Once called the disease of kings, gout is a specific type of arthritis. When uric acid builds up in your blood, it can cause painful crystals to form in the joints, a condition called gout. Some kidney stones are also caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid levels increase when your body breaks down foods that are high in purines, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
High Purine
To reduce uric acid levels, avoid foods high in purine. Organ meats, such as sweetbreads, liver and brains, are high in purines. Seafoods high in purine include mussels, scallops, anchovies, herring, mackerel, haddock, trout and sardines. Do not take yeast as a nutritional supplement, drink alcoholic beverages, consume meat extracts or meat gravies. Do not eat bacon, veal, venison or game meats.
Moderate Purine
Foods with moderate purine levels can be consumed in moderate amounts, or as directed by your physician. Grain products with moderate purine levels include bran, wheat bran, oatmeal and wheat germ. Vegetables you can eat in moderate amounts include spinach, asparagus, mushrooms, cauliflower, fresh beans and green pas. Beef, pork and lamb, and dried beans, lentils and peas have moderate purine levels. Talk to your doctor about how much of these protein foods you can safely include in your diet. Seafood not included in the high purine list have moderate purine levels.
Low Purine
Your doctor will probably recommend that you use low purine foods as the mainstays of your diet. Pasta, rice and noodles are low in purine. Choose breads and cereals that are made with white flour or refined grains and low in fiber. Fruit is low in purine, and any vegetables not included in the moderate purine list have low purine levels. A low purine diet can include milk and other dairy products, eggs and nuts. Choose vegetable soups and vegetable stocks over soups made with meat broth.
