Maintaining the right amount of phosphorus in our body is important for our health .
"It is part of our bone structure," says kidney dietitian Lisa Gutekunst, "It's a part of our teeth, it is part of our energy, and it is part of our cells."
But having too much of it can be very dangerous
"It can affect our bone health as we age, and as women age and become menopausal, and it can lead to more calcium being pulled from the bones," says Lisa Gutekunst.
Too much phosphorus is also linked to heart disease and is especially problematic for people with kidney disease.
"The leading cause of death and sickness among people who are on dialysis or have kidney disease is cardiovascular disease, and it's really driven by phosphorus levels," she says.
The problem is the type of food we're eating.
Phosphorus is naturally found in many foods that we regularly eat, everything from meat and dairy to legumes and whole grains. A safe dietary range is about 1,000 milligrams a day.
But many of us are taking in much more than that -- as much as 3,000 milligrams a day.
Traditionally, patients with kidney disease have had to worry about their phosphorous intake. But new research has shown that the general population is now also at risk.
"So we are seeing a greater risk to the population for heart disease and bone disease," says Lisa Gutekunst.
Processed foods are especially high in phosphorus . And the amount is not specifically identified on food labels . You have to hunt for the clues to monitor your intake. Watch out for the food additives.
"What you can look for are terms... like sodium phosphate, or phosphoric acid, or calcium phosphate," she says. "That's going to let you know that food is an additional source of phosphorus."
Lisa would like grocery stores to become more pro-active in identifying foods high in phosphorus to allow shoppers to make more informed decisions about the foods they're eating.
"It may be something that Canada and British Columbia can be the first in the world to do."
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Dr. Rhonda Low
