GOUTY ARTHRITIS FOOD CHOICES
WHAT ARE THE FOODS I CAN AND CAN'T EAT WHEN I HAVE GOUT?
@healthbiztips by Arlene Gentallan
What is Purine?
Dietary Restrictions for Gout: Purine and Gout Diet
Purine is a type of protein found in all of a person's tissues. It is found in many essential biomolecules such as neurotransmitters, DNA, RNA, and ATP.
The by-product of purine breakdown in our body is uric acid. Uric acid is produced mainly in our liver then excreted through urination (renal system).
Therefore, a high purine diet can significantly increase a gout patient's uric acid level predisposing them to an acute flare up of gout symptoms and complications associated with this disease.
GOOD TO KNOW: Generally, Purine is highly concentration in meats, while low in plants.
1. AVOID HIGH PURINE CONTAINING FOODS
Avoid High-purine containing foods such as:Internal organs / organ meats (brains, kidneys, liver)
Meat extracts
Red Meat
Bacon
Veal (meat of calf)
Venison (meat of deer)
Sweetbreads (meat from the pancreas of calf/lamb)
Seafoods such as:
Anchovies
Herrings
Mackerel
Sardines
Scallops
Gravy
Fatty foods
Beer & Alcohol
Softdrinks (because of it's high fructose content)
2. LIMIT MODERATE PURINE CONTAINING FOODS
Limit the intake of foods with Moderate purine content such as:Poulty / Chicken
Pork
Beef
Lamb
Duck
Limit seafoods such as:
Other fish except for those mentioned above in the list of high purine foods
Crab
Lobster
Oyster
Shrimp
Liquor
Asparagus
Cauliflower
Dried peas
Green peas
Hawthorn
Lentils
Mushroom
Oatmeal
Spinatch
Wheat bran
Wheat germ
3. LOW RISK FOODS WITH LOW PURINE CONTENT
Low risk foods you can eat. These are the foods with low purine content. However, be mindful of your caloric intake to avoid excess weight gain which can aggravete your gout symptom:Fruits such as strawberry and tomatoes
Green leafy Vegetables
Bead (Not whole-grain)
Cereal (Not whole-grain)
Noddles
Rice
Pasta
Potatoes
Chocolate
Cocoa
Coffee
Tea
Wine
Dairy products (low-fat) such as Cheese and Yogurt
Non-fat Milk
Butter
Buttermilk
Eggs
Nuts
Peanut butter (Watch out: there are reports that generous Peanut Butter & Nuts consumption can induce Gout attack in some people.)
It's important to know that each individuals may have varying reaction to a specific food. Take note of foods that tends to flare up your Gout and avoid taking them.
Switching to a Low Purine Diet can significantly reduce your chance of future Gout attacks.
- 1. Take plenty of water everyday to help flush out uric acid from your body through the kidneys.
- 2. Generally, limit your consumption of proteins and fats. Instead, consume generous amount of green leafy vegetables and fruits (especially those with high fluid contents). Though, avoid fruits with high fructuse content like ripe banana and ripe mango.
- 3. Avoid a high-protein / high-fat diet (Proteins and fats usually have high purine content.)
- 4. Loose weight slowly.
- 5. Avoid crash diets / rapid weigh-loss diets / fasting (Rapid loosing of weight means rapid breakdown of your bodily proteins and fats leading to high production of the by-product uric acid.)
- 6. Avoid alcohol especially beer because this beverage decreases the uric acid excreting ability of your kidneys.
- 7. Moderately exercise everyday to improve your joint mobility and keep a healthy body weight.
- 8. Watch out your caloric intake!
