Mayonnaise is a popular and versatile condiment. It can be added to sandwiches your favorite plant burger or mixed with other flavors to create an entirely new condiment or dip. Traditionally made of oil, egg yolks, vinegar (or other acidic liquid), and seasonings, and given it’s popularity, many people wonder if mayonnaise is ok for people with kidney disease. In this article, we show you what to look for and also list out the best mayonnaise brands for people with kidney disease.
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Table of contents
Is mayonnaise good for kidney patients?
Yes, mayonnaise can be part of a healthy kidney diet if you know what to look for.
Protein and Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is very low in protein – so low that just about every nutrition label will say zero! This is great for people with chronic kidney disease who are not on dialysis and following a lower protein diet. However, it is still fine for people with higher protein needs to enjoy mayonnaise.
One concern with reducing protein intake is that protein, particularly animal protein, is a major source of fat in many people’s diets. When people reduce their protein intake, they also inadvertently reduce their fat intake. Fat is a major source of calories, so some people with CKD may not be eating enough calories on a low protein diet, which can put them at risk for malnutrition.
Mayonnaise is high in fat, so it is an excellent way to add back calories and fat to the diet after reducing protein.
Is mayonnaise high in Potassium?
Mayonnaise is very low in potassium – with most brands listing their potassium content as zero. While many people with kidney disease do not need to worry about how much potassium is in their food, there are some people who may benefit from watching their potassium intake. Incorporating very low potassium foods like mayonnaise can allow people to enjoy some higher potassium foods during the rest of their day.
Is mayonnaise high in Phosphorus?
Egg yolks are one of the major components of mayonnaise, and some people have heard that egg yolks are high phosphorus foods. While egg yolks do contain the majority of phosphorus in an egg, there is only a small fraction of an egg yolk in a tablespoon of mayonnaise. A typical tablespoon of mayonnaise will have only 3mg of phosphorus in it, which makes it a very low phosphorus food.
One exception to this is when mayonnaise products contain phosphorus additives. While ‘real’ mayonnaise cannot contain a phosphorus additive, there are plenty of mayonnaise-like spreads that do contain additives. Phosphorus additives are the main culprit in foods that drive up phosphorus levels in people with kidney disease. High phosphorus levels are bad for your cardiovascular system, so we recommend avoiding them. To learn more about phosphorus additives, check out our youtube video.
Mayonnaise brands that are advertised as being “light” or “low fat” are the most likely to contain phosphorus additives, such as this Kraft Light Mayo ingredient list:
Is mayonnaise high in Sodium?
Too much sodium can cause you to retain fluid, raise your blood pressure, put strain on your heart, and potentially cause other problems such as difficulty breathing or painful, swollen feet. It is recommended that people with kidney disease consume 2300mg of sodium or less per day.
A typical mayonnaise will contain roughly the same amount of sodium as calories, which makes many mayonnaise brands a low sodium food. We recommend reading food labels and choosing foods that contain less sodium than calories.
Similar to phosphorus additives, “light” or “low fat” mayo will almost always have more sodium than calories. Here is the nutrition label for the light Kraft Mayo:
In general, we recommend avoiding the “light” or “low fat” versions of any food. These are usually highly processed and contain more sodium, sugar, and are more likely to contain phosphorus additives.
Is mayonnaise okay for someone with kidney disease and diabetes?
Yes. Real mayonnaise contains no added sugar or carbohydrates, which means that it will not raise your blood sugar.
Best Mayonnaise for Kidney Disease
We have highlighted some major mayonnaise brands that contain no phosphorus additives and are low in sodium. Many store brands may also be kidney friendly. Be sure to check the label to verify that there are no ingredients with the letters “PHOS” in them and that there are more calories than sodium.
Duke’s Real Mayonnaise
- Calories: 100
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrate: 0g
- Fat: 12g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Phosphorus
Additives: None - Potassium: 1mg
- Calcium: 0mg
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
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Kraft Real Mayo
- Calories: 90
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrate: 0g
- Fat: 10g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Phosphorus
Additives: None - Potassium: 0mg
- Calcium: 0mg
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
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Blue Plate Real Mayonnaise
- Calories: 100
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrate: 0g
- Fat: 11g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Phosphorus
Additives: None - Potassium: 0mg
- Calcium: 0mg
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
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Sir Kensington’s Classic Mayonnaise
- Calories: 100
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrate: 0g
- Fat: 10g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Phosphorus
Additives: None - Potassium: 0mg
- Calcium: 0mg
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
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Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise
- Calories: 90
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrate: 0g
- Fat: 10g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Phosphorus
Additives: None - Potassium: 0mg
- Calcium: 0mg
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
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Best Plant Based Mayo for Kidney Disease
If you are trying to eat more plant-based foods, choosing a plant based mayo can be a great option. Here are two options that are low in sodium and phosphorus.
Follow Your Heart Vegenaise
- Calories: 80
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrate: 0g
- Fat: 9g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Phosphorus
Additives: None - Potassium: 0mg
- Calcium: 0mg
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
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Sir Kensington’s Classic Vegan Mayo
- Calories: 90
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrate: 0g
- Fat: 10g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Phosphorus
Additives: None - Potassium: 0mg
- Calcium: 0mg
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
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Kidney Friendly Low Sodium Mayonnaise Recipes
Here are a few kidney friendly recipes you might like that include mayonnaise!
