Low-phosphorus diet: Best for kidney disease?

I have kidney disease, and my doctor told me to reduce the amount of phosphorus in my diet. Why is this important? And what foods contain phosphorus?

- No name / No state given

Mayo Clinic urologist Erik Castle, M.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.

Answer

The kidneys help regulate the level of phosphorus in your blood. If your kidney function is impaired, eventually you'll likely have elevated phosphorus levels (hyperphosphatemia). In turn, the elevated phosphorus decreases the level of calcium in your blood, which can lead to bone disease.

Nearly every food contains some phosphorus, so you can't eliminate all phosphorus from your diet. However, it's helpful to limit or avoid phosphorus-rich foods, including:

Milk and milk products
Whole grains, including bread, crackers, cereal, rice and pasta
Dried beans, peas and lentils
Organ meats, including liver, tongue, kidney, heart and giblets
Nuts and seeds, including peanut butter and other nut butters
Chocolate and other candies made with milk, such as caramels
Cola soft drinks

Also think about possible food substitutions.

Instead of these higher phosphorus foods:	Choose these lower phosphorus foods:
Milk, pudding or yogurt	Rice milk (unfortified) or nondairy creamer
Cream soup made with milk	Broth-based soup made with water
Hard cheese	Cream cheese
Ice cream or frozen yogurt	Sherbet or frozen fruit pops
Whole-grain bread, crackers or cereal	Refined (white) bread, crackers or cereal
Quick breads, biscuits, cornbread, muffins, pancakes or waffles	Refined dinner rolls, bagels, English muffins or croissants
Dried peas, beans or lentils	Asparagus, green beans, wax beans, broccoli, beets, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, spinach or summer squash
Organ meats	Beef, pork, lamb, poultry or fish
Peanuts	Popcorn
Chocolate	Hard candy or gumdrops
Cola soft drinks	Lemon-lime soda, ginger ale or root beer

This chart is only a partial listing of suggestions for foods lower in phosphorus. Your needs may vary depending on your kidney function.

It's also important to remember that even if you choose foods lower in phosphorus, there are still limits. Often, 800 to 1,000 milligrams (mg) of phosphorus a day is the limit for someone who has kidney disease. To track your phosphorus intake, read nutrition labels carefully. Keep in mind that phosphorus is usually listed as a percent of Daily Value. To calculate how many milligrams of phosphorus are in one serving of a particular food, multiply the percent listed by 1,000.

If your doctor recommends limiting your dairy intake, ask if a calcium supplement would be appropriate. Also, be sure to avoid medications and supplements that contain phosphorus.

For help creating a meal plan that meets your individual needs — including any other dietary restrictions you may have, such as limits on sodium, potassium and protein — consult a registered dietitian. He or she can help you make sure that you're getting adequate nutrition while following the dietary guidelines provided by your doctor.

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Low-phosphorus diet: Best for kidney disease?

I have kidney disease, and my doctor told me to reduce the amount of phosphorus in my diet. Why is this important? And what foods contain phosphorus?

- No name / No state given

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