Gout is a painful kind of arthritis that develops when too much uric acid crystallizes in your joints as a result of an accumulation in your body. People who suffer from gout experience severe and sudden attacks of pain, inflammation of joints and swelling.
How Does Gout Respond To Food?
Certain foods can cause gout attacks by increasing uric acid levels. Purines, an element that occurs naturally in food, are frequently present in trigger meals. Your body produces uric acid as a waste product when you consume purines. For healthy people, this is not a problem because they can effectively remove extra uric acid from the body.
Gout disease sufferers, however, are unable to effectively remove more uric acid. Therefore, a diet strong in purines may cause uric acid to build up and result in a gout attack. Fortunately, research indicates that avoiding meals high in purines and using the right medicine will stop gout attacks.
Foods That Trigger Gout Attacks
- Red meats, organ meats, seafood, alcohol and beer (contain a moderate-to-high amount of purines).
- sugar-sweetened beverages and fructose
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Yeasts (nutritional yeast and other yeast supplements)
Best Choices For A Gout Diet
One should use low-purine options like:
- Products with low fat and no added dairy fat, like yogurt and skim milk
- Fresh fruits
- Nuts, grains and peanut butter
- Fat and oil in moderation
- Legumes like beans, lentils and soybeans
- Potatoes, rice, bread and pasta
- Eggs (in moderation)
- Chicken, red meat and fish in moderation
- Fresh vegetables
What Can You Drink When You Have Gout?
- Drinking eight to sixteen cups of fluids each day and at least half of it must contain water.
- Vitamin C lowers uric acid levels, but since its high in fructose consume it in moderation
- Caffeinated coffee, tea or green tea in moderation
A balanced diet can help you manage the amount of uric acid in your body, but you could still require medication to stop attacks in the future. Having a proper gout diet will help you along with maintaining a healthy weight and excellent eating habits, but no eating plan will entirely eliminate flare-ups. It is indeed not a complete replacement and make sure to discuss all of your available treatment options with your doctor.
