What is the Diet for PKU?
The diet for PKU consists of a milk substitute such as Phenyl-Free* and measured amounts of fruits, vegetables, bread, pasta and cereals. Many foods must be eliminated from a low phenylalanine diet. These foods are high protein foods such as milk and dairy products, meat, fish, chicken, eggs, beans and nuts which contain large amounts of phenylalanine. Eating these foods will cause high blood phenylalanine levels. Figure 2 The target is an easy way to visualize the foods allowed on the diet for PKU. Phenyl-Free is the center of the target diet. As the foods get farther away from the bull’s-eye they are higher in phenylalanine. The foods outside the target are not allowed on the low-phenylalanine meal plan at all. It is not unusual for someone on a phenylalanine restricted diet to have two kinds of vegetables and a baked potato for dinner. However, if these foods were all a person on a phenylalanine restricted diet consumed, their diet would be lacking protein, vitamins and minerals. Th
