The Gout Diet!

I have a very dear friend, and family member who was diagnosed with Gout earlier this year. He is living with it, and so can you!!

Gout Diet / Low Purine Diet:
Limit High Purine Foods
Written by Gloria Tsang, RD of HealthCastle.com
Published in December 2005




(HealthCastle.com) High levels of uric acid can cause gout. High purine foods in a diet can increase uric acid levels in the body. Therefore, the gout diet usually limits food with high purine.

Gout Diet / Low Purine Diet

Alcohol, especially beer, should be avoided. Limit alcohol consumption to 1 drink 3 times a week.
Drink 2 to 3 L of fluid daily. Adequate fluid intake helps dilute urinary uric acid. Avoid High-Purine foods (see below)
Consume a moderate amount of protein. Limit meat, fish and poultry to 4 - 6 oz per day. Try other low-purine good protein foods such as low fat dairy products, tofu and eggs.
Limit fat intake by choosing leaner meats, foods prepared with less oils and lower fat dairy products.

Avoid High-Purine foods

Sweetbreads
Anchovies
Sardines
Liver
Beef kidneys
Brains
Meat extracts (e.g Oxo, Bovril)
Herring
Mackerel
Scallops
Game meats
Gravy

Use in Moderation

Vegetables: asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms and green peas
Lentils, dried peas and beans
Beef, pork, poultry, fish and seafood
Oatmeal, wheat bran and wheat germ
Aside from avoiding high purine foods, maintaining a healthy body weight is important for gout patients as well. Obesity can result in increased uric acid production by the body. Follow a well-balanced diet to lose excess body weight. Do not follow a high-protein low-carb diet as this can worsen gout conditions.




Research Update: A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Mar 11, 2004 revealed that high intake of low-fat dairy products indeed reduces the risk of gout by 50%. It is unknown why low-fat dairy products offer a protective effect.

Unfortunately, no natural supplements are proven effective to prevent or alleviate onset of acute gout attacks. The most effective treatment for gout attack is medication.