Renal- 5 Low-Phosphorus Tips for Healthier Holiday Treats & Drinks

meals

What’s for dessert? Between now and New Year’s that question is bound to come up. At work, at home, at the family gathering, at a friend’s get-together.

What’s your game plan? When you have renal disease and reduced kidney function, some desserts could spoil your holiday fun. But it doesn’t have to be like this. With a little planning, you can prepare a dessert you can eat or bring a Renal-Friendly treat to the party without worrying about getting sick.

With renal disease, it’s critical to limit phosphorus in your diet. Health experts recommend no more than 350 mg a day. The problem, when it comes to desserts, is that a lot of sweet treats are made with ingredients that are high in phosphorus.

Fortunately, some simple swaps and adjustments can help. Follow these 5 tips for low-phosphorus snacks.

Nuts

One cup of nuts can contain 500+ mg of phosphorus. If that’s what a recipe for cookies, breads, or muffins calls for a cup of nuts, cut it down to 1/4 cup.

Chocolate

It’s a dessert favorite for a lot of people. But one cup of chocolate chips contains about 500mg of phosphorus. That’s more than your remaining kidney function can handle. If a recipe calls for a cup of chocolate chips, cut that down to 1/4 to 1/2 half cup.

Cheese

Thinking about making something that requires cheese, cheese sauce, or some of that ubiquitous Velveeta® or Cheez-Whiz®? Regular cheese and processed cheeses are both high in sodium and phosphorus. The renal-friendly option...use cream cheese or cheese spreads instead.

Milk & ice cream

You might like eggnog, coffee drinks with creamer, and ice cream. But these treats are high in phosphorus and potassium. Plus they’re loaded with extra calories and fat.

Is there a renal-friendly alternative? Ice cream and creamer made with rice milk, soy milk, and non-dairy creamer can help. You may also enjoy these Renal-Friendly sorbets:

Alcohol

Before you propose a toast, you may want to avoid or limit alcohol. Alcohol may interact with medications you're taking. Plus, it’s high in calories and adds fluids to your total daily intake, something you need to be mindful of when you have renal disease. Some renal-friendly alternatives include: spritzer with wine, sparkling soda and ice, or an alcohol-free mocktail. Hungry for more Renal-Friendly ideas for healthy eating? Check out the complete menu of meals all made from fresh ingredients, and ready to eat in minutes.