There are foods to avoid with gout and there are foods that are good for those who suffer gout. If you’re one of those who are in constant search on what food to avoid gout attacks, then pay particular attention to these 3 key food elements that are commonly seen in one’s dining table.
1. Meats that are rich in purine
Purines are substances found naturally in almost every cell of a body. Foods high in protein such as kidney, yeast, sardines are also high in purines. But why should you limit foods that are high in purine?
When cells get recycled, it breaks down the purine along with it. And when purines are entirely broken down, uric acid is formed. Though uric acids are good for our body as they are good antioxidants, high levels of such could be detrimental. When your kidney could hardly keep up in getting rid of them, it could eventually result to gathering of uric acid in different parts of the body. That’s when the problems occur. Too much cell breakdown can also lead to building up of uric acid. When uric acid starts to build up, uric acid crystals would start to form which can directly hit the joints, kidneys, and other organs. The build-up is simply referred to as “gout”. In some cases, inflammation of joints such as the big toe, fingers, elbows and the like can be experienced. That’s primarily the reason why you should limit the intake of foods high in purine.
Meats rich in purine that need to be avoided are: Lobster, Shellfish, Crab, Oysters, Tuna, Codfish, Carp, Ham, Bacon, Beef, Chicken, Duck, Goose, Lamb, Turkey and animal internal organs (brain, intestines, kidney, liver, and the lungs).
2. Alcoholic beverages
There are a couple of reasons why alcohol consumption can lead to gout.
1) Alcohol is rich in purine. Beer approximately contains 100mg uric acid/100g and less.
2) Alcohol slows down the removal of excess uric acid from the body which could build up and form uric acid crystals in the joints or in the kidney.
3. Foods with high fructose
Fructose or fruit sugar found in many plants is a simple form of sugar that cannot be further broken down to simpler sugar through hydrolysis. It goes through the bloodstream directly during digestion.
In a research made from observing more than 50,000 health specialists, there was an increase of chances of having gout from an increase consumption of fructose in their diet. It was observed that two cans of sodas a day have almost doubled the risk of gout, just like two glasses or cups of fruit juice. Fructose most probably gives people a greater risk of having gout than that of alcohol.
There may be a degree of difficulty in avoiding or minimizing the consumption of the diet you are used to having, but following what is advised especially on your diet will be of great help in combating the condition called gout. Complications brought about by gout are something you wouldn’t want to have. Since the beverages and foods to avoid are accessible by men (and women) with gout online or offline, the best thing one with gout can do to reduce the chances of its recurrence and gout’s further complications is to avoid or take them very moderately.
