Helping to reduce your Potassium and Phosphate levels in kidney disease

By making some of the following changes to your diet you will help control your potassium and phosphate levels. If your renal dietitian has already told you to follow a potassium or phosphate restriction please continue with this unless told otherwise by your renal dietitian or renal doctor.

• Try to keep to 2 portions of animal protein such as beef, lamb, pork, chicken, fish, egg, cheese and pulses per day and include the lower protein plant proteins such as bread, pasta, rice, noodles, chapattis, naan bread, potatoes and cereals at very meal.
• Limit milk to ½ pint per day.
• Keep to one 125g-150g yoghurt per day or two scoops ice cream or 150ml custard per day.
• No more than seven eggs per week.
• Keep cheese to no more than four oz per week.
• Fruit and vegetables are high in potassium, limit them to four small portions per day, a portion is a piece of fruit or two tablespoons of boiled vegetables, a small side salad, a bowl of soup or a small glass (100ml) of fruit or vegetable juice.
• Avoid eating many of the following foods such as bananas, melons, mangoes, rhubarb, dried fruit, spinach, mushrooms, parsnips, brussels sprouts, aubergine and yam or sweet potato.
• Vegetables should be boiled and not steamed, microwaved or stir-fried.
• Potatoes should be boiled, if having baked potatoes, chips, roast potatoes, waffles and potatoes croquettes these should only be included once per week.
• If you are on a phosphate binder – please remember to take them along  with your meals that contain high protein foods. Like beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, fish, cheese, eggs, milk and pulses (peas, beans and lentils).

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