Purines are natural substances produced by the body and found in foods. Purines make up part of the chemical structure of your genes and are, therefore, vital to life. Although the body needs some purines, high levels of purines in the body are contraindicated. When you consume purines, your body breaks them down and changes them into a waste product known as uric acid. An accumulation of uric acid causes negative health side effects. While most foods contain purines, some have a higher concentration than others.
Low-Purine Diet
The kidneys usually filter uric acid and excrete the excess through urine. However, some individuals cannot properly filter the uric acid from the blood. As such, uric acid may accumulate in the body and cause painful crystals to form in the joints. Crystal buildup can cause swelling of the joints. This is a type of arthritis known as gout. You can manage gout attacks with medication in addition to dietary changes. A low-purine diet is an eating plan that limits foods containing large amounts of purines. The goal of a low-purine diet is to monitor how much purine is in the foods you eat and learn how your body responds to certain foods that contain purine. Limiting alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy weight and increasing liquids can also help prevent gout attacks.
Diet Recommendations
Changing what you eat and drink may be difficult initially. Remembering to eat a variety of different foods to is important to meet your daily nutritional needs, even though you are following a restricted eating plan. You may react differently to various foods. It will take time to learn what foods do or do not affect you. Avoid foods that cause a gout flare-up and choose foods that do not cause symptoms. When following a low-purine diet, try to eat 6 to 11 servings of grains, 2 to 4 servings of fruit, 3 servings of vegetables, 6 oz. of protein-rich foods and 2 servings of dairy each day. It may be helpful to keep a purine food list in your kitchen to remind you what foods are appropriate for your diet. You may even want to take this list with you to the grocery store to ensure you purchase low purine foods.
Foods to Eat
Good examples of low purine foods include fresh, frozen, canned or 100 percent fruit juices, most vegetables, low-fat dairy products, as well as white bread, pasta, rice and cereals, and cream style soups. You may consume eggs, but you should limit your intake to 3 to 4 servings per week. Nuts and peanut butter are also acceptable, but you should consume them in moderation if you are trying to lose weight as they are high in calories. Medium purine foods include most animal products such as meat, poultry, fish and shellfish. Vegetables that fall in the medium purine category include asparagus, spinach, peas, cauliflower and mushrooms; you should consume no more than 1/2 cup of these vegetables per day. Whole grain breads and cereals, wheat germ, bran, dried peas and beans are also medium purine foods. You should consume these foods in moderation only.
Foods to Avoid
While following a low-purine diet, you should limit your consumption of alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer. Alcohol increases your body's production of purines. You should limit foods that are high in fat such as fried foods and whole dairy products. High purine foods to avoid include anchovies, roe, sardines, scallops, muscles, herring, mackerel, organ and game meats, broth or bouillon, gravy and yeast. Avoid excess sugar such as that found in regular soft drinks, snack foods, cakes, cookies, ice cream and pies.
Fluids
On a low-purine diet, you should drink between 8 to 12 cups of fluid per day. Adequate hydration will help dilute the uric acid in your urine, which can prevent the formation of kidney stones. Choose water, 100 percent fruit juices, seltzer or other low-calorie options.
