Enjoy Sweets and Treats the Low-Protein Way

Special days like birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Halloween are lots of fun, but can
make it tricky to follow your low-protein diet. Here are some tips to enjoy sweet treats while
still keeping your PKU in mind.

Have low protein treats on hand.

If you know you will be going to a party with lots of high-protein treats, bring something low-protein for yourself or
your child. Make up single-serving bags of low-Phe candy, or pack a low-protein cupcake. Try having low protein
baked goods pre-made and available in your freezer. When it’s party time, you can grab one and go!

Keep high-protein foods out of sight and out of mind

Keeping a bowl of chocolate on the coffee table or a pan of brownies on the counter makes them even harder
to resist. Put high-protein foods in a cabinet or drawer, and make low-protein treats like fresh fruit or hard candy
easily accessible.

Keep an eye on portions

A handful of M&M’s has about ½ gram of protein and can fit into most low-Phe diets. If you go for a handful three
separate times, however, you might go over your allowed Phe intake!

Write it down
Record what you eat as you eat it so you don’t lose track of your protein intake.

Don’t forget: nutrition matters

Plenty of sweets and treats are low in protein. In fact, sugar is Phe-free, but that doesn’t make it good for you!
Nourish your body with fruits, vegetables, and low-protein grains, and have just a little bit of the sweet stuff.

Find sweet substitutions

Similar foods can have very different amounts of Phe, so choose wisely!

Serving Size Serving Size Protein Phe

Frozen treats (household) (grams) (grams) (milligrams)
Ice cream, vanilla ½ cup 66 2.4 116
Cool Whip ®
1 tablespoon 4 0.1 3

Creamsicle 1 pop 66 1.2 59

Popsicle 1 piece 81 0 0
Sherbet ½ cup 97 1.1 52
Snow cone ½ cup 99 0 0
Strawberry sorbet ½ cup 116 0.5 13
Tofutti , chocolate
®
½ cup 100 3.0 126

Always co
nsult
your doct
or or
dietitian
before
making ch
anges
to your d
iet.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Enjoy Sweets and Treats the Low-Protein Way
Serving Size Serving Size Protein Phe
Non-frozen treats (household) (grams) (grams) (milligrams)
Chocolate sandwich cookie
1 cookie 12 0.6 26
with cream filling (Oreo)
Cool Whip 1 tablespoon 4 0.1 3
Crème filled sponge snack cake (Twinkie ) ®
1 cake 42 1.5 60
Fig bar 1 piece 16 0.6 33
Frosting, chocolate 1 tablespoon 17 0.2 8
Frosting, vanilla or strawberry 1 tablespoon 17 0 0
Fruit Roll-Ups ®
1 roll 14 0.2 4
Fudge brownies – low protein
1 piece 40 0.3 18
(Cambrooke Foods®)
Gelatin snack cup
1 snack cup 99 0 0
(Hunt’s Juicy Gels®)
Gourmet chocolate chip cookie dough – low
1 cookie 28 0.2 2
protein (Cambrooke Foods®)
Graham cracker 1 square 7 0.6 28
Gum drops 1 piece 2 0 0
Hard candy (Jolly Rancher, ®
1 piece Varies 0 0
lollipops, Life Savers®)
Hershey’s Kisses® 1 piece 5 0.3 17
Ho Ho’s snack cakes
®
1 cake 28 1.1 53
Jelly beans 5 large 14 0 0
Kit Kat wafer bar
®
1 mini 10 0.7 27
Lemon pudding – ready to eat 1 snack cup 99 0.1 4
Licorice 1 twist 10 0.4 18
M&M’s candies
®
10 pieces 7 0.3 23
Maddy’s assorted bunny pops
®
1 pop 26 0 0
Maddy’s® assorted Easter minis
8 pieces 42 0 0
(Nutricia)
Maddy’s® Energy Option chocolate flavor
¼ cup 40 0.5 12
coated raisins – low protein (Nutricia)
Maddy’s homestyle yellow cake mix –
1/12 cake 34 0.2 4
low protein (Nutricia)
Marshmallows 1 large 8 0.2 4
Milky Way ®
1 regular bar 72 3.6 172
Mounds ®
1 bar 60 2.4 92
Poptart, iced®
1 piece 52 3 138
Rice Krispies Treat ®
1 bar 22 0.6 26
Sugar cookie 1 large — 28 1.7
Sugar cookie – low protein
1 large 28 0.2 1
(from Cambrooke Foods® dough)
Twix ® 1 bar 32 1.6 84

Always co
nsult
your doct
or or
dietitian
before
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. making ch
anges
©2014 BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. All Rights Reserved. to your d
iet.
USPKU0305ENFEB2014