Dietary

Why is phosphorus important to you?

Normal working kidneys can remove extra phosphorus in your blood. When you have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) your kidneys cannot remove phosphorus very well. High phosphorus levels can cause damage to your body. Extra phosphorus causes body changes that pull calcium out of your bones, making them weak. High phosphorus and calcium levels also lead to dangerous calcium deposits in blood vessels, lungs, eyes, and heart. Phosphorus and calcium control is very important for your overall health.

HIGH PHOSPHORUS FOOD TO LIMIT OR AVOID

Beverages:
ale; beer; chocolate drinks; cocoa; drinks made with milk; canned ice teas; dark colas

Dairy Products:
cheese; cottage cheese; custard; ice cream; milk; pudding; cream soups; yogurt

Protein:
carp; crayfish; beef liver; chicken liver; fish roe; organ meats; oysters; sardines

Vegetables:
dried beans and peas; baked beans; black beans; chick peas; garbanzo beans; kidney beans; lentils; limas; northern beans; pork n' beans; split peas; soy beans

Other Foods:
bran cereals; brewer's yeast; caramels; nuts; seeds; wheat germ; whole grain products

What is potassium and why is it important to you?

Potassium is a mineral found in many of the foods you eat. It plays a role in keeping your heartbeat regular and your muscles working right. It is the job of healthy kidneys to keep the right amount of potassium in your body. However, when your kidneys are not healthy, you often need to limit certain foods that can increase the potassium in your blood to a dangerous level. You may feel some weakness, numbness and tingling if your potassium is at a high level. If your potassium becomes too high, it can cause an irregular heartbeat or a heart attack.

What foods are high in potassium (greater than 200 milligrams per portion)?

The following table lists foods that are high in potassium. The portion size is ½ cup unless otherwise stated. Please be sure to check portion sizes. While all the foods on this list are high in potassium, some are higher than others.

High Potassium Foods

Fruits:
Apricot , raw (2 medium) dried (5 halves); Avocado (¼ whole); Banana (½ whole); Cantaloupe; Dates (5 whole); Dried fruits ; Figs, dried; Grapefruit Juice; Honeydew; Kiwi (1 medium); Mango(1 medium); Nectarine(1 medium); Orange(1 medium); Orange Juice; Papaya (½ whole); Pomegranate (1 whole); Pomegranate Juice; Prunes; Prune Juice; Raisins

Vegetable:
Acorn Squash; Artichoke; Bamboo Shoots; Baked Beans; Butternut Squash; Refried Beans; Beets, fresh then boiled; Black Beans; Broccoli, cooked; Brussels Sprouts; Chinese Cabbage; Carrots, raw; Dried Beans and Peas; Greens, except Kale; Hubbard Squash; Kohlrabi; Lentils; Legumes; Mushrooms, canned; Parsnips; Potatoes, white and sweet; Pumpkin; Rutabagas; Spinach, cooked; Tomatoes/Tomato products; Vegetable Juices

Other Foods:
Bran/Bran products ; Chocolate (1.5-2 ounces); Granola; Milk, all types (1 cup); Molasses (1 Tablespoon); Nutritional Supplements: Use only under the direction of your doctor or dietitian. Nuts and Seeds (1 ounce); Peanut Butter (2 tbs.); Salt Substitutes/Lite Salt; Salt Free Broth; Yogurt; Snuff/Chewing Tobacco

What foods are low in potassium?

The following table list foods which are low in potassium. A portion is ½ cup unless otherwise noted. Eating more than 1 portion can make a lower potassium food into a higher potassium food.

Low-Potassium Foods:

Fruits:
Apple (1 medium); Apple Juice; Applesauce; Apricots, canned in juice; Blackberries; Blueberries; Cherries; Cranberries; Fruit Cocktail; Grapes; Grape Juice; Grapefruit (½ whole); Mandarin Oranges; Peaches, fresh (1 small) canned (½ cup); Pears, fresh (1 small) canned (½ cup); Pineapple; Pineapple Juice; Plums (1 whole); Raspberries; Strawberries; Tangerine (1 whole); Watermelon(limit to 1 cup)

Vegetables:
Alfalfa sprouts; Asparagus (6 spears); Beans, green or wax; Cabbage, green and red Carrots, cooked; Cauliflower; Celery (1 stalk); Corn, fresh (½ ear) frozen (½ cup); Cucumber; Eggplant; Kale; Lettuce; Mixed Vegetables; Mushrooms, fresh; Okra; Onions; Parsley; Peas, green; Peppers; Radish; Rhubarb; Water Chestnuts, canned; Watercress; Yellow Squash; Zucchini Squash

Other Foods:
Rice; Noodles; Pasta; Bread and bread products: (Not Whole Grains); Cake: angel, yellow; Coffee: limit to 8 ounces; Pies without chocolate or high potassium fruit; Cookies without nuts or chocolate; Tea: limit to 16 ounces

***Source: National Kidney Foundation