3 Groups Of Foods To Avoid With Gout

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.

5 Good Foods For Gout

There are good foods for gout and there are those that need to be strictly avoided. If you’re consistently high in uric acid, you might want to know further on the former. Even if you consider yourself relatively fit, you can still have gout.  So whether you’re into a South Beach diet, Paleo diet or any other diet to meet your weight loss or fitness goal, you must still be in an inquisitive mode on what kind of good foods are there for gout.

Here are 5 good foods for gout that you can actually experiment with.

1. Complex carbohydrates

Carbohydrates help process fats into carbon dioxide in the body. If there’s an inadequate supply of carbohydrates, the fats will not break down completely and would instead produce ketones. Once there is an over production of ketones, the kidney will have a hard time excreting excess uric acid out of the body. There will be some sort of competition for transport between ketones and uric acid.  That means if you have less amount of carbohydrates in your diet, you will have a higher risk of having gout.

There are two types of carbohydrates: The simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. The simple carbohydrates have small nutritional value, so its consumption should be limited. Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are fibrous and abundant with vitamins and minerals, thus having greater nutritional value than that of simple carbohydrates. This type of carbohydrate doesn’t raise the blood sugar levels as quickly as simple carbohydrates do because they are digested much longer. 

Therefore, having a diet with Complex carbohydrates is more advisable for people who have gout. It also promotes the feeling of fullness which can help you prevent from over eating. Try sweet potato. It is definitely one of the known good foods for gout.

2. Essential fatty acids

Essential fatty acids are substances that our body needs but cannot produce on its own. These are needed essentially in the body’s biological processes, not just acting as fuel. We can only get them from food supplements. Studies show that essential fatty acids may significantly reduce the inflammation which causes most gout attacks. Walnut, canola or soya oil, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, fish and shellfish are good sources of essential fatty acids. 

3. Bromelain

Bromelain can greatly help you ease painful gout attacks. It can even assist in avoiding future attacks. Bromelain is an enzyme that is a property of pineapples. It helps reduce the swelling and helps to take away your pain. But there is not enough of this powerful enzyme in pineapples to help you use this method alone to get rid of gout. You would need to use other supplements to manage your gout attack.

4. Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps flush out excess uric acid. Take note though that both vitamin C and uric acid are forms of acids.  Your urine is likely to become more acidic and can increase your risk of kidney stones because of higher tendency to form crystals in an acidic solution. Take vitamin C daily whether from supplements or from fruits and vegetables, but always keep in mind to take them in moderation.  Having a cup of pineapple (about 165 grams) will give you 135% Daily Value of Vitamin C nutrient and is also a good source of Bromelain. Just be mindful that your body needs other sources of nutrients as well. Having a day of full of pineapple will obviously give you more harm than good especially if you have known hyperacidity problems.

5. Low fat dairy products

Low fat dairy products have a protective effect in gout. Low-fat dairy products are rich sources of protein, calcium and vitamin D. According to a research they found a positive correlation between consumption of dairy products and reduced gout symptoms. A regular consumption of low-fat yogurt or a hot or a cold cereal with skim or low-fat milk would be good for your body.

Complex carbohydrates, Essential fatty acids, Vitamin C, Bromelain and Low Fat Dairy products are just some of the good foods for gout. If you’re already incorporating some, if not many of these foods for in your diet, then keep it up. Otherwise, you have to start doing it gradually. Making some French fries out of sweet potato and canola oil and pairing it with a low-fat Yogurt drink and some cups of pineapple fruit in a day is actually a healthy experiment. When in doubt though, simply ask your physician’s medical advice.