People on dialysis have heard more than once to pay attention to their intake of phosphorus and potassium on the kidney diet. When it comes to Potassium, Phosphorus and the Dialysis Diet, this may be the biggest challenge for many dialysis patients. First, remembering the difference between the two Ps.
Spot the Difference
In the most general terms, potassium is generally a bit higher in some plants and phosphorus is a bit higher in meats/cheese. Dairy, nuts and seeds, legumes, chocolate and some grains can be higher in both. Another source of the two Ps is potassium and phosphate-containing food additives in processed foods.
While our bodies do need some potassium and phosphorus to function properly, people with greatly reduced kidney function are not able to eliminate these minerals and levels can build up to dangerous levels.
Tips to Keep in Mind
So what’s a dialysis patient on the kidney diet to do when it comes to the knowing how to limit potassium and phosphorus in their diet? When it comes to potassium, some fruits and vegetables are higher and can be swapped out for fruits and vegetables that are lower in potassium. For phosphorus, patients can take their phosphorus binders as prescribed by their doctor and dietitian and try to make low-phosphorus food choices. A renal dietitian will be helpful for sharing tips and providing kidney-friendly recipes to limit phosphorus and potassium in a kidney diet.
Additives
Foods with naturally occurring potassium and phosphorus are better choices, over those foods that contain potassium and phosphorus additives. Our bodies only absorb ~40-60%, while additives are typically absorbed ~90-100%. Check out this article on reading nutrient labels.
