Foods to Avoid If You Have Gout

Gout is a particularly painful type of arthritis that occurs when too much uric acid develops in your body and then settles into your joints. While this type of arthritis can affect any of your joints, it typically develops in your feet the most. 

While many different things can increase your risk for gout, what you eat has actually been found to be one of the top contributing factors. In fact, a direct link has been found between a diet high in purines and gout attacks. 

Because a high-purine diet influences the flare-up of gout so much, Elaine Phuah, DO, MBA, FACOI, Leon Tio, DO, MA, FACOI, and the rest of our team at Clover Internal Medicine Associates in Fort Worth, Texas, want you to know exactly what foods to avoid when you have this specific type of arthritis, in order to reduce flare-ups and improve your quality of life as a result.

The relationship between purines and gout

Purines are naturally found in a lot of different foods and drinks that you probably consume on a regular basis. When your body breaks down purines, it converts them into uric acid — the substance that causes gout attacks. The more purines you consume, the more uric acid builds up in your body and increases the severity of your gout. 

We recommend trying out a low-purine diet when you deal with gout. By reducing the amount of purines you consume, your uric acid levels should go down, which can lessen gout pain as a result. 

Foods to eliminate from your diet

So, which foods should you avoid when you have gout? The following foods are incredibly high in purines, so we suggest trying to cut them from your diet altogether:

• Organ meats such as liver
• Red meats such as beef or bison
• Game meats such as veal
• Gravy and meat sauces
• Refined sugars
• High fructose corn syrup
• Alcohol
• Yeast

Even if you can’t eliminate them completely, reducing the amount of high purines in your diet should still significantly reduce your arthritic pain. 

Foods to include in your diet

Thankfully, there are still plenty of options for low-purine foods that you can include in your diet. There are even some foods and drinks that can actively lower the amount of uric acid in your body to fight against gout attacks. 

These are just a few:

• Milk
• Coffee
• Cherries
• Whole grains
• Vegetables
• Beans and legumes

Including high amounts of vitamin C can also reduce your risk of gout flare-ups. 

By following these diet guidelines, you can not only lower your uric acid levels but also achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Both of these factors can reduce risk of gout pain. 

To learn more about how to eat a low-purine diet, schedule an appointment with our team by calling our office or booking online today.