Milk and other dairy products including yogurt and cheese, contain potassium and phosphorus. A person with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may need to limit their intake of these minerals. Milk and dairy alternatives can be a tasty replacement to a meal or recipe to reduce the phosphorus and potassium content.
Minerals in Milk Alternatives
This chart highlights phosphorus, potassium and sodium content of some dairy products. For comparison, alternatives to milk and cheese are also listed. While the dairy alternatives do contain less phosphorus and potassium, some alternatives like dairy-free cheese may contain more sodium and/or phosphorus additives. *Always read the ingredient list for phosphorus additives.
| Milk and Dairy Products | Serving Size | Phosphorus (mg) | Potassium (mg) | Sodium (mg) |
| 2% milk | 1/2 cup | 113 mg | 172 mg | 58 mg |
| Low fat yogurt | 1/2 cup | 66 mg | 115 mg | 48 mg |
| Low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded | 1 ounce | 151 mg | 33 mg | 198 mg |
| Milk and Dairy Alternatives | Serving Size | Phosphorus | Potassium | Sodium |
| Almond Milk | 1/2 cup | 12 mg | 88 mg | 94 mg |
| Rice Milk | 1/2 cup | 67 mg | 32 mg | 47 mg |
| Soy Milk | 1/2 cup | 63 mg | 143 mg | 62 mg |
| Soy Yogurt, plain | 1/2 cup | 50 mg | 62 mg | 45 mg |
| Dairy-free cheese, mozzarella shreds ** | 1 ounce | 30 mg | 30 mg | 280 mg |
*Phosphorus and potassium content may vary by manufacturer.
**Information obtained from Daiya Consumer Experience Team and www.daiyafoods.com. Based on roughly 1 ounce of Daiya® dairy-free mozzarella shreds.
Information for all other products obtained from the USDA Food Composition Databases.
Milk
Cow’s milk is higher in phosphorus and potassium than almond, rice or soy milk. Substituting almond milk for 2% cow’s milk reduces phosphorus by ~100 mg and potassium by ~85 mg per 1/2 cup. Additionally, milk provides calcium. Some milk alternatives have added calcium and are even higher in calcium than milk. Your doctor or dietitian may ask you to closely watch calcium intake. Check the calcium content and ingredients on all milk alternatives.
Almond, rice and soy milk are available at most grocery stores. Check out these 
recipes to make your own:
Cheese
Dairy-free cheese products are another option. These products contain less phosphorus and potassium. However, the dairy-free cheese is not a low-sodium option. As shown in the chart, dairy-free cheese contains 133 mg more sodium per ounce. Work with your dietitian to determine which products are acceptable on your kidney diet.
Check out this DaVita recipe for our take on dairy-free cheese sauce:
Yogurt
Soy yogurt is available in some grocery stores. Potassium and phosphorus content of the soy yogurt was not available from the manufacturer and is not required to be included on the food label. However, upon review of a popular version of soy yogurt, phosphorus-containing ingredients were found in the ingredients list.
Dairy alternatives can spruce up recipes without adding phosphorus and potassium. It is important to read the food label or check with your dietitian as some dairy alternatives may be high in sodium. While watching phosphorus and potassium content can feel difficult, dairy alternatives can provide a tasty option when added to cereal or other recipes.
