Table 1.
Example of counting phenylalanine using the traditional counting method and the Simplified Diet1.
| Food eaten | Traditional counting method | Simplified diet |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Jacks® Cereal2, 1/2 cup | 40 mg | 40 |
| Low protein bread, 2 slices | 30 mg | Free |
| Low protein cheese, 2 slices | 30 mg | 30 mg |
| Pringles®2, 3 each | 15 mg | 15 mg |
| Apple, 1 | 10 mg | Free |
| French fries | 120 mg | 120 mg |
| Low protein pasta, 1 cup | 20 mg | Free |
| Green beans, 1/2 cup | 35 mg | Free |
| Medical food, 24 ounces | 0 | 0 |
|
| ||
| Total | 300 | 205 |
1In this example, the patient's phenylalanine tolerance is 300 mg/day; the patient counts 210 mg from food and is allowed unlimited “free foods” (defined as those containing <75 mg phenylalanine/100 g food as well as low protein foods with less than 20 mg Phe per serving). 2Kellogg Company, Battle Creek, MI, USA.