If you are diagnosed with gout or kidney stones, the first thing you will hear from the doctor is to go on a low-purine diet. So, what is a low-purine diet? It is a diet that comprises of foods with low purines that can help you manage painful conditions like gout. Purines are compounds present in foods and even naturally in our body that turn into uric acid after oxidation.

In normal cases, our kidneys can flush out excess uric acid through urine. But, in some cases, purines turn into uric acid which gets deposited in joints like crystals and cause painful inflammatory conditions like gout. Here is where a low-purine diet can help you deal with the problem!

Read along to know more about foods that are low in purines for gout. Also, get to know the list of high-purine foods you must avoid in order to prevent your condition from worsening.

List of Foods to Include in Low-Purine Diet:

Low-Purine foods are those which have lesser purines and do not impact the uric acid levels in the body. Increasing these foods in your diet can minimize the occurrence of gout and related problems:

Low-Purine Foods:

• Eggs

• Nuts like almonds, walnuts, almonds etc.

• Whole Wheat Bread

• Fruits like apples, bananas, strawberries, grapes etc.

• Vegetables like pumpkin, lettuce, beetroot, squash etc.

• Low-fat diary products including milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt

• Pasta, Noodles and Rice

• Gelatin, Corn Syrup, Sugar

• Wine (in limited quantities)

• Fruit juices

• Peanut Butter

• Coffee, Tea, Cocoa

• Fat, Oils

List of Foods to Limit and Avoid in a Low-Purine Diet:

Along with learning about low-purine foods, you must also learn about the medium and high purine foods that can worsen your problem. Make a chart of these foods which you must limit or totally avoid in your diet to reduce the frequency of Gout:

• Medium-Purine Foods

• Here is the list of foods you must eat in limited quantities:

• Meat and Poultry (not more than 4 to 6 ounces per day)

• Seafood like crabs, shrimps, lobsters, oysters etc.

• Vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, cauliflower, asparagus, green peas etc.

• Legumes and beans

• Oatmeal

• Wheatgerm and bran

High-Purine Foods:

It’s best to avoid these foods to reduce the uric acid levels in the body:

• Fish like anchovies, sardines, tuna, haddock, codfish, herring, scallops etc.

• Organ meats like liver, brain, kidney, heart, sweetbreads etc.

• Gravy and meat-based sauces

• Beer and yeast-based drinks

• Game meats like goose, duck etc.

• Processed meats like bacon, hot dogs etc.

• Whole-fat dairy like cheese, milk

• Fatty and greasy foods like chips, deep-fried snacks

• Beer and other Alcoholic drinks (Except moderate amounts of wine)

Other Tips To Follow in a Low-Purine Diet To Treat Gout:

Apart from learning about the foods to eat and avoid in a low-purine diet, you must also follow these important guidelines to decrease uric acid production in the body:

1. Increase your Daily Water Intake:

Lack of enough water can cause uric acid to settle down in the body. The best way to curb uric acid deposits is by drinking atleast 8-10 glasses of water per day and flush them out in the form of urine.

2. Limit or Stop Drinking Alcohol:

Alcohol and other yeast-based drinks like beer increase uric acid production in the body. So, it’s better to consume these drinks in moderation or best and avoid them until the condition improves.

3. Manage Your Weight:

Excess weight can stress your joints even more and cause more pain. So, sign up for a weight management exercise program to lose weight and feel better. Make sure that the weight loss is a gradual one and not a sudden change!

Now that you have understood the benefits of a low-purine diet for gout, you can put your worries to rest! Just make small adjustments in your meals to cut down on uric acid levels in the body. With proper medication and diet changes, you will find it much easier to manage these inflammatory conditions. Time to kick out purines and pain!

DISCLAIMER: The information provided in the article is purely for educational purpose(s) only and does not qualify for diagnosing or treating a health condition. The reader must seek professional medical advice instead of solely relying on the information on this website.

FAQs:

1. What is the maximum limit of purines per day?

Ans: According to a Japanese research study, the allowed limit of purines is less than 400 mg per day. Increase in purine levels can increase the production of uric acid deposits in the body, which can aggravate conditions like gout, kidney stones etc. You can talk to your doctor about the quantities of low-purine foods for your individual case.

2. Is Gout treatable with foods?

Ans: Yes! If gout is mild and doesn’t occur frequently, then it can treated with diet and lifestyle changes. Switching to a low-purine diet, drinking lots of water etc. can certainly make a positive difference. However, in moderate to severe cases of gout, diet along may not help the patient and proper medication will be absolutely necessary for treating the condition.

3. Why is alcohol bad for people with gout?

Ans: There are two ways in which alcohol can aggravate gout – firstly, alcohol can dehydrate the body and cause reduced expelling of urine. This can cause more uric acid to sit in the body and turn into crystals. Secondly, alcoholic drinks like beer contain yeast which has high purine content. These purines get converted into uric acid and worsen your problem.