13 Dangerous Gout Foods You Should Avoid
If you are suffering from gout or trying to reduce your risk of suffering from it, it’s best to know which type of foods you should avoid.
Generally it’s advised that people with gout should stay away from high-protein and diets high in purines. Purines increases the uric acid level which then leads to possibly leaving the body with excess uric acid.
Excess uric acid, if not excreted through urination, transform as crystals that can cause inflammation and excruciating pain.
1. Seafood
Seafood contains high amounts of purine. Seafood such as scallops, salmon and trout can be eaten in moderation but for severe gout sufferers it’s best to avoid consuming seafood. A good 2-4 ounces of it is the most that your body can handle without giving you those insufferable flare ups later on.
2. Sugary Drinks
Sugar, fructose in particular, increases the production of uric acid in our body. In order to avoid painful inflammation due to high sugar consumption, it’s best to moderate your sugar intake.
Sugars that are found in fruit juices and soda are the main culprits as the manufacturers use corn syrup, which has incredibly high amounts of fructose in it.
If you want to drink juices, it’s always a better and healthier option to go fresh.
3. Vegetables with High Purine
Vegetables are good for our health in general but there are certain veggies that can be harmful to people who suffer from gout. Vegetables such as mushrooms have high levels of purine.
Although they don’t contain purine levels as high as red meat, it’s recommended that they be eaten in small amounts.
4. Red Meat
Red meat is high on purine and protein, two main culprits when it comes to inflammation and pain that are a result of gout flare ups. White meat is a better substitute such as chicken and duck. Beef, lamb and pork are known to have high amounts of purine.
White meat is the next best option but it still contains purine and should be taken in moderation.
5. Beer
The alcohol in beer significantly reduces the uric acid tolerance of our body. The body is not able to limit the production of uric acid and it starts to accumulate in our body before you know it, which can cause severe gout pain in no time.
The uric acid that is so rapidly produced then turns into crystals which can accumulate in the joints. Wine is suggested as a better alternative to beer, but avoiding alcohol overall is the safest thing to do.
6. Avoid variety meats
Purines are highest in organ meats, including liver, sweetbreads, kidneys, brains, tongue, and tripe, so you better stay away from all organ meat altogether. Not only do organ meats contain purines, but they can be also found in chicken soups and various gravies. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t eat chicken soup, just not eat a lot of it.
7. Whole Grains
Yes, we know that you’ve probably heard that whole grains are really healthy that you should be eating them, but whole grains have one dangerous characteristic that puts them on our list. They have higher purine content than refined grains, so although they might be a good overall dietary choice, they are not so good for gout.
8. Asparagus
Also rich in purine, asparagus is one of the vegetables you should certainly try to avoid. The problem is that asparagus can often lead to a gout flare-up, that intensifies the pain in the joints with sharp, prickly and pulsating pain, especially in the wrists.
9. Cauliflower
While we are on the subject of the vegetables that cause gout flare-ups, we cannot omit cauliflower. It’s rich in purines and along with asparagus and spinach it can cause gout flare-ups, especially if the person consumes large quantities of it. The key word here is moderation, so try to lower your intake of cauliflower.
10. Peas
Containing both purine and uric acid, peas increase the risk of gout and worsen the symptoms of persons who already have it. Too much uric acid in your blood can cause gout and the purines just make the whole thing even worse. If you drink a lot of water, five or six glasses a day, you can include peas in your diet but in moderate amounts.
11. Beans
Another legume that is very high in purines and should be avoided. It also slows down the digestive processes in our body, so it can lead to weight issues that only worsen the symptoms of gout. Saturated fat is your worst enemy when it comes to gout and you should try to get rid of it by eating healthy and exercising.
12. Oatmeals
Although there are no conclusive studies on how oatmeal affects gout, doctors are recommending that you should limit your daily intake of oatmeal and oat-based food. The ongoing debate is about the precise amount of purines found in oatmeal, so it’s certainly there, we just don’t know in what amounts…
13. Coffee
You should especially stay away from coffee and caffeinated drinks if your joints start aching right after you have some. Sometimes we miss the cause of these symptoms and attribute them to something else, but coffee can also lead to gout and encourage gout flare-ups.
