|  | Conditions Treatments | Gout

What Is the Proper Diet for Gout?

Gout is a disorder that occurs when your blood has high levels of uric acid, causing sharp, needle-like uric crystals to form around your joints. Gout makes your joints become inflamed and extremely painful. Your body can produce too much uric acid if you drink too much alcohol, take low dose aspirin or thiazide diuretics, have a medical condition such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, or narrowed arteries or have a family history of gout.There are foods you can eat and foods you can avoid to prevent gout, and there are foods that will improve the pain and inflammation caused by gout.

  1. Avoid High Purine Food

    • Avoid or limit food that contains purines, which form excess uric acid. Cut red meat, especially organ meat from your diet and limit the amount of seafood you eat, especially herring, mackerel and anchovies. Reduce the amount of lentils, oatmeal, asparagus, mushrooms, dried beans, spinach, peas and cauliflower you eat. Don't drink beer or alcohol, as they prevent your body from getting rid of uric acid.

    Fluids

    • Liquids dilute uric acid in your urine and blood, and they help remove it from your body. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, and add drinks that are low in purines such as coffee, tea, cocoa, milk, cherry juice, tomato juice and carbonated beverages.

    Low-Purine Food

    • Eating low-purine food can lower your risk of gout. Add low-fat dairy products to your diet and eat complex carbohydrates and fiber-rich food such as cereal, fruit, grains, pasta, eggs, olives, tomatoes, eggs, chocolate, rice, celery, cabbage, kale, red bell peppers, potatoes, green leafy vegetables and whole grain bread.

    Quercitin and Celery Seed

    • Food high in quercitin helps with gout pain and inflammation. Quercitin can be found in broccoli, berries, onions, tomatoes and red grapes. Celery seed extract also helps with inflammation, and it reduces uric acid levels.

    Expert Insight

    • The American Medical Association suggests that people with gout eat a diet high in complex carbohydrates and low in protein, Only 15 percent of your calories should come from protein, and the sources of protein should be no more than 6 ounces a day of lean meat, poultry or soy. No more than 30 percent of your calories should be fats, and essential fatty acids such as flaxseed, nuts, and seeds are recommended.

Gout - Related Articles