Gout or Uric Acid Foods To Avoid

It is important to know various gout or uric acid foods to avoid because it will go a long way in helping to manage the ailment.

Gout is a well known type of arthritis and if you have it or are at the risk for gout, then this post is going to give you all the needed information about foods and gout, purines and uric acid.

As a type of arthritis, gout is a chronic condition of the joint which comes as a result of uric acid build-up in the bloodstream. When urate crystals become present in the joint, the crystals will begin to cause swelling, inflammation and sharp pain.

Before I list out the uric acid foods to avoid, let’s take a look at what gout is about and how you can keep the uric acid levels on the low.

In essence, managing one’s uric acid level is the ultimate because high uric acid levels tend to raise the risk of developing gout while suffering from it already will encourage uric acid to aggravate the condition leading to flares.

Gout is seen as a manifestation of inflammation and sharp joint pain due to crystalized uric acid deposits. The categories of individuals who tend to suffer the most from this disease are men and postmenopausal women. This is as a result of hormonal effect.

As a matter of fact, uric acid forms in the body in the following processes

1. From foods as a waste product of the metabolism of various proteins known as nucleo-protein. DNA, RNA and nucleic acids are the special proteins. Purine is also a part of these nucleic acids.
2. From the cells of the body. The body also produces a certain amount of uric acid once its dead cells decompose.

Details regarding gout and uric acid or purine are not going to be discussed in details as this article focuses only on uric acid foods to avoid.

Here’s what you stand to gain consuming pears

List of Uric Acid Foods To Avoid

The body filters uric acid via the kidneys which comes out in urine. However, one can have too much of this acid if the following occur:

1. If you can’t pass it out through the urine fast enough
2. If you dwell on a diet that’s high in purines
3. If one’s body produces them overly.

The following foods are not recommended for individuals suffering from gout or are at risk for gout. Therefore, they should be eliminated or avoided and the best way to do this is to exclude them from dietary plan.

The best way to tackle the intake of these foods by those who seem addicted to them is to adopt a gradual means or reducing their consumption.

The foods are:

1. Fatty fish
2. Meat
3. Legumes
4. Shellfish
5. Alcoholic Beverages
6. Spinach
7. Brewer’s yeast
8. Mushroom
9. Asparagus
10. Fructose
11. Variety meat
12. Stimulant Beverages

Fatty fish

All varieties of fish produce uric acid; however lean fish make available less uric acid than fatty fish.

The richest in terms of uric acid production are: anchovies, sardines, and herring.

It is best to reduce or eliminate their intake if you have gout or are at risk for it because they are one of the uric acid foods to avoid.

Meat

All meat contain purine in abundance which then transforms to uric acid within the body. Red meats such as lamb, pork and beef produce too much uric acid of any meat.

As it is, the more meat intake, the greater and higher the level of uric acid in the blood and this aggregates gout manifestation.

Legumes

Legume seeds and others classified as legumes, as well as vegetables, such as peas contain purine which produce uric acid. Soy is said to be the most abundant in purine content.

There won’t be any risk to health if the kidneys are working well.

However, in cases of gout or elevated uric acid level, this class of food should be avoided.

Shellfish

Mollusks and several other crustaceans produce too much uric acid in the body.

For those who suffer gout or are at the risk for it, they should stay away from consuming this food as they are among the uric acid foods to avoid.

Alcoholic Beverages

Studies find that alcohol blocks the elimination of uric acid and the resultant effect of this causes the blood level of it to rise, thereby leading to gout.

All alcoholic beverages should be avoided as they seem quite detrimental especially where there is tendency to blood uric acid level being at the point of elevation.

Spinach

There is no presence of purine in spinach but oxalic acid is readily available to counter the elimination of uric acid through the urine.

This is the reason why spinach is listed among the uric acid foods to avoid.

Other foods in this category include; rhubarb, chard which contain a great of oxalic acid.

As part of the uric acid foods to avoid, they should be avoided, especially those with a tendency to high blood uric acid levels or gout.

Brewer’s Yeats

When millions of yeast cells are dehydrated, brewer’s yeast is derived and each has one or several nuclei which contain nucleic acid that are formed of purine. This same purine is transformed into uric acid in the body system. If the purine is not eliminated or flushed out by the kidneys, it will result to gout.

Mushrooms

Unlike meat and legumes, mushrooms don’t produce much uric acid. However, they should be avoided, in particular, those suffering from gout or elevated uric acid level; since they have a little amount of the uric acid.

Asparagus

As one of the richest vegetables in purine is asparagus, although not as high as meat, one advantage to this vegetable is its diuretic effect which fosters elimination of uric acid, producing a milder effect in case of gout than might be expected.

However, where there is elevated uric acid level, large quantities of asparagus is seen as one of the uric acid foods to avoid.

Therefore, asparagus is not recommended in cases of gout or elevated uric acid level.

Fructose

Fructose will cause metabolic disorders such as triglycerides levels and increase in uric acid in the blood when it is consumed in purified form as sugars in higher proportions than natural sugars.

Variety meats

Liver, brains, kidneys and every other variety meat are some of the products of meat quite rich in purine and also the ones that produce the most of uric acid.

These are the meat products that trigger the development of gout.

As a result, their intake should be avoided especially those who are suffering from gout or are a risk for it as well as individuals who wish to observe a healthy diet.

Stimulant Beverages

Purine and caffeine belong to the same chemical family and as such also known as one of the uric acid foods to avoid. The purine transforms into uric acid in the body. In cases of elevated uric acid levels and gout, they should be avoided.

Foods high in purine

High-purine foods should be avoided, eliminated from the dietary plan or consumed sparingly. The following are some of the foods high in purine.

1. Organ meats such as heart, liver, tongue, kidneys, tripe, brain etc
2. All type of Alcohol
3. Shellfish and several other varieties of seafood such as mussels, sardines, lobster, anchovies and shrimp.
4. Red meat such as pork, venison, beef, lamb and other meats from wild animals

The following foods are quite moderate in purine content and should be consumed in moderation. They are:

1. Asparagus (avoid in cases of gout and elevated uric acid level)
2. Wheat bran
3. Mushrooms, same as asparagus
4. Kidney beans
5. Lentils
6. Beans
7. Green peas
8. Spinach; same as asparagus and mushrooms
9. Cauliflower
10. Oatmeal

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Fidel Perez

A graduate of Computer Science and Information Management Technology. Diploma – Caregiving, Certificates – Dementia and Diabetes Awareness and Management. A researcher, blogger, songwriter, singer and acoustic guitarist. Born in an environment where natural talents such as healing are imparted at our natural birth. This natural talents of healing is the result of our genetic inheritance and the training from family environment.