Phosphorus is seriously contraindicated for Kidney patients.
I have been living out of vending machines and the frozen dinner section of groceries for 40+ years.
Yes, I know I can put together a kidney-friendly meal.
I want one I can take out of the freezer, pop in the microwave and have something edible 10 minutes later.
Any ideas?
As far as I can tell, the majority of Amy’s frozen entrees have no phosphorous. (I haven’t looked at the ingredients on all of them.) Most are also gluten free. My current favorite is mushroom risotto.
Here’s a list of good choices from Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice.
Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are known to have good frozen entrees and I would imagine they would have a good variety of items that exclude phosphorus. But you’d have to go look, I have never shopped for them.
My kidney doctor has recommended these . . . not just for their low phosphorus, but also for their low sodium.
Thanks Folks!
I had been munching a whole lot on Marie Callender dinners and Stouffer’s.
I ran across Health Choice after being concerned over MC’s bragging about it’s levels of the two P’s.
I’ve bookmarked the list ZipperJJ kindly posted - thanks again.
Gawd, I hate being “Healthy”.
One more pill bottle and I think my nightstand will collapse…
Why are they putting all of this phosphorus in the frozen dinners, and what is its source?
Preservative and/or “freshness”? Maybe color/appearance.
They are something…Phos…something - not found in the natural food.
Mostly various phosphates. All food has some naturally occurring phosphorous (our cell membranes are primarily phospholipids, and phosphate buffers our blood), so:
is obviously false. But I’m assuming your physician is recommending no added phosphorous, which should be in the ingredients list. In addition, you may want to look at some lists of foods that are naturally high in phosphorous. E.g. Phosphorus and Your Diet - Levels, diet, deficiency | National Kidney Foundation
Here is a list of foods high in phosphorus, and healthy alternatives. Note that many of the healthy alternatives are less healthy for other reasons. White bread > whole grains? Pretzels > nuts & seeds? Jelly beans > chocolate?
Aren’t there phosphorous binding agents you can take orally? I gave one to a cat when her kidneys were beginning to fail years ago.
Before my kidneys finally bit the big one, I tried to get healthy - my typical breakfast would be nutty, wheaty toast, yogurt, a banana, and a handful of almonds. Basically, everything a person with compromised kidneys should NOT have. It makes no sense.
Phosphate binders are available, but they come with their own issues. They are made from calcium acetate. Too much can cause kidney stones.
usedtobe: Amy’s is pretty good, as are Daiya pizzas. If you have a Whole Foods near you, check out their frozen aisle. You still need to be eagle eyed - even “healthy” frozen meals hide phosphates. Stay away from frozen / packaged meats. And Take Your Binders.
I would suggest checking out recipes on DaVita. Even if you’re not much of a cook, they have lots of super easy recipes, with the phosphates and potassium levels noted.
Polyphosphates bind water. By adding the stuff to processed food the manufacturer can also add more water. Makes money!
It’s pretty easy to cook your own meals, with exactly the things you like (or that your doctor will allow) and freeze them for reheating in the microwave. You can do an orgy of cooking once or twice a week, and freeze enough meals for the rest of the week.
But if you’ve gone 40+ years on the awful stuff that comes in pre-frozen mass-market meals, you aren’t likely to do this. Or even have enough taste buds left to notice the difference.