Foods Not to Eat When You Have Gout

Gout is an often painful condition, but symptoms can be decreased by avoiding certain foods. Eliminating gout-causing foods from your diet is the best way to prevent gout flareups.

Alcohol

• Beer and wine aggravate gout due to the high amount of purine they contain. Purine is what breaks down into uric acid and crystallizes, causing gout.

Caffeine and Soda

• Beverages with caffeine, such as some coffees and teas, as well as carbonated drinks such as soda, seltzer and some flavored waters contain moderately high amounts of purines and should be avoided.

Fish

• Certain fish and shellfish are known to cause gout attacks: trout, haddock, salmon, herring sardines, mussels, shrimp, anchovies and scallops.

Meat

• Meats that are high in purines and should not be consumed in large amounts by those who suffer from gout. These include bacon, veal, turkey, mutton and organ meats (such as tongue, kidneys, liver and hearts).

Vegetables

• Some vegetables contain moderate amounts of purines and should be avoided, such as mushrooms, cauliflower, spinach, asparagus and peas.

Additional Foods

• Foods made from yeast (such as certain breads), meat gravies, rich cream sauces, consomme, beans and lentils should be avoided due to their high purine content.