What Foods Are High in Phosphorus?

If you have kidney disease, phosphorus can build up in your blood. Learn about which foods are high in phosphorus

Like calcium, phosphorus is also an important mineral found in your bones. Phosphorus keeps your bones strong and is needed to keep other body parts healthy.

However, if you have kidney disease, limiting the amount of phosphorus in your diet is essential. Kidneys that aren’t working well aren’t able to prevent phosphorus from accumulating in your blood, which can lead to heart disease, joint pain, and weak bones.

Your body absorbs significantly less phosphorus in plant-based foods than in processed foods. Since many processed foods contain phosphorus as a thickening agent that prevents spoiling, make sure to check labels and avoid items that have words that contain “phos” in them:

Food additives that contain different phosphorus include:

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

18 Foods that tend to be high in phosphorus include:

1. Fast foods
2. Yogurt
3. Non-dairy creamers
4. Enriched milk
5. American cheese
6. Canned or jarred processed cheese spreads
7. Prepared cheese products in block form
8. Some fresh or frozen meats
9. Cornbread
10. Muffins
11. Pancakes
12. Candy bars
13. Sodas
14. Flavored water
15. Fruit punch
16. Sports drinks
17. Many powdered drink mixes
18. Chocolate drinks

Ask your dietician about what alternatives you can include in your diet to lower your phosphorus intake.

Normal phosphorus levels are between 2.5 to 4.5 mg/dL. When there’s too much phosphorus in your blood, it can pull calcium out of your bones and make them weak. Excess phosphorus and calcium can also travel to your lungs, eyes, heart, and blood vessels and get deposited there, increasing your risk of a heart attack and stroke. The condition may also become life-threatening.

With high blood phosphorus levels, you may also experience:

• Joint pain
• Muscle pain
• Muscle weakness
• Itching
• Red eyes
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

Medications called phosphate binders help control phosphorus levels in your blood and come in various forms such as pills, chewable tablets, powder, and liquids. Your doctor may recommend taking them with meals and snacks. Never take this medication on your own—only when advised by your doctor or dietician.

Because most of us get the required amount of phosphorus from our daily diet, only certain conditions increase the risk of low levels of phosphorus in the body, which include:

• Premature birth (premature babies have phosphorus deficiency)
• Rare genetic disorders
• Severe malnutrition

Phosphorus deficiency can cause the following signs and symptoms:

• Loss of appetite
• Anemia (low red blood cell count)
• Muscle weakness
• Bone pain
• Soft and deformed bones
• Coordination problems
• Increased risk of infections
• Burning or prickling sensation in the skin
• Confusion