Smart Eating for Kidney Health: Understanding Phosphorus in Foods

October 31, 2024

Everyone has different nutritional needs. Do not change or adjust your diet before speaking with a kidney dietitian or a healthcare provider first. 


Phosphorus is an essential mineral for your body. If you have kidney disease, it's important to monitor how much you're getting since your kidneys might not effectively remove excess phosphorus. Knowledge is power–knowing the phosphorus content in different foods can help you make better dietary choices. Keep reading for a list of foods and their phosphorus levels to help you manage your intake.

Key Takeaways

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High phosphorus levels can harm the bones and heart.

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The body absorbs more phosphorus from animal-based foods.

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Check food labels for phosphorus additives to limit intake.

Understanding Phosphorus

Phosphorus is a mineral in your bones that helps keep them strong, and it also supports other parts of your body.

There are two forms:

  • Organic: Naturally occurring phosphate in animal and plant-based foods
  • Inorganic: Phosphates added to foods during processing

Typically, your kidneys remove extra phosphorus from your blood. With kidney disease, your kidneys can't do this as well.

High levels of phosphorus can weaken your bones by pulling calcium out of them and can lead to harmful calcium deposits in your blood vessels, lungs, eyes, and heart. Over time, this can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, or even death. High levels of serum phosphorus are also directly linked to a risk of mortality in people on dialysis.

Treatment options include medications like phosphate binders and following a low-phosphorus diet.

Learn more about phosphorus.

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Phosphorus Absorption

The body absorbs phosphorus differently depending on its source.

Organic phosphorus has an absorption rate of 40% to 70%. Animal sources of phosphorus have a higher absorption rate than plant-based. Phosphate additives have absorption rates greater than 90%.

Phosphate additives to watch for:

  • Dicalcium phosphate
  • Disodium phosphate
  • Monosodium phosphate
  • Phosphoric acid
  • Sodium hexameta-phosphate
  • Trisodium phosphate
  • Sodium tripolyphosphate
  • Tetrasodium pyrophosphate

Need help creating your kidney diet? Find a kidney dietitian near you.

Phosphorus in Dairy, Meat, and Plant-Based Foods

While many fruits, vegetables, and grains are full of phosphorus, these are essential aspects of a kidney disease diet. It's best to choose whole foods that nourish your body and have lower absorption rates.

Dairy Products

FoodServing SizePhosphorus mg
American cheese spread1 cup diced1225
Part-skim low moisture mozzarella cheese1 cup 723
Provolone cheese1 cup655
Grated parmesan cheese1 cup627
Queso chihuahua1 cup583
Crumbled feta1 cup506
2% milk1 cup276
Plain low fat yogurt6 ounce 245

 

Learn more about cheese in a kidney disease diet.

Meat Products

FoodServing SizePhosphorus mg
Cured ham with natural juice, heated or roasted1 slice447
Flounder or sole, cooked or dry1 filet392
Canned pink salmon, drained3 oz322
Deer, top round lean, 1” steak1 steak, (134.9 g raw)277
Ribeye, lean meat, trimmed to 0” fat4 oz (raw)263
Chicken, dark meat1 cup262
Atlantic Salmon, cooked3 oz253
90% lean beef patty, broiled3 oz172
Hard boiled egg, large1 egg86

 

Learn more about meat-based proteins in a kidney disease diet

Plant-Based Products

FoodServing SizePhosphorus mg
Sunflower seeds, toasted, no salt1 cup1552
Pumpkin and squash seeds, roasted1 cup1385
Enriched white cornmeal, self-rising, with wheat flour added1 cup1107
Pink beans, raw1 cup872
Black beans, raw1 cup683
Roasted almonds, no salt1 cup650
Brown rice flour1 cup532
Dry roasted peanut, no salt1 cup530
Raw green soybeans1 cup497
Barley flour or meal1 cup438
Brown long grain rice, cooked½ cup102
Oatmeal, cooked in water½ cup90
Whole wheat bread1 slice60
Boiled lentils½ cup178

 

Learn more about plant-based diets

Get Creative In the Kitchen

Now that you know what to shop for, turn your ingredients into masterpieces.

Sources

1“Office of Dietary Supplements - Phosphorus.” NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Phosphorus-HealthProfessional/. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
2“Nutrients: Phosphorus, P(Mg).” United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, www.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/files/page-files/phosphorus.pdf. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.