How is the PKU Diet?
The diet for the most severe form of PKU eliminates all of the very high protein foods since all protein contains phenylalanine. This means that all concentrated sources of protein must be eliminated from the diet in order to limit the amount of phenylalanine. The diet does not allow consumption of meat, fish, poultry, milk, eggs, cheese, ice cream, legumes, nuts, or many products containing regular flour. A synthetic formula is used as a nutritional substitute for the eliminated foods. This formula is very expensive. The diet is supplemented with special low protein foods and weighed or measured amounts of fruits, vegetables and some grain products. These foods are allowed in quantities that suit the individual child’s tolerance for phenylalanine. How is PKU diagnosed? Every baby born in Canada is supposed to be tested for signs of elevated phenylalanine. This effects about one baby in 12,000 in Canada. The reason for this universal newborn screening for PKU is that a baby with PKU do
