Phosphorus Management
Lesson
Here’s an unfortunate fact: most of the time, food companies only tell you what the government requires them to.
Confused about what I mean?
Notice those Nutrition Facts on food labels? Notice how they don’t even mention how much phosphorus is in them?
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), phosphorus additives in foods are “generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe,” when used as intended.
They are also not “subject to pre-market review and approval by the FDA,” and are not required to be indicated in nutrition facts and labels.
While phosphorus additives serve a lot of purposes (i.e., as acidifiers, taste
enhancers, or leavening agents), your damaged kidneys will have a hard time filtering these out of your system. Add to that the fact that most food items today have more than 2 kinds of phosphorus additives.
What makes it worse? Often, the phosphorus content of certain food items based on direct chemical analysis do not often match what is in food composition databases. Information from nutrition databanks alarmingly underestimate the actual phosphorus content of your food.
You could be consuming huge amounts of phosphorus without even knowing it.
“And why is this a problem?” you may ask...
Well, you see, along with calcium, phosphorus is a mineral that is mostly found in our bones—it’s vital for keeping them healthy and strong. It also aids in the growth and repair of the body’s tissues and cells.
The normal blood phosphorus level is 2.5–4.5 mg/dL (milligrams per
deciliter), and your kidneys are largely responsible for maintaining that
normal range. Any excess phosphorus is excreted through urine.
But when your kidneys are damaged, they can’t remove phosphorus
very well, causing elevated phosphorus levels. This, in turn, can lead to
complications like:
- bone disease,
- painful joints,
- itchy skin, and;
- lung, eye, or heart problems.
To avoid those health concerns, you need to keep your blood phosphorus level within the normal range. This is why as much as possible, you should avoid processed foods. It’s not only sodium that’s high in processed
foods.
So, what now, you may ask? Let’s discuss steps on how to limit your
phosphorus intake.
1. Check food labels for "phos-” ingredients.
Yes, the Nutrition Facts section of food labels don’t indicate how much phosphorus is in a particular food item. But, they do indicate their phosphorus additives in their list of ingredients.
All you have to do is steer clear of foods with “phos-” additives in them.
Components like:
- Calcium phosphate
- Dicalcium phosphate
- Disodium phosphate
- Monopotassium phosphate
- Monosodium phosphate
- Phosphoric acid
- Pyrophosphate polyphosphate
- Sodium hexameta-phosphate
- Tetrasodium pyrophosphate
- Tricalcium phosphate
- Trisodium phosphate
Always remember to be extra vigilant when grocery shopping!
2. Talk to your health professional about phosphate binders.
I’m always hesitant about recommending medication. People tend to
become overly dependent on drugs, and they neglect what diet and
lifestyle changes can actually do.
But if your phosphorus level is really getting out of hand, then you can
talk to your healthcare professionals about using phosphate binders.
Phosphate (or phosphorus) binders are medication that help you control
phosphorus levels in your body. They absorb excess phosphorus from
the food you eat and help you pass it out of your body through your
stool. There are many types of this -- pills, powders, liquids, and even
chewable tablets.
HOWEVER… Keep this in mind: DO NOT take phosphate binders without
the approval of a doctor or dietitian.
The assessment of a medical professional is absolutely necessary before
starting this type of medication.
The assessment of a medical professional is absolutely necessary before
starting this type of medication.
3. Switch to a low-phosphorus diet.
As suggested by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), the ideal
phosphorus intake limit for people with kidney conditions is 800-
1000 mg daily. But limiting this nutrient is easier said than done.
You see, most of the things that we enjoy are actually high-phosphorus
food items, especially milk and dairy products such as ice cream,
puddings, or yogurt. Meat and protein foods are also phosphorus-rich.
Here are some other examples:
Item | Sodium | Protein | Potassium | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bran Cereals | 540 | 9.90 | 533 | 449 |
Whole-Wheat Bread | 565 | 16.27 | 326 | 358 |
Yogurt | 70 | 5.25 | 234 | 144 |
Chocolates | 20 | 7.79 | 715 | 308 |
Milk (whole) | 105 | 7.69 | 322 | 205 |
USDA values per 100 g; Milk values from 1 cup (244 g) serving
But you don’t need to worry much about it, as there are low-phosphorus such as these:
Item | Sodium | Protein | Potassium | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Corn Flakes | 60 | 3.00 | 60 | 40 |
White Bread (lowsalt) | 298 | 8.20 | 119 | 94 |
Applesauce | 2 | 0.17 | 74 | 5 |
Jelly Beans | 50 | 0.00 | 37 | 4 |
Almond Milk | 189 | 1.05 | 176 | 24 |
USDA values per 100 g, Almond Milk values from 1 cup (262 g) serving
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