What is a phenylalanine free diet?

The diet must continue during weaning and childhood, with a low protein diet. Foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, nuts and pulses are excluded as they contain high levels of phenylalanine. Vegetables and fruit are allowed in measured amounts only!

What foods are phenylalanine found in?

Phenylalanine is found in most protein-containing foods such as milk, eggs, cheese, nuts, soybeans, chicken, beef, pork, beans and fish.

What foods to avoid if you have PKU?

Foods that contain large amounts of phe must be eliminated from a low phe diet. These foods are high protein foods, such as milk, dairy products, meat, fish, chicken, eggs, beans, and nuts. These foods cause high blood phe levels for people with PKU.

What can you eat on a PKU diet?

What to Eat

  • Medical foods, shakes, powders designed for PKU.
  • Most fruits and fruit juices.
  • Most non-starchy vegetables (and juices)
  • Low protein breads and pastas.
  • Fats like olive oil, butter, margarine, coconut oil, ghee.
  • Sweeteners like sugar (white or brown), honey, maple syrup, molasses.
  • Small amounts of heavy cream.

Do potatoes have phenylalanine?

Potatoes are an exception (see Phenylalanine allocation in the diet section). Also, cooked crisps (snacks) made from vegetables such as beetroot or parsnips are concentrated in phenylalanine and should be calculated/measured in the daily phenylalanine allowance.

What does too much phenylalanine do to the body?

Phenylalanine can cause intellectual disabilities, brain damage, seizures and other problems in people with PKU . Phenylalanine occurs naturally in many protein-rich foods, such as milk, eggs and meat. Phenylalanine is also sold as a dietary supplement.

Is Avocado high in phenylalanine?

1a, 15 out of the 16 fruits had a mean Phe content smaller than 50 mg/100 g fruit, ranging from 8 to 49 mg/100 g. The only exception was avocado, which varied considerably, from 45 to 150 mg/100 g.

What happens if you have too much phenylalanine?

Can you live without phenylalanine?

Any amino acids that are not needed are broken down further and removed from the body. People with PKU cannot break down the amino acid phenylalanine, which then builds up in their blood and brain. This can lead to brain damage.

Can PKU eat rice?

Individuals with PKU cannot drink regular milk, eat regular cheese, pasta, bread, biscuits or rice. Some examples of the costs involved for common low protein foods are: $15.75 for a 400g tin of milk replacer.

Can you eat yogurt with PKU?

Foods such as red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, nuts, soybeans, and beans are too high in protein to be part of a PKU diet, except when the dietary restriction required is minimal.

What happens if someone with PKU eat protein?

Without the enzyme necessary to break down phenylalanine, a dangerous buildup can develop when a person with PKU eats foods that contain protein or eats aspartame, an artificial sweetener. This can eventually lead to serious health problems.