime soda, orange soda, root beer
Dairy Products	cheese custard milk cream soups	ice cream pudding yogurt (Greek type acceptable)
Lower phosphorus alternatives: rice milk, almond milk, cottage cheese, vegan cheese, sherbet, popsicles
Protein	oysters beef liver fish roe	sardines chicken liver organ meats
Lower phosphorus alternatives: chicken, turkey, fish, beef, veal, eggs, lamb, pork
Other foods	chocolate candy caramels oat bran muffin	most processed/prepared foods/deli meats/hot dogs/bacon/sausage pizza brewer’s yeast chocolate caramel candies
Lower phosphorus alternatives: apples, berries, grapes, carrot sticks, cucumber, rice cakes, unsalted pretzels, unsalted popcorn, unsalted crackers, pound cake, sugar cookies

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