What Foods To Avoid With Gout And Why

Content

• What Else Can I Do To Manage Gout?
• Dieting And Weight Loss To Prevent Gout
• Fish And Most Seafood

Not everyone needs to follow a rigid diet to treat gout, but avoiding foods that are high in purines may help. Check with your doctor or dietitian to see if you should follow this diet. This site is for educational purposes only; no information is intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Our information is based on the results of good-quality studies.

People who have trouble metabolizing purines, such as people diagnosed with hyperuricemia or gout, are advised to limit consumption of high-purine foods and drinks. Purines are found in the cells of all living things, including humans, animals, and plants, so there is no way to eliminate them from a diet. Saturated fats limit the elimination of uric acid from the body.

And, with an increase in body mass index among younger men and women, gout is becoming more common among individuals in their thirties and forties. They may be eating too many high-purine foods, which can lead to a buildup of crystals of uric acid in their joints. Gout is a very common disease and one of the few curable diseases treated by rheumatologists. Bacon, turkey, veal, and venison contain relatively high amounts of purine. Beef, chicken, duck, pork, and ham contain moderate amounts of purine and should be eaten in moderation.

What Else Can I Do To Manage Gout?

This is likely due to sharper increases in blood uric acid, as well as poorer clearance by the body . The reason why alcohol increases uric acid levels is still not well-understood. Some forms, particularly beer, can be high in purines… but they are certainly not the richest source of purines in our diet.

Dieting And Weight Loss To Prevent Gout

Here are foods that you should you buy or skip for an arthritis-friendly diet. Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Remember that gout triggers can be individual, and what causes a flare-up for one person may not make noticeable difference to another. Have patience and keep your long-term goal of living a healthy life free of gout symptoms in mind.

Purines aren't dangerous or harmful to your health, but when your body breaks them down, it creates uric acid. The uric acid builds up in your blood and triggers an attack in people who are prone to gout. Eating certain foods can increase the amount of uric acid in your blood that leads to the build-up of the crystals. You should avoid alcohol, low-carb diets and foods that are high in purines. In general, a healthy diet emphasizes plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and legumes. Intake of fat, especially saturated fat , should be reduced.

Some studies find wine drinking raises your risk, but others have found that moderate wine drinking does not. In particular, large saltwater fish like tuna, swordfish, and marlin may have enough purines to provoke gout flares. However, the omega-3 content found in many fish has been found to potentially relieve the effects of fish purine. The dosage may be more than found naturally, and may require quality fish oil supplements. The most helpful carbs are found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Sweet potatoes, beans, apples, and popcorn can all be served in wholesome and delicious ways as part of a healthy gout diet.

There can be long periods between gout attacks — months or even years. However, as the condition advances, so does the frequency of the attacks. Without treatment, gout can cause permanent damage to the joints and kidneys. Avoid organ meats such as liver because they have higher levels of purines, which can cause flare-ups. Moderate intake of lean meats such as chicken and turkey should not affect your condition. Seafood such as shrimp and lobster tends to be higher in purines, though, so don’t make it a regular part of your diet.

Fish And Most Seafood

Organ meat—like sweetbreads, liver, kidney, tongue, and heart—are especially high in purine, and should be avoided to prevent gout attacks. While one study found a higher risk of gout with higher fruit intakes, another found a lower risk. The opposing results are partly confounded by the variation in fructose content of different fruits. A number of studies have shown that coffee is associated with a lower risk of gout. Coffee is a diuretic and therefore increases urine production.

Can drinking water flush out uric acid?

DO: Drink Water
And if you're having a flare, increase your intake to 16 glasses a day! The water helps to flush uric acid from your system.

Avoid those that are very high in fructose, except for cherries. A large review of 13 studies found taking vitamin C supplements led to a small reduction in blood uric acid of 0.02 mmol/L. Interestingly, even drinking decaffeinated coffee conferred a lower risk of gout. Finding out that you have prediabetes as soon as possible gives you a chance to take steps to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. If you qualify, Lark Diabetes Prevention Program can help you lose weight gradually and make healthier nutrition choices.

However, rapid weight loss should be avoided because it can actually trigger gout attacks due to the cellular breakdown that occurs. Weight loss should ideally be achieved through eating a healthy, balanced diet and engaging in regular physical activity. Patients with gout are generally advised to include both animal and vegetable sources of protein in their diet. Research suggests that a diet rich in vegetable purines is significantly less likely to cause gout.

Further, many gout sufferers are at greater risk of developing heart disease, and regular exercise is essential for heart health. Extra body fat lowers the efficiency of your kidneys, which inhibits the excretion of uric acid from the bloodstream, leading to gout and gout attacks. People who are chronically overweight are at risk of developing gout up to a decade earlier than their peers—especially if that excess weight is in your belly. Having a diet high in purines, which the body breaks down into uric acid. Purine-rich foods include red meat, organ meat, and some kinds of seafood, such as anchovies, sardines, mussels, scallops, trout, and tuna.

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Losing excess weight has been proven to lower uric acid levels and decrease the risk of developing gout. It’s also beneficial for gout sufferers, because shedding excess pounds relieves excess pressure on joints. Many gout sufferers are told to limit fat and protein intake to prevent attacks and ease symptoms. While this is generally true, nuts and beans are not dangerous fats and proteins for people at risk for gout. Get physically active.Experts recommend that adults engage in 150 minutes per week of at least moderate physical activity. Every minute of activity counts, and any activity is better than none.

Fructose

Just know that several artificial sweeteners are thought to upset gut bacteria, and are not necessarily a healthier choice. Note this is just an example I’ve selected, and you can find much more extensive lists on Goutpal or here. Organ meats, known as Offal, contain by far the most purines of any food in the human diet. There was another similar study that found even greater risks associated with meat intake, but none for seafood. Overall this suggests seafood is far less of a concern than meat .

Studies have shown that a high glycemic index results in higher uric acid levels. In fact, lowering your overall carb intake can increase uric acid levels. The key is to switch out at least some of your refined carbs for whole grains, i.e. start making sandwiches on whole wheat instead of white bread.

Similarly, high fructose corn syrup is an artificial sweetener that is up to 55% fructose, and so causes the same problems. Alcohol—especially beer—is bad for gout sufferers for two reasons. First, these beverages require the kidneys to work at drawing alcohol out of the blood stream, leaving more uric acid in the blood. Lose weight.For people who are overweight or obese, losing weight reduces pressure on joints, particularly weight bearing joints like the hips and knees.