Why is a low-phosphorus diet useful in managing kidney disease? What foods contain phosphorus?
Phosphorus is a mineral the body needs to make new cells and for bone health. It's in many foods, mainly proteins, and it's added to many foods and drinks.
When you eat foods that have phosphorus added to them, most of the phosphorus goes into your blood. Kidneys that work well remove extra phosphorus from the blood.
If your kidneys don't work well, phosphorus can build up in your blood. This raises your risk of heart disease, weak bones, joint pain and even death.
How to limit phosphorus
How much phosphorus your body can handle depends on how well your kidneys work. You may need to limit phosphorous if you have high blood levels of phosphorus or if you use a machine to filter waste from your blood, called dialysis. Nearly every food has some phosphorus, so cutting down may seem hard to do.
Some foods and drinks are much higher in phosphorus than others. Sometimes a small change is all it takes to lower the amount of phosphorus in your blood.
To help limit phosphorus, choose natural foods instead of processed foods that have phosphorus added to them. Your body absorbs less of the phosphorus from natural foods. Natural foods also offer better nutrition overall.
Plant proteins can be better choices than animal proteins. Plant proteins have a type of phosphorus that your body doesn't use as well as phosphorus from animal sources. Plant sources also are high in fiber and other nutrients.
Check ingredient lists
Food makers may add phosphorus to foods to thicken them, improve taste, help them keep their color or preserve them. Check ingredient lists to see whether any ingredients have the letters "phos." Limit foods with "phos" in the ingredients, especially if there are several on the list or if they are at the top of the list.
Examples of ingredients that indicate phosphorus added to foods include:
- Sodium phosphate.
- Calcium phosphate.
- Sodium acid pyrophosphate.
- Phosphoric acid.
The best way to lower the amount phosphorus in your diet is to limit foods that have the most phosphorus. These include:
- Fast foods, foods sold at convenience stores and packaged foods.
- Wrapped American cheese slices, canned or jarred cheese spreads and prepared cheese products in block form.
- Fresh or frozen meat, chicken or seafood that have added flavor or fluids to keep them moist or that list "phos" ingredients.
- Cola and pepper-type sodas, many flavored waters, many bottled or canned teas, fruit punch, energy or sports drinks, many powdered drink mixes, beer, and wine.
The table below lists foods lower in phosphorus that you can eat instead of foods higher in phosphorus. Even with food or drinks that are low in phosphorus, you still can get too much phosphorus if you eat large amounts. So stick with small amounts.
| Higher phosphorus foods |
Lower phosphorus foods |
| Processed meats, such as bacon, bologna, chicken nuggets, ham, hot dogs and sausages; and fresh or frozen meat, poultry or seafood with "phos" ingredients |
Lean beef, eggs, lamb, wild game, poultry, seafood or other fish without "phos" ingredients |
| Colas and pepper-type sodas, some flavored waters, bottled teas, energy or sports drinks, protein drinks, beer, wine, and drink mixes with "phos" ingredients |
Plain water, lemonade, lemon-lime soda, ginger ale, root beer and drink mixes without "phos" ingredients; fresh-brewed coffee made from beans; or brewed tea made from tea bags |
| Fast foods, frozen dinners, packaged foods, restaurant meals and convenience store foods |
Homemade meals or snacks made from fresh ingredients or foods without "phos" ingredients |
| Fat-free cream cheese or fat-free sour cream |
Regular or low-fat cream cheese or sour cream |
| Milk, pudding, yogurt, soy milk, and nondairy creamers and enriched milks |
Almond, oat or rice milk without "phos" ingredients |
| Processed cheeses and cheese spreads |
A small amount of brie, Swiss, cheddar or mozzarella cheese |
| Fat-free cream cheese or fat-free sour cream |
Regular or low-fat cream cheese or sour cream |
| Quick breads, biscuits, cakes, cornbread, donuts, muffins, pancakes or waffles |
Fresh dinner rolls, bread, bagels or English muffins |
| Chocolate or caramel, including chocolate drinks and candy bars |
Jelly beans, hard candy, fruit snacks or gumdrops in moderate amounts |
Seek professional help
To make an eating plan for your needs, ask for a referral to a kidney dietitian. A kidney dietitian can help you find varied foods to enjoy while limiting phosphorus.
Your healthcare professional also may suggest that you take a medicine that binds phosphate. This can help control the amount of phosphorus your body takes in from foods. But you likely still need to cut the amount of phosphorus in your diet.
Dec. 16, 2025
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- Healthy eating for adults with chronic kidney disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-ckd/healthy-eating-adults-chronic-kidney-disease. Accessed June 26, 2025.
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- Medical review (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Accessed July 2, 2025