What Foods Should You Avoid
If youre susceptible to sudden gout attacks, avoid the main culprits high-purine foods.
These are foods that contain more than 200 mg of purines per 3.5 ounces .
You should also avoid high-fructose foods, as well as moderately-high-purine foods, which contain 150200 mg of purines per 3.5 ounces. These may trigger a gout attack.
Here are a few major high-purine foods, moderately-high-purine foods and high-fructose foods to avoid (
- meats: These include liver, kidneys, sweetbreads and brain
- meats: Examples include pheasant, veal and venison
- Fish: Herring, trout, mackerel, tuna, sardines, anchovies, haddock and more
- seafood: Scallops, crab, shrimp and roe
- Sugary beverages: Especially fruit juices and sugary sodas
- Added sugars: Honey, agave nectar and high-fructose corn syrup
- Yeasts: Nutritional yeast, brewers yeast and other yeast supplements
Additionally, refined carbs like white bread, cakes and cookies should be avoided. Although they are not high in purines or fructose, they are low in nutrients and may raise your uric acid levels (
Summary: If you have gout, you should avoid foods like organ meats, game meats, fish and seafood, sugary beverages, refined carbs, added sugars and yeast.
What Can You Drink If You Have Gout
Foods arenât the only thing that can affect uric acid. What you drink matters, too.
Itâs a good idea to drink lots of fluids — 8 to 16 cups a day. At least half of what you drink should be water. Vitamin C also can help lower uric acid, but studies also show that the high fructose in OJ may boost uric acid levels, so drink it in moderation. Caffeinated coffee can cut uric acid, too, as long as you donât overdo it.
Donâts
Stay away from sugary drinks like soda and fruit juice. You also may need to limit or avoid alcohol as well. Talk with your doctor to find out whatâs right for you.
While a healthy diet can help control how much uric acid is in your system, you may still need medicine to prevent future attacks. Talk with your doctor about all your treatment options.
Is There A Test For Gout
There is no one test for gout, and its symptoms are similar to several different conditions. To see if you have gout, your health care provider may:
- Ask you to provide your medical history, including:
- Your symptoms.
- Any other medical problems you have.
- Any medications you are taking.
Don’t Miss: Onions Bad For Gout
Is High Fructose Corn Syrup A Problem
Yes, absolutely. High-fructose corn syrup is a known factor for gout flare-ups because it raises uric acid levels in your body. Its also used in far more pre-packaged and processed foods than you might think. When youre grocery shopping, always check nutrition labels. If corn syrup is an ingredient in a product, dont buy it.
What Is The Recommended Diet For Gout Sufferers
There are no foods that can completely prevent the symptoms of gout, but a diet low in purines may help to reduce the frequency of attacks. Following a nutritionally balanced, healthy diet that is low in saturated and trans fats and rich in unprocessed foods can help to reduce the risk of gout attacks. Care needs to be taken with certain vegetables such as asparagus, beans, cauliflower, lentils, mushrooms and spinach as these contain medium levels of purines.
While these dont need to be avoided completely, portion size is important a moderate intake should not increase the risks of gout. All other vegetables should be eaten freely. There is also evidence to suggest that a high consumption of low-fat dairy products , limiting sugary drinks and having a daily vitamin C supplement of 500mg may reduce the risk of gout. Speak to your GP before starting new supplements or altering your diet to manage gout.
It is important to note that it is the quantity of purine-rich food consumed that is more important than the purine content in each food. However, if a patient is keen to measure quantities of food, a maximum total daily purine intake of around 200mg is recommended.
Don’t Miss: Almond And Gout
Weight Management And Exercise
The Arthritis Foundation emphasizes how important it is for people with gout to manage their weight.
Obesity is a risk factor for developing gout. If a person with gout has excess weight, losing a few pounds can help them:
- reduce pressure on painful joints
- lower the risk of heart disease
- build strength and flexibility
To achieve this, the person should ask a doctor about a suitable diet to help them manage their weight and an exercise plan.
Anyone who smokes should also ask a doctor to help them with a plan to quit.
The Mediterranean diet contains plants, grains, and healthy fats. It may help people manage their weight while encouraging them to eat healthily.
What Are Symptoms Of Gout
Symptoms of gout can start quickly, over a few hours, and can last about three to 10 days.
When symptoms of gout worsen it is called a gout attack or flare. Symptoms of gout attacks include:
- Sudden episodes of severe joint pain
- Redness, swelling, tenderness, and heat in the joint is common
- Usually affects a single joint, but inflammation can occur in several joints at the same time
- Commonly occurs in the big toe, and also in lesser toe joints, ankles, and knees
- Flares start more often during the night and early morning than during the day, though attacks can occur any time
- Pain and inflammation peak within 12 to 24 hours and usually go away completely within a few days to several weeks, even if not treated
Flares are usually followed by periods of remission where patients have no symptoms that can last weeks, months, or years.
You May Like: Cherry Juice For Gout Mayo Clinic
Is Exercise Beneficial To Pseudogout
Exercise may aid with the flexibility of your joints as well as the reduction of discomfort. When your joints are tight or painful, an occupational therapist can help you learn to perform your regular tasks again. Drink the recommended amount of beverages. Water and other liquids may help reduce calcium accumulation in your joints.
Shopping List For Gout
What to put in your cart and what to pass up when planning your gout diet.
A diet to lower uric acid levels, along with medications prescribed by your doctor, makes gout one of the most controllable forms of arthritis. While you should always discuss the merits and drawbacks of specific foods with your doctor, use this shopping checklist as a general guide to food choices to improve your overall health, lower uric acid levels and reduce your risk of painful gout attacks. Put in Your Cart
- Skim milk.
- Low-fat dairy products .
- Whole-grain products .
- Plant oils .
- Vegetables.
- Cherries.
- Vitamin C supplements .
- Coffee .
- Water bottles .
Pass Up
- Red meat and organ meats .
- Shellfish such as shrimp and lobster.
- Refined carbohydrates .
- Processed foods .
- Sugary beverages.
- Alcohol .
Quick Links
Gout
Shopping for Arthritis-Friendly Foods
Which Foods are Safe for Gout?
New Guidelines for Treating Gout
Connect with Others
Diagnosed With Gout?
Get the latest news and tips about living with Gout in the Live Yes! Arthritis Network newsletter.
- 1355 Peachtree St NE Suite 600
- Atlanta, GA 30309
Arthritis Foundation is a qualified 501 EIN 58-1341679
Don’t Miss: Almonds Good For Gout
Frequent Consumption Of Certain Fruits May Trigger Recurrent Gout Attacks
High sugar drinks may not be the only stimulant of gout flare ups.
Certain fruits which are a natural source of fructose have also been linked with gout.
This is a highly contentious area, because several studies have linked higher fruit intake with less incidence of gout. This is probably due to their high fibre content .
And unlike fruit juice and other sugar-sweetened drinks, whole fruits are nutritious and generally good for health. There is no disputing this.
However, if you continually have gout attacks despite cutting out alcohol and sugar-sweetened drinks then Im not convinced a large amount of fruits are safe for you. Especially if you are overweight and eat a Western diet.
So cutting back on certain very high-fructose fruits is like a Plan D, if you will.
The link comes back to fructose, which stimulates uric acid production in a similar manner to alcohol. Fructose is naturally found in fruit and honey.
One study found that the consumption of apples or oranges the most popular fruits in this study was linked with an increased risk of gout compared to those who consume less than one serving of fruit per month. No link was found with other fruits however .
While most fruits are very low in fructose, a few are very high. Frequent consumption of these could theoretically causes problems for gout sufferers.
Foods Highest in Fructose per 200 Calories :
Note this list is ranked on a per calorie basis, not per serving.
Do I Need To Stop Eating Meat If I Have Gout
No, but practice moderation, Dr. Burg reiterates. Avoid organ meats such as liver, though, 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, as well, so dont make them a regular part of your diet.
Read Also: Is Onion Bad For Gout
Best Diet For Gout: What To Eat What To Avoid
We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Heres our process.
Gout is a type of arthritis, an inflammatory condition of the joints. It affects an estimated 8.3 million people in the US alone (
Fortunately, gout can be controlled with medications, a gout-friendly diet and lifestyle changes.
This article reviews the best diet for gout and what foods to avoid, backed by research.
Avoid Alcohol And Sugary Drinks
The heavy consumption both of alcohol and of sugary drinks â such as sodas and sweetened juices â correlates with an increased risk of developing gout.
Alcohol and sweetened drinks also add unnecessary calories to the diet, potentially causing weight gain and metabolic issues.
2010 analysis of data from female participants in the Nursesâ Health Study found that gout risk decreased as coffee consumption increased.
Women who consumed 1 to 3 cups of coffee per day had a 22% reduction in their risk of gout compared with those who drank no coffee. Women who consumed more than 4 cups of coffee per day had a 57% decrease in their risk of getting this condition.
A handful of studies have also linked coffee consumption to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. A 2014 systematic review and meta-analysis of long-term coffee consumption found that people who consumed 3â5 cups of coffee per day had the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease.
As people with gout have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, drinking coffee may help improve their overall health.
2011 meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials found that vitamin C significantly reduced levels of uric acid in the blood.
Reduced uric acid levels could lower the risk of gout attacks. Research has not conclusively proven that vitamin C treats or prevents gout, however â only that it lowers uric acid levels.
Also Check: Is Pistachio Bad For Gout
Do I Need To Stop Drinking Alcohol With Gout
Yes, its a good idea to cut out alcohol. Alcohol molecules in your body tend to increase uric acid levels, so drinking can push you over the edge and into a flare-up. If youre newly diagnosed and start taking medication, try cutting out alcohol at first. Your doctor may allow you to add a small amount back into your diet over time as your uric acid levels come down. But even then, its best to avoid beer and liquor and stick to safer choices such as red wine, Dr. Burg says.
All myths aside, the best advice for people with gout is to eat fresh, unprocessed foods. Choose complex carbohydrates over refined carbs from packaged or processed foods. And always drink plenty of water because dehydration is a risk factor for an acute attack.
Foods That Cause Gout
The foods that cause gout should be eliminated or reduced from your diet. Gout is an ailment which results from an increase of uric acid in the blood, and its deposit on the joints as well as in renal tissues.
Gout only affects males, and itsmost characteristic symptom is a painful inflammation of the toe joint, thoughit can also affect other joints.
MEAT: All meat contains purine that transforms into uric acid within the body. Red meats produce the most uric acid of any meat. It is well known that the more meat eaten, the higher the level of uric acid in the blood and the greater the risk of gout.
SHELLFISH: Crustaceans and mollusks produce a great deal of uric acid in the body. They should be avoided in case of gout or elevated uric acid in the blood.
FATTY FISH: All fish produce uric acid, but lean fish produce less than fatty fish. Sardines, anchovies, and herring are the richest in uric-acid-producing purine, which makes them one of the top foods that cause gout.
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: Alcohol blocks the elimination of uric acid, which causes its blood level to rise, leading to gout. All alcoholic beverages, including beer and wine, are particularly detrimental where there is a tendency to elevate blood uric acid levels.
REFERENCES
Recommended Reading: Are Almonds High In Purines
What Are Some Foods That Cause Gout
Certain types of food that are high in naturally occurring chemicals called purines are considered to be foods that cause gout. Among the foods that carry the highest risk of causing gout are some types of seafood, such as herring, mussels and sardines, as well as yeast and organ meats such as liver and kidneys. Alcoholic beverages, especially beer, and sugary drinks also can cause gout. Vegetables that are rich in purines were once thought to be among the foods that cause gout, but research has indicated that this might not be true. Dairy products also can contain purines, but their consumption has not been proved to increase the risk of gout and some research has suggested that low-fat dairy products reduce the risk.
About Gout
Gout is a kind of arthritis that occurs when sharp crystal shards of uric acid collect between the joints, causing painful inflammation. Uric acid usually is a neutral but unnecessary chemical that the kidneys filter out of the blood through the urine. People who have gout typically get it because either their body produces too much uric acid or because their body does not do a good job of eliminating it.
Meats
Low-Risk or Beneficial Foods
Other Ways to Combat Gout
Does Fructose Cause Gout
Fructose is a sugar that is found in fruits and vegetables. It is also found in high levels in foods sweetened with corn syrup, such as bread, cereal, soft drinks and fruit juices. An American study found that men who drank five to six servings of fructose-sweetened soft drinks per week were more likely to have gout. However there is no research showing that fructose actually causes gout. Cutting down the amount of food artificially sweetened with high fructose corn syrup may be beneficial for your overall health. However naturally occurring fructose in fruit and vegetables also provides general health benefits and should not be completely avoided without advice from your doctor or dietitian.
Also Check: Almond Milk Gout
What Should I Consider If I Take Medication
There are certain medications that can raise the levels of uric acid, thereby increasing the risk of gout. These include diuretics , acetylsalicylic acid and some medications that are taken after an organ transplant. Levodopa and some cancer medications can also increase the risk of gout.
If you take any of these medications, it’s best to discuss with your doctor whether it would be possible to switch to a different medication.
What Foods To Avoid
Many of the foods you want to avoid are meats and seafood. Meats such as chicken, pork, beef, or lamb are usually okay in moderation however, if you find they cause symptoms you will want to avoid them altogether. Salmon, as part of a gout diet, is also usually tolerated well in moderation.
- Yeast:beer, nutritional yeast, large amounts of bread, others
- Game meats: venison, veal, bison, others
- Organ meats: liver, tongue, tripe, others
- Fish: including sardines and anchovies
- Other seafood: shellfish, roe, others
- Sugary drinks: sodas, fruit juice, others
- Sugar substances: honey, nectar, high-fructose corn syrup, others
Recommended Reading: Black Cherry Juice For Gout Cvs
Gout Diet: 7 Foods To Eat 7 Foods To Avoid
Why do certain foods cause painful gout symptoms? Our bodies produce uric acid as it digests some types of foods and excess uric acid can accumulate in our joints as crystals. Healthy individuals can usually filter out much of the extra uric acid however, for those who have underlying health conditions or elderly adults whose body processes have slowed down, uric acid builds up.