Laughing Cow and Mini Babybel

[Restorer]

Just wanted to let everyone know that, on a whim, I e-mailed Laughing Cow and asked if they had information on phosphorus content in their Laughing Cow soft cheese wedges and Babybel cheese. They knew enough about kidney disease to also include potassium levels in their response.

Original Laughing Cow Wedge:
 - Phosphorus: 228 mg per wedge (21 g)
 - Potassium: 41 mg per wedge

Mini Babybel cheese:
 - Phosphorus: 91 mg per piece (21 g)
 - Potassium: 19 mg per piece

Just thought I'd share the info, since it's not typically listed in nutrition labels.

[twirl]

I love Laughing Cow and I was told to lay off it
- my phosphorus is too high  --- it was too low and now it is too high

[Chris]

I haven't seen them in my stores lately over the past couple years. That is good cheese.

[okarol]

They sell the regular kinds at Costco, but the light is only available at the super markets here.

[Chris]

Isn't Costco like Sam's Club where you have to pay for membership to shop? We hhave one, just never been to it.

[okarol]

Isn't Costco like Sam's Club where you have to pay for membership to shop? We hhave one, just never been to it.

Yes, same idea. I used to borrow my sister's membership card, and pay cash - so I didn't have to join.

[Chris]

Stopped at a store I normally don't go to looking for something and getting a Starbuck's latte and they did have Babybel on sale, but only had the regular and not the lite. The sodium content was to high for me to get the regular, so my search continues.

[okarol]

Chris, did you ever find the light cheese?

[Chris]

No and the History channel had a Moder Marvels episode on cheese last week. On the way home Saturday I stopped at the store looking for some good cheese and those beef sticks in a 6 paack you see more at Christmas time, but didn't find that or any cheese like I saw on TV that I had a taste for. I think I need to go to Trader Joe's or World Market the next time I am up near those stores.

[okarol]

Our neighbors are originally from Milwaukee and every Christmas they send one of Usingers gift sets. Summer sausage is great, so is the mustard. http://www.usingersgifts.com/

[Chris]

Reminds me of the Texas Smokehouse website of all the different meats.. Which also reminds me of the original pastrami from a famous New York Deli.

[Chris]

Just got some laughing cow today and it was the last one of the ed one. Couldn't tell he difference in what the yellow packaged one on why it is different. I also got some smoked sharp cheddar cheese slices that I will need to pace my self with due to potassium and salt since I do not know my lab values.

[boswife]

Good to see ya Matt  ..Thanks for sharing that info too 

[TexanSummer]

Can anyone tell me if it's ok to eat the Babybel or Laughing Cow (reg or light) while on dialysis? Charles' levels for everything have been good so far & he was told that what ever he's doing now as far as his diet, he's good to go & keep doing it.....thanks!!!

[Chris]

When I was on dialysis, I was told cheese was one of the No No's on dialysis and any other dairy product. Maybe things have changed a little since then though like diabetic diets have changed over years.

[MooseMom]

TexanSummer, soft cheeses are usually "safer" than harder ones.  Brie and Feta are good choices if you HAVE to have cheese.  Cream cheese is actually OK.  The best thing to do is perhaps introduce the very occasional babybel and see how his labs are.  It's the portion size of the taboo foods that you have to be strict about.

[jbeany]

Nothing is completely forbidden - minus starfruit.  But you have to think through the portions of what you choose, as well as what else you are eating that day.  If you are craving a high potassium food, say a potato.  1) have a small one or half of one.  2)  think about what else you are going to have the rest of the day as well.  Don't eat anything else with high potassium in the same day or the 24 hours before and after you eat the potato. 
Also, you can skip two low potassium things that are okay for the diet that you would normally eat in exchange for the high potassium treat.   It's the total potassium you eat in a day that's the real issue, not the amount in a single small serving.   Works the same way for phos.  If you know you want to have pizza for dinner, then eat a low phos, low potassium breakfast and lunch.  You still should eat only a single piece of pizza and have a salad with it, but you get to eat pizza when you go out with all your friends.

It was the same way with my diabetic diet.  Then, it's all about carbs.  So if I was craving an ice cream sundae that was 50 carbs, then I needed to skip the 50 carbs worth of bread and potatoes with dinner and just eat the meat, cheese and veggies.

[Cordelia]

For the babybel cheese. How much of it is safe to eat in one single serving? Can I eat a whole one of those SINGLE pre-wrapped cheese hunks then?