Not everyone needs to restrict phosphorus. People with healthy kidneys generally do not need to avoid ordinary phosphorus-containing foods simply because they contain this mineral. For people with chronic kidney disease, however, the source and amount of phosphorus can become important.
The National Kidney Foundation and NIDDK both emphasize that phosphate additives in processed foods can be a concern for people whose kidneys cannot remove phosphorus effectively. <Cite refs={[“turn217214search4″,”turn217214search0”]}/>
Where might these additives be hiding?
Potential sources include:
Packaged breakfast sandwiches
Processed cheese and some cheese-based spreads
Instant breakfast meals
Some processed meats
Certain flavored drinks and packaged cereals
Ready-made foods containing phosphate-based ingredients
Not every product in these categories contains added phosphates, and not every packaged food is unhealthy. The ingredient list is more useful than the packaging or marketing claims alone.
How do you identify phosphate additives?
Check the ingredients for words containing “phos,” such as:
