What Is a Low Phosphorus Diet?
Phosphorus is a mineral naturally found in many foods. It has numerous essential roles, such as helping build strong and healthy bones and teeth, supporting cell membranes, and producing energy. However, there are times your trusted team at Texas Advanced Renal Health may recommend a low phosphorus diet.
Phosphorus and Your Kidneys
One of the kidneys’ primary jobs is filtering excess phosphorus and fluids out of the blood and into the urine. If your kidneys don’t work well, you can develop high phosphorus levels in your blood, putting you at greater risk of joint pain, weak bones, bone fractures, osteoporosis, heart disease, and strokes.
High phosphorus levels may not produce symptoms. However, patients with chronic kidney disease often experience drops in calcium levels in the blood. That can cause muscle spasms or cramps, numbness and tingling around the mouth, joint and bone pain, a rash, or itchy skin.
What Is a Low Phosphorus Diet?
If you have chronic kidney disease, we may recommend limiting the intake of high-phosphorus foods. We may also prescribe medications known as phosphate binders to help control your phosphorus or phosphate levels.
You need to consider how the body absorbs phosphorus when planning your diet. The mineral is naturally found in abundance in protein-rich foods, including meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, nuts, and beans. The body absorbs phosphorus from animal foods much easier than from plant-based foods.
It’s important to note that processed foods, such as ready-to-eat foods, fast foods, canned foods, processed meats, and bottled drinks contain large amounts of phosphorus in the form of additives or preservatives. The body completely absorbs the phosphorus in food additives. So a good starting point in your low phosphorus diet is to avoid processed foods. It’s also a good idea to look at nutrition facts labels. Anything with “phos” means it has phosphorus or phosphate additives. Examples are dicalcium phosphate, monosodium phosphate, phosphoric acid, sodium tripolyphosphate, and tetrasodium pyrophosphate.
The best way to limit your phosphorus intake is to consume homemade meals or snacks created from fresh ingredients. Try to steer away from convenience foods, fast foods, or restaurant meals as much as possible. Our Texas Advanced Renal Health team will provide you with a comprehensive list of foods high and low in phosphorus and help you plan your kidney-healthy diet.
Kidney Care You Can Trust in McKinney, TX
Contact your trusted Texas Advanced Renal Health team to learn more about maintaining a low phosphorus diet. We are here to answer your questions and provide you with nutrition tips for long-term kidney and overall health. Call us at 972-548-4833 to schedule your appointment today!