In the diet of people with phenylketonuria it is very important to control the intake of phenylalanine, an amino acid found mainly in protein-rich foods, such as meat, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products; for example, people with phenylketonuria should undergo regular blood tests to assess the amount of phenylalanine in the blood and, with their doctor, calculate the amount of phenylalanine they may eat during the day.
Since it is necessary to avoid most protein-rich foods, phenylketonurates should also use protein supplements without phenylalanine, as proteins are extremely important nutrients in the body, which cannot be completely eliminated.
- In addition.
- In the absence of phenylalanine intake.
- The body needs higher doses of tyrosine.
- Another amino acid that becomes fundamental for development in the absence of phenylalanine.
- So it is usually necessary to supplement with tyrosine in addition to diet.
- Make sure that other precautions are important in the treatment of phenylketonuria.
Foods allowed for people with phenylketonuria are
There are also other foods that are allowed for phenylketonurates, but which must be controlled.These foods are:
In addition, there are special versions of ingredients with less phenylalanine, such as rice, wheat flour or pasta, for example.
While dietary restrictions are important for phenylketonurates, there are many industrialized products that do not contain phenylalanine in their composition or are poor in this amino acid, however, in any case, it is very important to read on the product packaging if it contains phenylalanine.
See a more complete list of licensed foods and amounts of phenylalanine.
Foods banned in phenylketonuria are those rich in phenylalanine, which are mainly protein-rich foods, such as:
As the phenylketonin diet is low in protein, these people should take special amino acid supplements that do not contain phenylalanine to ensure proper growth and functioning of the body.
The amount of phenylalanine that can be consumed each day varies by age and weight, and phenylketonurate feeding should be done in such a way that the allowed phenylalanine values are not exceeded.The following list shows the authorized values of this amino acid by age group:
If the person with phenylketonuria ingests phenylalanine only in the permitted amounts, their motor and cognitive development will not be compromised.For more information, see: Better understand what phenylketonuria is and how it’s treated.
The dietary menu for phenylketonuria should be customized and crafted by a nutritionist, as it should take into account the person’s age, the amount of phenylalanine allowed and the results of blood tests.
Tolerance: 300 mg phenylalanine per day
total
It is also important that the person and family members check the product labels to see if the food contains phenylalanine and its content, thus adjusting the amount of food that can be consumed.