Got milk? Americans may be familiar with the milk ad campaign that showed up on television and in magazines for years. Celebrities sport a milk mustache that promotes health benefits of drinking milk. For people with kidney disease on dialysis, milk needs to be drunk in moderation. Milk is higher in potassium, phosphorus ²¹²Ô»åÌýcalcium-some of the nutrients that become out of balance when the kidneys are no longer working. Milk is often limited by chronic kidney disease patients who are on a lower protein diet.
‘Got milk substitute?’ and ‘Which products are best?’ are most likely the questions most people following a kidney diet are asking.
Milk replacement products include nondairy creamers (some have phosphorus additives so read the ingredient list), soy milk, rice milk and almond milk. Many of these products are lower in the minerals of concern for a kidney diet, but there are a lot of variations between brands. Some substitutes have added calcium and phosphorus and some have phosphate containing food additives. Other products have potassium levels similar to milk. Beware of Hemp milk which tends to be quite high in potassium.
*Manufacturers reformulate their products often, so it’s a challenge to keep updated on which milk substitutes are best for a kidney diet.
Tips to look for the lowest in potassium, sodium, phosphorus and calcium.
Soy milk: Look for original varieties and check the ingredient list for phosphorus additives ("phos" in any part of a word) and potassium additives (potassium will be in the list). Look for brand with the lowest calcium.
Rice milk: Just with soy milk read the food label. Some shelf stable original rice milks do not contain phosphorus additives, but always read the label to be sure.
Almond milk: Similar to soy and rice milk…be sure to read over the food label.
Nondairy creamers: These creamers used to be the gold standard for milk substitutes, but many now contain phosphorus additives. They also vary by region around the country. Choose one without phosphorus additives, or chose a soy, rice or almond milk substitute instead.
Many recipes in the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½.com recipe collection use milk substitutes instead of milk to help lower potassium and phosphorus content.
