Gout is a disorder that causes severe pain in your joints, often accompanied by swelling and tenderness. High blood levels of uric acid that crystallize in the joints cause gout. Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down compounds called purines in food. Gout patients either make too much uric acid or are unable to excrete normal amounts in their urine. Minimizing your intake of purine-rich foods may help prevent painful attacks of gout. Consult your doctor or a dietitian for advice in developing a diet appropriate for you.
Fish and Seafood
Certain types of seafood and oily fish are rich in purines and not good choices if you have gout. For example, anchovies are very high in purines, with about 400 mg in 100 g of fresh fish. Other fish varieties that have lots of purines include sardines, mackerel and salmon. Shellfish such as oysters, mussels and clams are also purine-rich foods, with about 100 mg of purines in 100 g. Avoid eating large quantities of shellfish and oily fish to reduce your intake of purines.
Meats
In general, organ meats tend to be very high in purines. Brains, liver, spleen, sweetbreads and kidneys are very rich in these compounds. For example, 100 g of spleen contains more than 700 mg of purines. Meats such as venison, bear and other game meats are also very high in purines, as are game birds such as turkey, grouse, partridge and goose.
Yeast and Alcohol
Foods that are manufactured with yeast are also very rich in purines, since 100 g of brewer's yeast contains about 1,800 mg of purines. Avoid meat extract products such as Oxo, Vegemite and Bovril, which contain residual yeast. Do not consume beer and other malt beverages, which also contain yeast. Check product labels on baked goods such as bagels, pretzels and sourdough bread to determine if yeast is a listed ingredient. Finally, minimize your intake of alcohol in general, since alcohol is also naturally high in purines.
Recommendations
The American Dietetic Association recommends that gout patients drink lots of water, suggesting at least eight glasses daily as a good goal. It also recommends you minimize your intake of protein in general, aiming for no more than 4 to 6 oz. of meat, poultry or fish each day. Choose low-fat protein sources wherever possible, including tofu, egg substitutes and reduced-fat or fat-free dairy foods often.
