Gout, a form of arthritis that mostly begins in the big toe, causes a lot of pain. When too much uric acid builds up in the bod,y it can cause uric acid crystals in the joints, kidney stones and lumps under the skin. Since certain foods can aggravate gout symptoms, your physician may recommend that you follow a specific diet to help control this condition.
Protein
Having gout means limiting the amount of animal-derived protein you eat every day. The Mayo Clinic suggests avoiding or severely limiting foods high in purine, including organ meat, herring, anchovies and mackerel. Lamb, pork, beef, fatty fish and seafood increase the risk of developing gout. You must limit your daily amount of meat-based foods to between 4 to 6 ounces, or no more than 42 ounces of meat per week. Instead, include abundant amounts of plant-based proteins such as legumes and beans.
Fluids
As part of a healthy diet for people with gout, you should drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, which can help remove uric acid from the body. However, you should stay away from alcoholic beverages. Alcohol interferes with the removing of uric acid from the body. Although all alcohol should be avoided, beer is the biggest culprit in interfering with the uric acid removal process, and it is also responsible for causing gout attacks. As the best beverage for gout, drink eight to 16 regular 8-ounce glasses of water per day.
Dairy
You can still enjoy dairy products if you suffer from gout, but you will have to make some adjustments. Drinking skim or low-fat milk and eating foods made with them can help reduce the risk of gout, says the Mayo Clinic. Also, eating these varieties of dairy can help you get the recommended amount of calcium and vitamin D necessary for strong bones and teeth, and also reduce the risk of heart disease by decreasing the consumption of cholesterol and saturated fat. You should try to consume between 16 to 24 fluid ounces of dairy per day. If you are allergic to dairy products or follow a vegan diet, speak with your physician about potential substitutes that have similar effects.
Carbohydrates
Refined carbohydrates contain sugar, which you should avoid if you have gout. Avoid refined carbohydrate food choices such as prepared desserts, white bread, white pasta, white rice, sweetened cereals and table sugar. In addition, condiments such as ketchup and barbecue sauce and tomato-based pizza and spaghetti sauce may also contain hidden sugar. Replace these options with complex carbohydrate food sources, such as whole grains, fruit and vegetables. Complex carbohydrates contain dietary fiber, which helps to regulate the digestive system, balance blood sugar and lower blood cholesterol.
