Purines are a natural substance found in all living things and all foods, according to the World's Healthiest Foods website, because purines make up part of the chemical structure of DNA. Some foods, however, contain concentrated amounts of purines. People with gout may have difficulty metabolizing purines and may need to follow a purine-restricted diet.
Gout
Gout is an inherited form of painful arthritis, according to MayoClinic.com. When you have gout, your body accumulates high amounts of uric acid in the blood. The uric acid crystallizes and settles into the joints, leading to swelling and pain. Uric acid is formed from the breakdown of purines.
Function
By restricting your intake of purines, you limit the production of uric acid, according to MayoClinic.com, preventing the painful arthritis. The diet does not treat the gout, but helps to control symptoms. If you have gout, weight loss can also help alleviate symptoms, notes MayoClinic.com.
Diet Basics
A purine-restricted diet limits your purine intake to 600 to 1,000mg a day, according to "Krauses's Food, Nutrition and Diet Therapy." The purine-restricted diet is also a healthy balanced diet, high in carbohydrates and low in fat and cholesterol.
Purine Foods
High-purine foods are defined as those that contain 100 to 1,000mg of purines per 100g, according to "Krause's Food, Nutrition and Diet Therapy." High-purine foods include anchovies, bouillon, brains, broth, consomme, goose, gravy, heart, herring, mackerel, kidney, meat extracts, mussels, partridge, roe, sardines, scallops, sweetbreads and yeast. If you have gout, you should avoid high-purine foods. Foods with moderate amounts of purine contain 9 to 100mg of purine per 100g. Moderate-purine foods include fish, poultry, meat, shellfish, asparagus, beans, lentils, mushrooms, peas and spinach. If you have gout, you can have 4 to 6 oz. of meat and 1/2 cup of vegetables a day from the moderate purine group.
Considerations
Following a purine-restricted diet can help limit uric acid production and increase its elimination, according to MayoClinic.com. The majority of the uric acid in your body is produced by the break down of your own endogenous purines, and medications are an important part of treatment for your gout. A purine-restricted diet may decrease the number and severity of your gout attacks.
References
- Michigan Foot: Purine Restricted Diet
- "Krause's Food, Nutrition and Diet Therapy"; L. Kathleen Mahan, MS, RD, CDE, Sylvia Escott-Stump, MA, RD; 1996
- MayoClinic: Gout Diet
- World's Healthiest Foods Website: Purines
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