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| Copper Restriction
Wilson's disease is a hereditary disorder that causes the
body to retain too much copper. Copper is a trace mineral in
the body and is essential for good health, but only in tiny
amounts. When copper is retained by the body, it is stored in
the eyes, brain, kidneys, and liver. This extra copper that is
collected in the liver causes cirrhosis of the liver, which is
a serious, life-threatening medical condition. Wilson's
disease is treatable.
Wilson's disease can be treated with medicines, such as
Cuprime and Depen (generic name: D-penicillamine) and Syprine
(generic name: trientine). These medicines are used to help
expel the excess copper from the body with the urine. Patients
with Wilson's disease should also avoid copper rich foods as
much a possible. The dietary intake of copper should be less
than 1.0 mg per day.
A low copper diet generally provides all of the nutrients
necessary for good health. Patients taking D-penicillamine may
develop a deficiency of vitamin B-6 and the physician may
prescribe a supplement of 25 mg per day.
Special Considerations
- Copper is found in different amounts in many different
foods. The levels of copper can vary, depending on a
number of conditions. These considerations should be taken
into account when selecting food products. Location of the
soil in which the food was grown and the way the food is
processed can affect how much copper is in the food.
Certain foods, such as organ meats, shellfish, dried
beans, peas, whole wheat, and chocolate, should be avoided
because of their high level of copper content. Read food
labels and check for copper content in prepared foods.
Also check vitamin supplements to see if they contain
copper.
- Keep serving or portion sizes to "average"
sizes. Examples of average portions are 3 to 4 ounces of
meat, fish, poultry; 1/2 cup of vegetables; one slice of
bread.
- Drinking water should be checked because it may contain
too much copper. If the water contains more that 100
micrograms of copper per liter, then bottled water should
be used for consumption and food preparation. This water
should contain 1 microgram of copper per liter.
- Avoid drinking alcohol. It can be harmful to the liver
and even more harmful if the liver has been damaged from
Wilson's disease.
- Do not use copper cooking utensils.
The table below shows the copper content of various foods
and may be useful in preparing a meal plan.
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| TABLE
9. Copper Content of Various Foods as Measured
in a Laboratory by Atomic Absorption
Spectrometry. (From Medicine, Vol. 71,
pg. 139, 1992. "Wilson Disease" by
George Brewer, M.D., Department of Human
Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,
Michigan.) |
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Food
|
Copper
Concentration
(µg/g wet)
|
Size
of Typical
Serving (g)
|
Copper/Serving
(mg)
|
|
Meats
|
|
Fish
|
0.61
|
120
|
0.07
|
|
Turkey
|
0.71
|
120
|
0.09
|
|
Chicken
|
0.34
|
120
|
0.04
|
|
Hamburger
|
0.95
|
120
|
0.11
|
|
Roast
Beef
|
0.82 |
120 |
0.10 |
|
Steak
|
1.20 |
120 |
0.14 |
|
Sheep
Liver
|
157.05 |
120 |
18.85 |
|
Pork
Liver
|
141.14 |
120 |
16.94 |
| Dairy |
| Egg |
0.8 |
40 |
0.03 |
| Single
Sliced Cheese |
0.43 |
120 |
0.05 |
| Cheddar
Cheese |
0.44 |
120 |
0.05 |
| Soft
Cheese |
0.45 |
120 |
0.05 |
| Bread |
| Whole
Wheat |
1.07 |
30 |
0.03 |
| Raisin
Bran Muffin |
0.60 |
30 |
0.02 |
| Shellfish |
| Scallops |
0.27 |
120 |
0.03 |
| Clams |
6.08 |
120 |
0.73 |
| Crab |
7.39 |
120 |
0.89 |
| Shrimp |
1.75 |
120 |
0.21 |
| Oysters |
2.89 |
120 |
0.35 |
| Smoked
Oysters |
15.00 |
120 |
1.80 |
| Mussels |
4.75 |
120 |
0.57 |
| Lobster |
36.60 |
120 |
4.39 |
| Chocolate |
| Syrup |
43.36 |
15 |
0.65 |
| Candy
Bar |
1.18 |
15 |
0.02 |
| Milk |
0.33 |
120 |
0.04 |
| Vegetables |
| Peas |
2.38 |
120 |
0.29 |
| Navy
Beans |
3.95 |
120 |
0.47 |
| Soy
Beans |
109 |
120 |
0.13 |
| Fruits |
| Applesauce
(can) |
0.20 |
120 |
0.02 |
| Applesauce
(bottle) |
0.30 |
120 |
0.04 |
| Avocado |
1.68 |
120 |
0.20 |
| Raisins |
1.68 |
30 |
0.05 |
| Nuts |
| Walnuts |
6.51 |
30 |
0.20 |
| Peanut
Butter |
8.53 |
30 |
0.26 |
| Soups |
| Onion |
1.49 |
15 |
0.02 |
| Beef
Broth |
0.20 |
15 |
0.00 |
| Mushrooms |
| Dry |
2.12 |
50 |
0.11 |
| Canned |
2.30 |
50 |
0.12 |
| Beverages |
| Tea |
0.025 |
120 |
0.03 |
| Coca
Cola (bottle) |
0.001 |
356 |
0.00 |
| Coca
Cola (can) |
0.004 |
356 |
0.001 |
| Sprite
(bottle) |
0.004 |
356 |
0.001 |
| Sprite
(can) |
0.001 |
356 |
0.00 |
| Sunkist
Orange (bottle) |
0.003 |
356 |
0.001 |
| Miscellaneous |
| Tofu |
0.28 |
120 |
0.03 |
| Tofu
patties |
1.67 |
120 |
0.20 |
| Hash |
1.25 |
120 |
0.15 |
| Chili
(vegetable) |
1.82 |
120 |
0.22 |
| Red
beans and rice |
1.31 |
120 |
0.16 |
| Spaghetti
sauce |
1.13 |
120 |
0.14 |
| Tetrazini |
0.56 |
120 |
0.07 |
| Soy
chicken |
0.28 |
120 |
0.03 |
| Soy
beef |
1.01 |
120 |
0.12 |
| "Super
mac" |
0.87 |
120 |
0.10 |
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| Low
Copper Diet |
|
|
Eat as Desired
Foods low in copper -- less than 0.1 mg/portion. |
6 Portions/Day
|
Avoid
|
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Meat & meat substitute
|
beef; eggs; white meat turkey and chicken; cold
cuts and frankfurters taht do not contain pork, dark
turkey, dark chicken, or organ meats; all other snot
listed on high or moderate list
|
all fish except shellfish 3 oz, dark meat turkey
and chicken 3 oz, peanut butter 2 Tbsp
|
lamb; pork; pheasant quail; duck; goose; squid;
salmon; organ meats including liver, heart, kidney,
brain; shellfish including oysters, scallops,
shrimp, lobster, clams, and crab; meat gelatin; soy
protein meat substitutes; tofu; nuts and seeds
|
|
Vegetables
|
most vegetables including fresh tomatoes
|
bean sprouts 1 cup; beets 1/2 cup; spinach 1/2
cup cooked, 1 cup raw; tomato juice and other tomato
products 1/2 cup; broccoli 1/2 cup; asparagus 1/2
cup
|
vegetable juice cocktail, mushrooms
|
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Fruits
|
most fruits except as listed to right
Fruits dried at home are permitted
|
mango 1/2 cup, papaya 1/4 average, pear 1 medium,
pineapple 1/2 cup
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nectarine, commercially dried fruits including
raisins, dates, prunes; avocado
|
|
Starches - breads & grains
|
breads & pasta from refined flour, rice,
regular oatmeal, cereals with <0.1 mg of copper
per serving (check sweet potatoes, all others not
listed on high or moderate list
|
whole wheat bread 1 slice, Melba toast 4, whole
wheat crackers 6, instant oatmeal 1/2 cup, instant
Ralston™ 1/2 cup, cereals with 0.1 to 0.2 mg of
copper per serving (check label), dehydrated and
canned soups 1 cup, potatoes in any form 1/2 cup or
small, pumpkin 3/4 cup, parsnips 2/3 cup, winter and
summer squash 1/2 cup, green peas 1/2 cup
|
dried beans including soy beans, lima beans,
baked beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans; dried
peas; lentils; millet; barley; wheat germ; bran
breads and cereals; cereals with >0.2 mg of
copper per serving (check label); soy flour; soy
grits; fresh sweet potatoes
|
|
Fats, oils
|
butter, cream, margarine, mayonnaise, non-dairy
creamer, sour cream, oils, salad dressings (made
from allowed ingredients)
|
olives 2 med
|
|
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Milk & milk products
|
Most milk products, milk flavored with carob,
cheeses, cottage cheese
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all others
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chocolate milk, soy milk, cocoa
|
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Sweets & desserts
|
most sweets; jams, jellies, and candies made with
allowed ingredients; carob; flavoring extracts
|
licorice 1 oz,
syrups 1 oz
|
desserts that contain high amounts of ingredients
rich in copper; candy with nuts, chocolate, or cocoa
|
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Beverages, liquids, misc.
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coffee, tea, fruit juices, fruit-flavored
beverages, lemonade, soups made with allowed
ingredients
|
Postum™ and other cereal beverages
1 cup, carbonated beverages 12 oz, ketchup 2 Tbsp,
dehydrated and canned soups
|
instant breakfast beverages, mineral water,
soy-based beverages, copper-fortified formulas,
brewer's yeast, multiple vitamins with copper or
minerals
|
| Sample Menu |
| Breakfast |
Lunch |
Dinner |
 | grapefruit 1/2 cup
| scrambled egg 1
| white toast 1 slice
| margarine 1 tsp
| skim milk 1/2 cup
| coffee 1 cup
| salt/pepper |
| | | | | |
|
| white bread 2 slices
| roast beef 2 oz
lettuce
tomato
mayonnaise 1 Tbsp
| carrot sticks 6
| fresh orange 1
| skim milk 1/2 cup |
| | | |
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| chicken breast 3 oz
| rice 1/.2 cup
| green beans 1/2 cup
| margarine 1 tsp
| white bread 1 slice
| jelly 1 tsp
| apple 1
| lemonade 1 cup
| salt/pepper |
| | | | | | | |
|
| This Sample Diet Provides
the Following |
|
Calories
|
1520 |
Sodium
|
1500 mg |
|
Protein
|
69 gm |
Potassium
|
2150 mg |
|
Carbohydrates
|
191 gm |
Copper
|
0.68 mg |
|
Fat
|
54 gm |
This material does not cover
all information and is not intended as a substitute for
professional care. Please consult with your physician on any
matters regarding your health.
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