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Foods To Skip When You Have Gout

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Longhorn Steakhouse

Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis caused by excess uric acid in your bloodstream. High levels of uric acid can cause monosodium urate crystals to form in your joints. When these crystals accumulate, you will experience sudden and intense attacks of pain, swelling, and inflammation of the joints. Almost half of gout cases affect big toes, and without treatment, symptoms can spread to other joints in your body, affecting your upper and lower limbs, wrists, fingers, knees, and heels. Gout flares can occur suddenly, usually night. Symptoms last from three to ten days and are often most painful during the first 24 hours.
Gout affects an estimated 8.3 million people in the United States, with six million men and two million women experiencing symptoms. Fortunately, the condition can be controlled with healthier lifestyle choices, medications, and dietary changes. A gout-friendly diet can help manage symptoms and prevent flares.
Read on to find out which foods to avoid or reduce because they increase your uric acid levels and trigger gout attacks.

Trigger Foods To Avoid

There are certain foods that contain concentrated levels of purines, a chemical compound found naturally in plant-and animal-based foods. When purines are digested, your body makes uric acid as a waste product. Healthy people efficiently remove excess uric acid from the body, but if you have gout, you can’t flush out uric acid as efficiently and your raised uric acid levels may trigger an attack. Consuming plant-based foods and vegetables that contain purines will not trigger gout attacks, but eating animal-based foods high in purines may increase your risk of developing gout. The recommended dietary purine intake should be less than 400 milligrams per day, but high-purine foods contain more than 200 milligrams in every 3.5-ounce serving (100 grams).
The following foods are rich in purines and should be avoided or significantly limited if you have gout:
organ or glandular meats, such as liver, kidneys, and heart
red meat, such as beef, lamb, and pork
game meat, such as pheasant, rabbit, and venison
certain fish, like sardines and trout
seafood and shellfish, like lobster and shrimp
processed foods and refined carbohydrates
high-fructose corn syrup
sugary beverages, such as soda and iced tea
alcoholic beverages
meat extracts
yeasts

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