Gout what should i avoid

A review of studies found that consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was significantly associated with an increased risk of gout and hyperuricemia in adults. Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soft drinks or soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks. Sodas and sugary drinks are considered empty-calorie foods, because they contain no beneficial nutrients while contributing a lot of calories to your diet. For example, a ounce can of cola contains about calories and 40 grams, or about 9.

In addition, sugar-sweetened beverages have been associated with an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and dental caries. The modern Western diet is often high in processed foods and refined carbohydrates. In addition, processed foods and refined carbohydrates have been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and weight gain. The researcher found the DASH diet was associated with a lower risk of gout, whereas the Western diet was associated with a higher risk of gout.

Eating highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates in moderation will not only help with your gout, but your overall health as well. Red meat and organ meats are high in purines.

Eating these foods increases the uric acid levels in the blood and the risk of gout and gout attacks. Keep your red meat including beef, venison, and bison and organ meats including liver, heart, sweetbreads, tongue, and kidney intake low.

Chicken has moderate amounts of purines, and therefore should be eaten in moderation. Protein is important for the body, and though you may need to limit protein from some animal sources, you can still get protein from other sources. Low-fat dairy seems to decrease the risk of gout and is a good source of protein in the diet. Other protein foods you can eat include eggs, nuts and nut butters, beans, and tofu.

Certain types of seafood are high in purines, and therefore should be avoided on a gout-friendly diet. Other seafood are moderate in purines and should be limited to one to two, 2- to 3-ounce servings daily. Fatty fishes, such as tuna and salmon, are generally considered a healthy, nutritious addition to the diet, mostly due to the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids they contain.

However, due to their higher purine content, it is currently recommended to limit these foods if you have gout. With that said, a study found that eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids was associated with lower risk of recurrent gout flares, but supplemental omega-3 fatty acids were not.

More research is needed to clarify these effects. Alcohol consumption has long been associated with gout. As a result, it's recommended to avoid alcohol with gout. In particular beer, hard liquor and other grain alcohols. Frequent alcohol intake is known to cause chronic hyperuricemia, increasing the risk of gout and gout attacks.

Because of this, it is recommended to avoid some alcohol, such as beer, altogether and consume others, like wine, only in moderation. Though it was previously considered best to avoid all types of alcohol with gout, recent research has shown that wine, in moderation, may not contribute to increased risk of gout.

A study looking at the effect of wine on gout found that wine, when consumed with meals and in moderation, did not cause chronic hyperuricemia.

Moderate wine consumption is considered one 5-ounce drink per day for women and two 5-ounce drinks per day for men. Certain yeasts and yeast extracts are high in purines and should be avoided with gout. Supplements and foods with these should be avoided to keep uric acid levels down.

Yeast extract can sometimes be found in foods, such as some soy sauces, canned soups and stews, frozen dinners, and salty snacks. Some vegetables and plant foods, such as peas, beans, lentils, spinach, mushrooms, oats, and cauliflower, are high in purines.

However, several studies have shown that they do not increase the risk of gout. In fact, the opposite seems to be true, with a vegetable-rich diet being associated with a lower risk of gout compared with the lower consumption of vegetables. This is not a concern for healthy people, as they efficiently remove excess uric acid from the body.

Thus, a high-purine diet may let uric acid accumulate and cause a gout attack 5. Fortunately, research shows that restricting high-purine foods and taking the appropriate medication can prevent gout attacks Foods that commonly trigger gout attacks include organ meats , red meats , seafood, alcohol and beer.

They contain a moderate-to-high amount of purines 11 , However, there is one exception to this rule. Research shows that high-purine vegetables do not trigger gout attacks Instead, they may raise uric acid levels by accelerating several cellular processes 15 , On the other hand, research shows that low-fat dairy products , soy products and vitamin C supplements may help prevent gout attacks by reducing blood uric acid levels 11 , Summary: Foods can either raise or lower your uric acid levels, depending on their purine content.

However, fructose can raise your uric acid levels even though it is not purine-rich. These are foods that contain more than mg of purines per 3. You should also avoid high-fructose foods, as well as moderately-high-purine foods, which contain — mg of purines per 3. These may trigger a gout attack.

Here are a few major high-purine foods, moderately-high-purine foods and high-fructose foods to avoid 6 , 11 , 20 :. Additionally, refined carbs like white bread, cakes and cookies should be avoided. Although they are not high in purines or fructose, they are low in nutrients and may raise your uric acid levels Summary: If you have gout, you should avoid foods like organ meats, game meats, fish and seafood, sugary beverages, refined carbs, added sugars and yeast.

Although a gout-friendly diet eliminates many foods, there are still plenty of low-purine foods you can enjoy. Foods are considered low-purine when they have less than mg of purines per 3. Here are some low-purine foods that are generally safe for people with gout 20 , 22 :. Aside from organ meats, game meats and certain fish, most meats can be consumed in moderation. You should limit yourself to 4—6 ounces — grams of these a few times per week Other factors, such as genetic susceptibility, also play a role.

African Americans are more vulnerable than white people to gout. Postmenopausal women and people with obesity also have a higher risk. Certain medications may elevate uric acid levels. These medicines include :. Drugs that raise uric acid levels may offer essential health benefits, however, so people should speak to a doctor before changing any medications. Reaching a healthy body weight may help reduce the risk of gout flares.

Obesity increases the risk of gout, especially in people of a younger age. It can raise blood pressure and cholesterol while increasing the risk of heart disease. While these effects are harmful in their own right, being overweight also has an association with a higher risk of elevated blood uric acid levels, raising the risk of gout. Rapid weight loss , especially when it occurs due to fasting, may raise uric acid levels.

Therefore, people should focus on making long-term sustainable changes to manage their weight, such as becoming more active, eating a balanced diet, and choosing nutrient-dense foods. The heavy consumption both of alcohol and of sugary drinks — such as sodas and sweetened juices — correlates with an increased risk of developing gout. Alcohol and sweetened drinks also add unnecessary calories to the diet, potentially causing weight gain and metabolic issues.

Some research indicates that people who drink coffee are less likely to develop gout. A handful of studies have also linked coffee consumption to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of long-term coffee consumption found that people who consumed 3—5 cups of coffee per day had the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease. Sugars are low in purines, but a diet high in refined sugars is linked to other conditions that may worsen gout symptoms, such as obesity and diabetes.

Avoid soda and other products sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, because it can increase uric acid. If you need to get your sweet on, choose fresh fruits. While some have high amounts of natural sugar, they also contain other vital nutrients that your body needs. Studies have shown that drinking beer during a gout attack can significantly increase the intensity of symptoms. While other alcoholic beverages may not contain very many purines, they can increase purine production in the body.

This, in turn, leads to higher uric acid levels. Excessive alcohol use more than two drinks per day for men or one drink per day for women can increase your risk of a gout attack. Some vegetables are rich in purines such as asparagus, cauliflower, and spinach. However, studies have not shown high-purine vegetables to be associated with high uric acid levels or to increase gout attacks. In fact, vegetables, including those with high amounts of purines, may even decrease the risk of gout.

Sticking to a strict diet can help ease symptoms of gout. But because purines are present in so many foods, it may be difficult to adhere to.

Still, avoiding certain foods is an important part of an overall gout treatment plan. Discover what goes into a gout-friendly recipe and get tips on what diet guidelines you should be following. Learn why you should avoid purines in…. A low-purine diet is helpful if you've recently been diagnosed with gout, kidney stones, or a digestive disorder.