Post Date April, 15 2023
In the twinkling of an eye, it's time to steam Mantou in the house. It's the day of iron plate burning outside the house. The feeling of sweating for five hours after going out for two seconds makes people want to have a bottle of iced soda at any time. However, doctors always emphasize that kidney friends should not drink soda, why is this?
Of course, it's because the soda has high phosphorus content!
The soda we usually refer to is carbonated drinks, such as cola, Sprite, Fanta, etc. They all use high pressure to add a large amount of carbon dioxide to the water, forming carbonation in the water, thereby forming a cool and stimulating taste. However, in addition to carbon dioxide, these drinks can also add other food additives to achieve a pleasant taste and a long shelf life, such as a large amount of white granulated sugar, food coloring, food essence, caffeine, phosphoric acid, etc.
Why should phosphoric acid be added to carbonated beverages?
The main function of phosphoric acid in carbonated beverages is to act as a preservative, regulating the acidity and alkalinity to the point where microorganisms are less likely to grow. In addition, it also has a certain effect on regulating the taste of cola and stabilizing the pigment.
Due to the addition of phosphoric acid, the phosphorus content in carbonated beverages is extremely high. According to the data in the "Chinese Food Composition Table (Volume 2) (2004)", every can (330ml) of cola contains 42.9mg of phosphorus. Compared to the phosphorus content of 73mg per 100g of milk, this data seems to be relatively low. However, kidney friends should note that the phosphorus in cola is a food additive and belongs to inorganic phosphorus, which can be almost completely absorbed by the human body. However, the phosphorus in milk is organic phosphorus, and the absorption rate of the human body is only 40% -60%. Moreover, carbonated beverages contain a large amount of sugar, such as a can of canned cola containing 35.64g of white sugar. According to the latest version of Chinese dietary guidelines, the daily intake of added sugar should be controlled within 50g, preferably not exceeding 25g. A can of cola can make the intake of white sugar exceed the standard. It can be seen that carbonated drinks have low value and are not suitable for kidney friends with diabetes.
So, why do kidney friends limit phosphorus intake?
Calcium and phosphorus are antagonistic to each other, and healthy kidneys can excrete excess phosphorus ions in the body, achieving a dynamic balance between calcium and phosphorus in the blood. But kidney friends have kidney problems, and excessive phosphorus intake can easily lead to hyperphosphatemia, leading to an imbalance in blood calcium and phosphorus concentrations, causing excessive release of parathyroid hormones, which in the long run can easily lead to renal bone disease. In addition, it can also cause hypocalcemia, causing symptoms of bone decalcification. After entering the bloodstream, this calcium can easily deposit with phosphorus in the heart, blood vessels, joints, skin, and other areas, leading to tissue calcification. These symptoms can manifest as very painful symptoms, such as bone swelling and pain, skin itching, etc.
Hyperphosphatemia is a common and serious problem for many kidney patients. In addition to taking phosphorus binders, limiting the phosphorus content in the diet is more beneficial for treatment. The daily intake of phosphorus through food should be controlled below 800mg.
Beverages like carbonated drinks are not good for health, and it's best not to drink them that are high in phosphorus.
