What Foods Cause Gout?
Did you know that Gout affects about 8.3 million people and that the risk of getting it increases with age? For anyone unfamiliar with Gout, it is a form of arthritis characterized by intense pain, redness, and tenderness in joints.
Gout occurs when high levels of uric acid in the blood forms crystals in and around a joint. To learn what foods cause Gout and a list of foods to avoid with Gout, keep reading.
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What Foods Cause Gout
Dietary management of Gout can be quite restrictive. The primary nutritional modification people make is a low-purine diet. Purines are one of two chemical compounds that cells use to make the building blocks of DNA and RNA. They are found in meat and meat problems and are broken down by the body to form uric acid.
Avoiding purines is impossible, but a proper Gout diet does limit them. To learn about the foods to avoid and foods to eat, see below.
Foods to Avoid With Gout
If you are prone to Gout and want to reduce the number of flare-ups you experience, here is a list of uric acid food to avoid:
- Wild Game
- Scallops
- Organ Meats
- Beer
- Grain liquors
- Sugary Beverages
- Fruits and vegetables high in purines
- High-fat dairy products
Fruits to avoid with Gout consist of apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, prunes, and dates. On the other hand, vegetables to avoid with Gout are asparagus, spinach, cauliflower, and mushrooms.
Foods to Eat With Gout
Many foods are good for you in terms of alleviating gout symptoms. Those include low-fat and non-dairy fat products, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, peanut butter, grains, fat, and oil. Other foods that are great for a Gout diet include potatoes, rice, bread, and pasta.
If you suffer from Gout, you don’t have to avoid meats like fish, chicken, and red meat as long as you consume them in moderation, around 4-6 ounces per day.
It is also imperative to drink more water to flush out the uric acid.
Gout vs Cheese
Despite claims that you cannot consume dairy with Gout, the Arthritis Foundation stated that drinking low-fat milk can reduce your uric acid levels and promote the excretion of uric acid in your urine.
When it comes to the question is cheese bad for Gout, the answer iGout depends on the cheese. The best types of cheese to avoid a flare-up include cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, cheddar, feta, and American.
Gout vs Tomatoes
Are tomatoes bad for Gout? It depends; while it can trigger some people, others experience reduced inflammation after consumption. You can experiment with different recipes and see what works for you, but if you do have flare-ups after eating tomatoes, consider these alternatives:
- Bell peppers
- Squash
- Eggplant
- Beets
If your symptoms go beyond changing your diet, look into Colchicine.
Be an Expert on What Foods Cause Gout
Knowing what foods cause Gout can make a significant difference in the quality of your life. Be sure to avoid purines as often as possible and stay hydrated.
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