Foods NOT to Eat (Fatty and Purine-Rich Foods)
According to the American Medical Association, purine-containing foods to be avoided include:
• Beer, other alcoholic beverages
• Anchovies, sardines in oil, fish roes, herring
• Yeast
• Organ meat (liver, kidneys, sweetbreads)
• Meat extracts, consommé, gravies
High in Purines
Hearts
Herring
Mussels
Yeast
Smelt
Sardines
Sweetbreads
Moderately High in Purines
Anchovies
Grouse
Mutton
Veal
Bacon
Liver
Salmon
Turkey
Kidneys
Partridge
Trout
Goose
Haddock
Pheasant
Scallops
Other foods to avoid:
High fat foods such as cream sauces, fried foods and foods containing trans fat (particularly hydrogenated vegetable oils) Avoiding urine-rich foods is only one aspect of treatment, drink plenty of fluids/water, exercise and maintain a healthy body weight. Diets designed for quick or extreme weight loss will work against you though – they increase uric acid levels in the blood.
During gout flare up AVOID ALL Extremely Acid Forming Foods:
Artificial sweeteners, carbonated soft drinks and fizzy drinks, cigarettes, flour (white, wheat), goat, lamb, pastries and cakes from white flour, pork, sugar, beer, brown sugar, deer, chocolate, coffee, custard with white sugar, jams, jellies, liquor, pasta, rabbit, semolina, table salt refined and iodized, tea (black), turkey, breads (white, wheat), white rice, vinegar.
Foods to Eat More of
According to the American Medical Association, a balanced diet for people with gout includes foods:
• High in complex carbohydrates (whole grain, fruits, vegetables)
• Low in protein (15% of calories and sources should be fish (but not seafood), tofu, lean meats, and poultry)
• Tofu which is made from soybeans may be a better choice than meats
• Certain fatty acids found in certain fish such as salmon, flax or olive oil or nuts may possess some anti-inflammatory benefits
• Celery has been used over the centuries for arthritis, rheumatism, gout
Choi’ research team followed 47,150 men with no prior history of gout over a 12-year period. The conclusion: during the 12-year period of assessment, 730 men were diagnosed with gout.
- Study participants who consumed the highest amount of meat were 40% more likely to have gout than those who ate the least amount of meat.
- Study participants who ate the most seafood were 50%percent more likely to have gout.
In this specific study, though, not all purine-rich foods were associated with an increased risk of gout. There was no increased risk associated with a diet which included:
- Peas
- Beans
- Mushrooms
- Cauliflower
- Spinach
Even though these foods are considered high in purines, Choi’s team also found that low-fat dairy product decrease the risk of gout and overall protein intake had no effect. Ultimately, diets shown to be connected to gout are the same kinds of diet linked to cardiovascular disease.
- Obesity can be linked to high uric acid levels in the blood. People who are overweight should consult with their doctors to decide on a reasonable weight-loss program.
Fasting or severe dieting can raise uric acid levels and cause gout to worsen.
Medium Purine Foods: Eat only 1 serving per day of these items when your gout is under control. Avoid them when your gout is flaring up, a serving of meat, fish or poultry is 2 to 3 ounces cooked. A serving of vegetables is ½ cup. A serving of liquids is 1 cup.
- Asparagus
- Beef, lamb, pork, and other red meats; not the high purine list above
- Broth, consommé, and bouillon or soups made with meat or poultry stock
- Cauliflower
- Dried beans, peas, lentils
- Fish and shellfish not on the high purine list above
- Fresh beans and peas
- Meat soups, broths, gravies
- Mushrooms
- Oats and oatmeal
- Poultry foods not on the high purine list above
- Spinach
- Wheat herm and bran
- Whole-grain foods
- Yeast, all types
High Purine Foods: Avoid these foods all the time
- Anchovies
- Broths, bouillons, consommé
- Caviar or roe
- Game meats like goose, duck, and partridge
- Gravies
- Some fishes, like herring and mackerel
- Meat extracts
- Mincemeat
- Organ meats: brains, heart, kidney, liver, and sweetbreads
- Sardines
- Scallops and