Gout and Diet.
The diet for gout is an overall healthy diet which even if otherwise adhered to can promise you health and a disease free existence. However restrictions are imposed in this gout diet which may not make it everyone’s choice.
Gout is caused due to deposits of uric acid crystals in the joints. This occurs due to high blood levels of uric acid. High uric acid levels result either due to more production of uric acid or due to decreased excretion of uric acid through the urine. Production of uric acid is from the break down of purines which are present in the body cells.
It therefore becomes necessary to restrict intake of purines rich foods, especially purine rich foods of animal origin which cause a greater risk of gout than purine rich foods of plant origin. This diet is therefore also referred to as low purine diet. The gout diet also recommends drinking more water and fluids which help excretion of uric acid through the kidneys. Do read causes of gout where risk factors that can cause gout are also explained.
Gout Diet|Uric Acid Diet.
Gout diet plan is formulated in such a way that they contain less or no foods containing purines of animal origin and helping in the excretion of uric acid through the urine.
Low Purine Diet.
1) Avoid beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks.
2) If over weight, lose weight.
3) If on any medication, make sure it is not adding to your gout risk. These medicines are explained in causes of gout.
4) Getting your kidney function tests done will be a good idea to rule out kidney diseases. This becomes necessary in lieu of the fact that most gout cases are due to improper excretion of uric acid through the urine.
5) Drink plenty of water and fluids everyday to ensure that the uric acid in the body is flushed out through the urine. About 3 liters will be fine provided your kidneys are functioning normally. Get educated on the benefits of drinking water.
Click on image to enlarge.
Diet and Foods for Gout.
(A)Foods to avoid with gout.
- Red meat: beef, lamb, organ meat, sweetbreads and pork.
- Sea foods: herring, anchovies, mussels, sardines, caviar and tuna.
- Birds: goose, pheasant and partridge.
- Yeast extracts.
- As mentioned above, avoid beer, wines and all other alcoholic drinks.
(B)Foods that are rich in purines but pose no gout risk.
These are the purine rich foods of plant origin. Though rich in purines, they have a different impact than animal based foods and pose little or no gout risk. They can had in moderation.
- Mushrooms.
- Beans.
- Peas.
- Spinach.
- Cauliflower.
Losing out proteins by avoiding animal based foods can be compensated by eating plant based foods.
(C) Eat low fat dairy products for gout.
Eating low fat dairy products such as low fat yogurt decreases risk of gout. Consuming about 16 to 20 ounces will be ideal.
(D) Avoid sugar and sweets.
Though there is no direct evidence that sugar and sweets increase uric acid levels, these foods should be avoided in lieu of the fact that they contribute towards weight gain which is a gout risk factor.
(E) Eat complex carbohydrates for gout.
Maintain an adequate intake of carbohydrates because they help in the break down of fats. Inadequate carbohydrate intake leads to fats not being completely broken down. Fats then produce substances called ketones. Too much of ketones causes ketosis which is associated with excess of uric acid production.
Complex carbohydrates are slowly absorbed and digested as against simple carbohydrates which are quickly digested and absorbed and cause blood sugar spikes. Complex carbohydrates therefore do not cause sudden increase in sugar levels in the blood. This slow and steady supply of sugar is continuously converted to required energy and prevented from being deposited in the body as fats.
Sources of complex carbohydrates. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables are good sources of complex carbohydrates. Avoid foods that contain refined carbohydrates like cakes, candy and white bread.
(F) Drink 3 to 4 cups of black tea or green tea. They reduce the gout risk especially in men.
(G) Gout and Berries. Last but definitely not the least, berries actually lower uric acid levels in blood. The anthocyanins found in berries also have anti inflammatory properties which help in gout patients. Tart berries, blueberries, strawberries, bilberries – take your pick. They are great for your gout and should be part of your gout diet.
Your action step.
If you feel this article could be useful, do share it on social media and pass a comment below.
Medic On WebRelated posts:
