Low Phosphorus Hamburger Buns

Make your burgers as kidney friendly as possible by choosing a low phosphorus hamburger bun – plus some additional tips for make the most kidney friendly burger possible.

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Do hamburger buns have phosphorus?

Yes, all hamburger buns will contain some amount of phosphorus. However, many hamburger buns also contain phosphorus additives, which can be particularly harmful for people who have kidney disease.

Phosphorus found naturally in foods is less absorbable by your body than phosphorus additives, so people with kidney disease do not generally need to worry about naturally occurring phosphorus. Instead, they should focus on avoiding phosphorus additives in foods.

When phosphorus builds up in the blood, it can cause problems with your bones and also damage your cardiovascular system.

Is there potassium in hamburger buns?

Yes, hamburger buns do contain potassium, but they are typically still considered low potassium foods.

Keep in mind that many people with CKD do not need to limit or restrict their potassium intake. There are many other factors that affect your body’s ability to manage potassium that are not related to the potassium in foods. For example, avoiding constipation is a key strategy for managing potassium levels. Getting in adequate fiber is important for avoiding constipation. Choosing a hamburger bun that has more fiber – even if that means it has a bit more potassium – could be a better strategy for controlling your potassium levels overall.

Is there a low sodium hamburger bun?

I was only able to locate one hamburger bun brand that was both low in sodium and contained no added phosphates: the Food for Life Ezekiel Hamburg Buns. These are typically found in the frozen food aisle and may not be widely available. This does not mean that people with CKD or others on a low sodium diet cannot enjoy hamburger buns.

It is recommended that people with CKD keep their overall daily sodium intake under 2300mg per day. By making some lower sodium choices at other meals or snacks of the day, you can enjoy a higher sodium meal at other times of the day. Hamburgers will often be higher in sodium since many of the hamburger ingredients (buns, condiments, and sometimes the burger itself) are higher in sodium.

How to build a kidney friendly burger

Here are some tips to help you make the most kidney friendly burger possible:

1. Choose a low phosphorus bun. A kidney friendly burger should contain zero phosphorus additives, so be sure to pick one of the low phosphorus burger buns listed below.
2. Choose a kidney friendly burger patty. A standard burger is made of beef. People with CKD are encouraged to choose more plant based proteins, so consider choosing a plant based burger patty. If you prefer a beef burger, choose a smaller patty to ensure that you are meeting your protein goal. Keep in mind that burger buns can be high in protein, so a smaller burger patty can help prevent you from going over on protein for the meal.
3. Choose a kidney friendly cheese. If you are trying to eat more plant based, then you might choose to skip cheese altogether. If you do want to include cheese, just keep in mind that many cheeses can be high in sodium and phosphates. Check out our cheese guide to help you make the best cheese choice.
4. Be sure to include vegetables. Lettuce and tomato are great options to add to your burger. You can also consider grilling some additional vegetables as a side dish or preparing a vegetable side dish to enjoy.
5. Choose condiments wisely. Many condiments can be high in sodium (I’m looking at your ketchup, mustard, and pickles!). Consider including lower sodium condiments like mayo or homemade guacamole to help keep the overall sodium content of you meal lower.
6. Be sure to balance out your day. Your burger will more than likely be a bit high in sodium, so be sure you are choosing some lower sodium foods the rest of the day to balance things out.

Low Phosphorus Hamburger Buns You can Buy

365 Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

• Calories: 120
• Protein: 6g
• Carbohydrate: 22g
• Fat: 2g
• Sodium: 240mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 110mg
• Calcium: 0mg
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 2g

Whole foods makes a whole wheat hamburger bun that contains no added phosphorus. Their buns are low in potassium, but do have more sodium that calories, so be sure that you are balancing out the sodium with other low sodium choices in your day. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews.

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Dave’s Killer Bread Hamburger Buns

• Calories: 160
• Protein: 6g
• Carbohydrate: 31g
• Fat: 3g
• Sodium: 280mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 100mg
• Calcium: 50mg
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 5g

Dave’s Killer Bread makes a whole grain hamburger bun that contains no added phosphorus. Their buns are low in potassium, but do have more sodium that calories, so be sure that you are balancing out the sodium with other low sodium choices in your day. I have personally used these buns before. If you are not going to use all 8 within a week of purchase, I do recommend freezing them to keep them from spoiling. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews.

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Arnold / Oroweat / Brownberry Hamburger Buns

• Calories: 150
• Protein: 6g
• Carbohydrate: 27g
• Fat: 2g
• Sodium: 330mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 130mg
• Calcium: 15mg
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 3g

Arnold (also known as Oroweat or Brownberry depending on what part of the country you are in) makes a whole wheat hamburger bun that contains no added phosphorus. Their buns are low in potassium, but do have more sodium that calories, so be sure that you are balancing out the sodium with other low sodium choices in your day. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews.

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Udi’s Hamburger Buns

• Calories: 200
• Protein: 4g
• Carbohydrate: 37g
• Fat: 6g
• Sodium: 370mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 100mg
• Calcium: 0mg
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 5g

Udi’s makes a gluten-free hamburger bun that contains no added phosphorus. Their buns are low in potassium, but do have more sodium that calories, so be sure that you are balancing out the sodium with other low sodium choices in your day. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews.

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Food for Life Hamburger Buns

• Calories: 180
• Protein: 10g
• Carbohydrate: 34g
• Fat: 1g
• Sodium: 160mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 184mg
• Calcium: 20mg
• Fiber: 6g
• Sugar: 2g

Ezekiel makes a whole wheat hamburger bun that contains no added phosphorus. Their buns are low in potassium AND low in sodium, which is great. FYI – their food label lists a serving as HALF of a bun, which I think is kind of silly. I went ahead and doubled everything on the label to reflect the nutrition for a full bun. These buns are the highest in protein that I have seen of all the buns, so keep that in mind when concocting your burger of choice. Check your local grocery store’s frozen section to see if these are available.

Kroger Private Selection Hamburger Buns

• Calories: 200
• Protein: 7g
• Carbohydrate: 40g
• Fat: 2g
• Sodium: 400mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 120mg
• Calcium: 140mg
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 6g

Kroger makes two whole wheat hamburger buns that contains no added phosphorus (see below as well). Their buns are low in potassium, but do have more sodium that calories, so be sure that you are balancing out the sodium with other low sodium choices in your day. I have personally used these buns before and personally find them to be too big, just something to keep in mind.

Kroger Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

• Calories: 130
• Protein: 6g
• Carbohydrate: 25g
• Fat: 1.5g
• Sodium: 250mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 100mg
• Calcium: 40mg
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 4g

Kroger makes two whole wheat hamburger buns that contains no added phosphorus (see above as well). Their buns are low in potassium, but do have more sodium that calories, so be sure that you are balancing out the sodium with other low sodium choices in your day. I have personally used these buns before. They seem a bit small, but are actually the perfect size for the veggie burgers I make. Just something to keep in mind.

Pepperidge Farm Hamburger Buns

• Calories: 150
• Protein: 6g
• Carbohydrate: 26g
• Fat: 2g
• Sodium: 230mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 60mg
• Calcium: 30mg
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 5g

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