Pain in the big toe might be a sign of gout, a form of arthritis characterized by severe joint pain, inflammation and tenderness. Goat occurs when a buildup of uric acid causes urate crystals to form in the joints. The body creates uric acid when it breaks down purine, a substance that occurs naturally in the body from eating certain foods. Physicians usually recommend changing to a low purine diet to prevent flare ups of gouty arthritis.
Organ Meats
Organ meats such as liver, rate high on the purine scale, according to MayoClinic.com. While organ meats are full of nutrients, they may also cause an increase in uric acid levels when the body attempts to break them down. People suffering from gout should avoid or severely limit their consumption of kidneys, brains, heart, stomach, liver or intestines to help lower levels of uric acid within the blood.
Meat
Many meats also contain high levels of purine. Bacon, veal and venison contain very high levels of purine and people with gout should avoid them if possible. Certain meats such as mutton, turkey, beef and pork contain somewhat high levels of purine, but people can consume them in moderation when not having a flare up of gouty arthritis. People should also consume poultry such as chicken, duck, grouse, partridge, goose and pheasant in limited quantities as they are moderately high in purine, according to Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center website.
Seafood
Certain seafood also contains high levels of purine. Fish, such as herring, mackerel and trout should be avoided along with anchovies, sardines, scallops, codfish and mussels. FamilyDoctor.org explains that foods, such as crab, lobster, shrimp and oysters are fine in limited quantities, but people should avoid them during a gout attack.
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages contain purine. Purine levels will vary dependent upon the type of alcohol. Beer tops the list of high purine alcoholic beverages followed by whiskey, vodka, gin and rum. Wine may not increase the levels of uric acid in the blood as much as other types of alcohol, according to Drugs.com, but people concerned about which alcohols are safe to consume should consult their physician.
