Gout is a severe form of arthritis that produces swollen and inflamed joints in over 9 million Americans. High quantities of uric acid in the blood induce gout. According to research, tomatoes are one food item that can cause uric acid to rise in some people.
What Is Gout?
Gout is a type of arthritis caused by the breakdown of a molecule called purine into uric acid. Purine is a common amino acid that can be found in your body and also in some foods. High uric acid levels might cause your blood to crystallize around your joints. Inflammation and joint pain are caused by these crystals. Purine-rich foods should be avoided to reduce the amount of uric acid produced by your body. This may be enough to keep painful gout flares at bay for some people.
Gout Symptoms And Tomato Consumption
Some studies have shown a correlation between tomatoes and gout flare-ups. According to studies, persons who consume more tomatoes have greater uric acid levels, which is a known cause of gout flare-ups. However, this isn’t true for everyone who suffers from gout. Foods like tomatoes can provoke gout in different ways depending on your genetics and overall health.
This means that tomatoes may aggravate gout in one individual but may have no effect on another. Furthermore, research has discovered that the majority of blood uric acid comes from internal sources, with only a minor percentage coming from purine-rich meals.
Replace Tomatoes With Low-Purine Foods
Tomatoes can cause gout in certain people. It’s an excellent idea to remove tomatoes and add other nutritious components if they aggravate gout flares. Bell peppers, squash, eggplant, beets, and other vegetables fall under this category.
You can try several things to see what works best for you. It’s possible that the best tomato substitute varies depending on the meal. For example, roasted red peppers can be used in place of tomatoes on sandwiches, whereas eggplant paste can be used in place of tomato paste when making a sauce.
Bottomline
For some people, avoiding items that increase uric acid levels may help with gout treatment, but others will see no difference regardless of what they eat. You can establish if tomatoes, or any other foods, are triggers for you by carefully documenting what you consume and paying close attention to any gout flare-ups that occur.
