July 7, 2008
Reading Food Labels to Identify Hidden Phosphorus
Understanding food labels is even more important for those following a kidney diet. Since phosphorus is often missing from the Nutrition Facts, it’s important to know how to find hidden sources on the ingredient list.
Look for obvious sources of phosphorus in the ingredients: cheese, milk, yogurt, nuts, seeds, dried beans and peas, bran, whole wheat or whole grains, organ meats, peanut butter and chocolate.
One not-so obvious source of phosphorus is the leavening agent, baking powder. One teaspoon contains over 450 mg phosphorus and over 350 mg sodium. Products made with baking powder include biscuits, pancake mix, quick breads and many commercially prepared bakery products.
Cereals and cereal bars may be another phosphorus contributor. Many cereal boxes list phosphorus in mg or as a % of Daily Value (DV). Use these numbers to interpret:
50 mg or up to 5% DV is low phosphorus
51-150 mg or 5-15% DV is medium phosphorus
Over 150 mg or greater than 15% DV is high phosphorus
Another hidden source of phosphorus is Read more…
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