What foods should you avoid to prevent gout?

Is it just me, or does gout sound like something from medieval times? Unfortunately for us, this painful form of arthritis is still very much present today. And while there are medications available to manage the symptoms, prevention is always the better option.

So what can you do to avoid gout? One thing you can start with is your diet. Certain foods and drinks have been known to trigger a gout flare-up. Below are some of them.

Purine-Rich Foods

Gout occurs when uric acid builds up in the blood due to inefficient elimination by the body’s kidneys. When this happens, crystals may form in joint spaces and cause inflammation and pain.

One way uric acid forms is through the breakdown of purines – compounds found naturally in our bodies as well as certain foods we eat. These include:

  • Meat (especially organ meat like liver)
  • Seafood (anchovies, sardines, mussels)
  • Poultry (turkey especially)
  • Game meat
  • Gravy

Now before you go all caveman on me and vow never to eat animal products again, let’s put things into perspective.

Firstly, not everyone who eats these foods will develop gout. Secondly, not all purine-rich food items are created equal – some have higher amounts of purines than others.

If you’re at risk for developing gout (maybe because it runs in your family or because of another health condition), then try limiting your intake of these particular types of meats or seafood:

High-Purine Meats High-Purine Seafood
Bacon Anchovies
Lamb chops Sardines
Beef kidney Mackerel
Venison Herring

Additionally, limit serving sizes so that they don’t take over your entire plate.

Alcohol

Alcohol tends to be a double whammy when it comes to gout. Firstly, it can dehydrate you which may lead to more concentrated levels of uric acid in your blood. Secondly, alcohol is high in purines, which as we just discussed, are broken down into uric acid.

Beer seems to be especially problematic because of the specific type of yeast used during fermentation that contributes significantly to the purine content. A large study published in The Lancet concluded that beer drinkers had an almost twofold risk for developing gout compared with non-beer drinkers.

But other types of alcohol like wine or spirits aren’t completely off the hook either – they may still increase your risk for a flare-up if consumed excessively (as with anything else), or paired up with another dietary trigger (more on this later).

So what’s considered excessive? Unfortunately there isn’t just one answer since tolerance varies from person to person based on factors such as age, weight and sex; however, health experts suggest limiting alcohol intake generally:

  • Women: no more than 1 drink per day
  • Men: no more than 2 drinks per day

Dehydration

We’ve all been told how important it is to stay hydrated throughout the day./ But dehydration doesn’t only cause dry skin or headaches/; it also increases uric acid concentration.^ This makes sense seeing body fluids become less diluted when water intake is low^ so aim towards drinking sufficient amounts daily!/ Eight cups should suffice but please remember individual needs vary/.

If purely relying solely on thirst signals does not work for you then keep these hydration tips below in mind:/

  • Drink plain water instead of soda-, juice-,or other sugar/high calorie beverages/
  • Carry a reusable water bottle manually around – out sight//[t make=“tooltip” content=”Out sight Out mind.”/]
  • Make flavoured fruit water at home/

Added Sugars and Refined Grains

Added sugars, which are found in a prominent amount of foods we buy today, can increase uric acid levels as well. A study carried out on over 10000 adults showed that fructose (found readily/’naturally occurring’-in fruits// or through extraction-y corn syrup) intake was positively correlated with gout risk.

Another theory has to do with refined grains. These are carbs that have been processed down so that their outer layer is removed, resulting in less nutrient content but fast-absorbing carbohydrates being used by the body. Some studies suggest a correlation between higher intakes of refined grains and an increased risk for developing gout^

Such empty-calorie item examples include:

  • Syrups/
  • Cereals//
  • Bagels/
  • White bread/

Gout prevention involves keeping uric acid concentration under control./ It ensues diet modifications like modifying meat-, seafood-, alcohol intake combined with hydration boosts/ limiting added sugar & refined carbohydrate consumption/. That doesn’t mean entirely refraining from indulging though since spreading these triggers across meals/day could also show benefit whether it’d be occasional “cheat meal” scenarios or sticking within recommended daily allowances specified above/.

Remember,/ If you’re experiencing sudden pain/swelling/warmth/sensitivity near your joints it’s recommended to seek medical attention right away!

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