Hidden Phosphorus in Fast Food

Posted by Neill Abayon

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with advanced kidney disease are taught to avoid certain foods that are naturally high in the mineral phosphorus, which is difficult for their compromised kidneys to get rid of. But in a report published Wednesday, researchers warn that a fair amount of processed and fast food actually contains phosphorus additives, which can be just as harmful for people with advanced kidney disease.

Because high blood levels of phosphorus can lead to heart disease, bone disease, and even death among patients with advanced kidney disease, these patients must avoid certain meats, dairy products, whole grains, and nuts that are naturally high in phosphorus, the researchers note in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The problem, according to Dr. Ashwini R. Sehgal and colleagues at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, is that it has become an increasingly common practice by food manufacturers to include phosphate salts to processed foods.

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High Fructose Corn Syrup Linked to Kidney Disease

Posted by Neill Abayon

Drinking sugary soda is linked to kidney disease, most likely due to the high fructose corn syrup that sweetens the drinks.

People who drink two or more soda drinks per day increase their risk of kidney damage that could lead to kidney disease. The strongest risk was associated with lower weight women and with drinking non-cola sodas.

The potential cause of the association is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). A link between HFCS and kidney disease is of interest among health officers and nutritionists. Kidney disease - along with diabetes and obesity - has been increasing in the US since manufacturers switched to HFCS as a soft drink sweetener more than three decades ago.

Read the full article here.