Gout Diet
Gout is a form of arthritis usually occurring in the cooler extremities of the body, like feet or toes.
It results from excessive uric acid in the bloodstream which leaves needle-like crystal deposits in the joints causing redness, inflammation, swelling and extreme pain.
Normally the uric acid dissolves in the blood stream but there is a problem if:
- There is an increase in uric acid production.
- The kidneys are not functioning sufficiently to eliminate uric acid.
- There is an increased consumption of foods containing purines. Purine is a chemical found in certain foods that forms uric acid when broken down in the body.
Gout Diet and Nutrition
As Gout seems to be more prevalent in overweight people it is important to maintain a healthy body weight.
Besides keeping your weight in check their are some dietary guidelines to follow.
- Extra fluid can help flush uric acid crystals out, so drink plenty of water.
- It can be helpful to follow a low purine diet, avoiding foods that are high in purine and eating low purine foods moderately.
- Alcohol should be avoided, primarily beer because of it’s high purine content.
As well as dietary recommendations your doctor can prescribe medications that also treat gout. Some people have found relief taking Apple Cider Vinegar to relieve gout.
Purine Food Chart
High | Beer, anchovies, organ meat (brains, kidney, liver, sweetbreads), game meats, gravies, yeast, meat extracts, sardines, herring, mackerel, scallops. |
Medium | Fresh and saltwater fish, shellfish, eel, meat, poultry, meat soups and broth, asparagus , mushrooms, cauliflower, spinach, legumes, oatmeal, bran, wheat germ, whole-grain breads and cereals, eggs. |
Low | Breads and cereals (low-fiber, white flour, or refined grain types), nuts, peanut butter. Vegetables not high in purines, soups – cream style or vegetable without meat extract, coffee, tea, fruit juices, soft drinks, gelatin, sugar, low fat cheeses. |
Gout Diet – Foods That May Help
Some people have had success using the following foods to treat or prevent gout attacks.
- Cherry Juice: Some people have found cherry juice or strawberries helpful.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Organic, unfiltered variety.
- Dark Berries: Some chemicals contained in dark berries may help reduce the inflammation and lower the uric acid.
- Omega-3: Oily fish like salmon, or fatty acids in flax seed or olive oil or nuts may reduce inflammation too.
- Meat Substitutes: It has been suggested that using tofu (from soybeans) instead of meat could also be helpful.
- OPC3 Antioxidant Supplement: Some have found gout relief by taking this supplement.
A balanced diet for gout sufferers includes foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, low in protein and low in fat.
See Also: The CDC‘s information on Gout.
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This the first timeto have gout sickness b and its worse b and pain,the best cure for this is drink plenty of water,n put the ice on the affected area n rest for five dys taking ibup rufen
I have read all the comments of others with gout and am going to try a some of them. I have never had such pain in all my joints. I started on Allopurinol but it seems to be slow in helping. This is a new disease in my life and it has been difficult in dealing with. Will work harder on the diet.
Ive been suffering with gout for over 15 years. I am 48 and cant take any meds prescribed because it gives me either chronic diareah or migranes.Im at the point where im about to remove my foot with an axe. Please help
NAPROXEN!! Alleve…this immediately helped me during horrible pain. I take it if I feel any onset of pain (paritcularly in my big toes)
Try tarte cherry juice in consentrate form. It is usually found in the health food section of the store. When my gout is bad because I didn’t drink the cherry juice, I will drink two a day. If you remember to drink this every day, once your gout is under control, you should be fine.
In the purine food chart above this stie has listed sodas as low in purine and consumable. Every other site I have visited tell us NOT to consume sugary soft dirnks (sodas). Yes, there is a lot of conflicting information out there but your placing sodas as consumable seems to be totally wrong.
I think soda’s are bad for other reasons but they are low purine, which is why they are on the list.
I have had gout since I was 23 years old, I am now 46 years and still get gout but not as much as before. I have changed my diet, but still wanting to learn more in regards to gout attacks. On my father’s side of his family it’s unknown, but my father has suffered from gout most of his life. My mother’s side of the family also suffer from gout, but again not knowing how far. Please I would like any information about gout in anyway possible.
I’m 38, I’ve had gout in my left toe for 20, I’m jumping on the fructose diet,i bet that’s my enemy
Hi all,
I am also suffering from gout problem since 8-9 months. My both the ankles used to get swelling every day used increase at evening times though never felt paining.
I had consulted a doctor but no positive result found, later I consulted a Ayurveda doctor and taking medicine given by him. Now the swelling proportionately reduced very much but still completely not cured and still slight swelling is there, again little more in the evening time.
In diet, I have been advised not to consume Aloo, Peanuts, Dhal, especially peas, Brinjal, drumstick and Non-Veg.
I was consuming wine that too not often, now I stopped everything including coffee and Tea. In between was eating chicken like weekly once, which also stopped.
With the Ayurveda medication I am finding everyday improvement and strongly believe that it will be cured forever.
Of course a strict diet have to follow, avoid rich purine content food.
Hi Narayan,
I am also facing proble with Gout. I am also planning to take Ayurveda. Could you send me your Ayurveda doctor details please.
Regards,
Raja
Taking high dose of Vit C like 1000 to 1500 mg per day until 2 months flushes out all the uric acid deposition from the body.
thks 4 good diet
2 tsp brag apple cider vinegar
2 tsp organic honey
1/4 warm water
Take at bedtime and when you wake up
I stay gout free when I maintain this
i had my first attack, doctor confirm. high uric acid. 439. swelling still there even after 2 weeks! the pain make my whole body weak. i cant do much workout now…cant run!! the worst ever days in my life! is it only be coz of drinking beer gout getting more worst? i’m in 0 Carbo diet now, what other food can i take?
Beer is the worst thing you can ingest for gout. High protien diet is bad, too. Try more fresh fruits and vegetables that are low in purines and stop the beer. I was in denial for 5 years and the pain got so bad I could hardley move. I quit drinking beer and it went away.
I almost have gout attack every month, I’m sick and tired to go through the pain. To avoid pain I had inflamatory injection to keep pain away. I drink beer maybe 3 days a week but very excessive. I eat meat but very rarly, I don’t eat too much sea food..but I eat a lot of fish. Please help
Thank you
Hi Kirwin;
I don’t know a lot about gout, but from reading I can tell you that most of it comes down to diet. There are many dietary examples on the internet which you should follow. You say you drink beer excessively 3x a week. I would cut that back drastically. I drink beer everyday, but maybe 2-3.
Cut out fast food, sugary foods, processed fruit juices, deep fried foods, (any junk food). Cut back on meats and add healthy things to your diet; natural yogourt, grains, fresh fruits and plenty of vegetables (but check which ones are higher in purines). Also natural supplements may help. Go to your local trusted health food store and ask.
Good luck
Hi. I have being suffering with gout for 15 years and have acid build up in my elboys. I have spents thousands and I still have no joy. Its geeting me down because its affecting my movement. Can someone advise please
I had my first attack 3 months ago. Was in constant pain until 4 days ago. I took Indomethacin and Allopurinol, maintained a decent diet without red meat and low purines and still had pain. Read an Internet forum where someone recommended the juice of a lemon. I tried the juice of one lemon 3 times a day and by the third day I was pain free, I don’t know if it was a coincidence or not but it worked for me. It may not work for everyone but it is worth a try.
No meds needed. Total Cleanse Uric Acid by Solaray will do the trick. We saw results after 1-2 weeks. Available from stores like Wholefoods or even on Amazon.
I have high uric acid, plz suggest me daily diet to reduce uric acid.
I have just recently read about Gout and have most of the symptons but not in pain as most I have read. I do have swelling in my right ankle and right hand and recently have been hacing severs leg cramps non stop. I am menapusal and overweight all lot due to stress and want to know about how I can begin watching what food I need to eat. I get plenty of exercise, in fact, non stop being a landscaper in addition to a server in the evening and work 7 days a week. My appetite is high due to the amount of exercise I get being 57 years old, its getting harder and harder to get up every morning. What kinds of food should I avoid and what shoudl I eat more of?
I disagree about tofu helping being good for gout. Soy beans have medium to high purine content. Consumption of soy bean products must be kept to moderate level.
i agree with you .
ya I think soyabean & soyabean products can always increse uric acids . Compared milk is safe ,but avoid curd .
i am having high uric acid in my blood, pls suggest a dail diet for me.
I had my first gout attack about 10 years ago.
At the beginning I was having attacks every 6 months. Then gradually I was getting them
every 3 months, then every month and eventually every week.
It started at my big toe and then it was moving sometimes in my knees,and generally all
around my joints, in my feet.And the pain was agonising.
I have tried all the cures you can imagine.I tried ACV, lemons, drinking a lot of water, but
to no avail.I tried water fasting, juice fasting,baking soda, again without success.
I almost gave up meat, limiting it to only once a week ,gave up alcohol completely,again
no success.
I was living on vegetables, lots and lots of fresh fruit, milk ,cheese beans and so on .My
eating habits could not be healthier ,or so I thought.But my gout was worsening.
Then I decided to increase the amount of fruit I was consuming, thinking that if some fruit
is healthy, more fruit will be more healthy.Some days I was eating fruit only ,others over 10
portions a day.
And alas my gout instead of improving it became chronic.
I was desperate I did not know what to do.
And then one day accidentally I read an article about fructose,which is contained in fruit in
large quantities.It said that it increases uric acid, in a matter of minutes.
Fructose is also present in table sugar, and in HFCS, which is used in soft drinks.
I put two and two together and realised what I was doing wrong.
I stopped eating fruit and all other sugars, for a period of 3 weeks,and by magic I saw a
dramatic improvement.Pain was gone, swelling was gone, I was fine.
I re introduced fruit again in my diet but reducing them to 1 or 2 a day, and my gout completely
disappeared.
I do eat more meat now, and occasionally have an alcoholic drink, and thank God everything
seems to be fine.
Fructose was my enemy!!.
I’m happy for you, it is very!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!very!!! painfully, I just got a attack several day’s ago, it was bad, slowly it is getting better, I had to take Colchicine medication, as soonest I feel better I will start to take Zyloric, nevertheless, I’m happy for you. Good luck.
You story is most helpful. The attacks are so painful and I did not know what to do. I asked health care practitioners…no one said anything when I explained the feeling of shards of glass in the middle of my back. All along my spine and into my hips and Sacro-ilio joint was huge pain last week. When a chiropractor finally got the Sacro-iliac joint to “move”…it spread all those crystals all over my body and I was incapacitated for 3 days [hind-sight]. I also now recognize that the bump on my knuckle is gout. Same with one in my toe–both formed several years ago and hurt now and then. They just seemed to grow out of no where. Thanks again for your story
goodday Donis, glad to here your story which also happen to me exactly the same, but the only different is that I eat more vege than fruit and I only eat fruit after dinner. Most of time I eat one orange or a few slice of melon. I cut down on my intake of meal to a very small portion a day and skip my lunch sometime. I tried all methods but still I got attack everyweek. I will start to skip sugar and fractose food to experiment, hopefully it work.
Eating fruit after dinner is also not good.If u wanna have some fruit, you better hav it during the day time.I hope it will help you,God willing.Also try dark berries juices which reduces uric acid (:
thank you so much for sharing, i have tried everything but never the fructose diet,thinking the fruits where good for me in this case,
tyhank you again
Looking for something that will help ?
Going on hoilday soon is ther any alc I can drink , the lowest risk ,.
i have so much pain in my toe it is hard to walk pls help me give me some tips what foods i can eat
if you are in pain go see a doctor and get some Colchicine tablets the only known medicine to work for this.
It take me about a day for the pain to go away.
Can have some undesirable side effect like stomach upset but nothing compared to the pain. It’s only a temperary treatment as well so easily handled. Drink water loads of it.
vincent
I am suffering from gout artherisis , let me know. I am pure vegetarian I want to know veg eiet for gout
Ya vegan diet is best , but avoid all those food that can increse acid production in our body . Avoid All food stuff rich in acids like lemon , curd , citrus fruits ,some vegetables like spinach ,Amaranth rich in oxalic acid . Avoid all things that have a high sugar content or fructose . Avoid exertion ,crash dieting . Maximum rest & normal body weight is better . All shorts of physical exertion increases uric acid production. Try for an Alkaline diet with Alkaline Mineral Suppliments .
Dr
Thank you for your recomendation.
My husband suffers from gout. He is not overweight, although he would like to lose a few pounds. He and I have both been trying to research low purine diets to control future outbreaks, but I am finding conflicting information even within the same articles. We would both like to lose some weight, and I don’t mind adhering to a low purine diet, I am just confused as to which advice to follow. Does anyone have a suggestion to diet recommendations that I canmake work for the entire family?
what type of foods in ghana are good for gout patients.
If you have suffered a gout attack, you should come to terms with the probability of having another. It’s pretty high. Moderating the diet is First and most effective. If you’re lucky the next one won’t be as severe as the next. A gout attack is a time to consider all that you’ve done good and all that you’ve done bad. You should become a better person after a gout attack…you have to eat more intelligently. Our diet speaks volumes of us. The need of support from a loved one cannot be overstated. Controlled breathing techniques helped me. My first was horrible the next not As bad. The third was bad but the fourth travelled from toe to knee!!! I was in shock. Discipline in the moderation of diet is the key. Eliminating red meat and red wine is no guarantee. Taking your meds. everyday is no guarantee…Good Luck to us all…
The for the info. I’m just starting to get over my first attack. The pain has been horrible and is in my left knee.
I have had gout since I was 17, I am now 47 and Indomethacin is my best friend. The more water you drink the better you are, when I increase my water intake it helps dramatically. Celery Seed extract helped but I became allergic to it, It is available at your local health food store. Ice packs help.
I am new to having gout, still learning about it any helpful hints to avoid attacks?
Preventive measures include:
good hydration
low purine diet
excercise atleast 30min brisk walk would do 3-4x a week atleast
Consult your doctor for uric acid monitoring if it is well controlled…
unlike diabetes which has HBA1c lab test that tells you how controlled sugar is for the past 3 months, gout has no such test and will only tell you current uric acid level on that specific day hence regular monitoring is needed…..
colchicine w/ or w/o analgesia is the best treatment for gout attack….
never take allopurinol or uloric during acute attacks they are dangerous
On acute attack meaning painful events
take 2 colchicine at once then 1 every hour until
pain is gone
diarrhea
10 tabs max
either way persistence of high uric crystal content can damage your kidney plus other organs so take the meds
risk vs benefit in this case less risk > more risk
think there’s updated recommendation of 4 tabs per day
Thank u every 1! I’m n pain this minute! Thank every 1 4 there comments!
I’ve been taking xyloprim once daily and it seems to keep my uric level on par. On the high end of “normal”, but acceptable. However, i’ve reduced taking this prescription since I’ve been taking ‘Isotonix OPC3′. Drink LOTS of water. The toilet will be your best friend but it helps to flush the system. If you haven’t already, try juicing. There’s a heap of fruit/vegies that can help. I’ll have throw in some cherry juice into the next batch too it seems.
Response to Marie: unfortunately when gout hits, there’s really not much you can do. Even keeping the joint still is painful. In addition to anti-inflam tablets, only thing i found that helps relieve the pain is raise the joint above the heart and a nice cold ice pack applied over the joint. And lots and lots of water!
Is there a way of extracting uric acid from your body, without using a diet or eating the right foods?
Yes, it’s called taking a pee
I’m suffering from severe gout attack.I’m worried of taking colchicine will damage my kidney in the future.Can you please help me on my diet?
Had the first gout attack about three weeks ago age 35, the cause was severe dieting almost no food a all. The first 4 days had shoots of IM eiclofenac to cease pain, colchicine 0.5 mg every 8 hours, the inyectable ikinda make the pain go away, after teo weeks i am able to walk fine again, still have some pain on the left toe, 5 days ago began taking allopurinol combined with colchicine, no side effects thanks god. Uric level was 7mg need to lower it. Dont expect the pain to go fast, it takes time, be calm it will diminush, avoid all kind of meats at first or for a long time, eat celery, 4 sqeezed lemons right after you wake up, alkalines are good to lower uric acid. Take a blood test for level of uric acid. In my case cold water make the pain worst, keep the affected area at a good temperature.
You say 4 squeezed lemons (acid), then alkaline. Don’t the lemons actually increase acid and certainly neutralize the alkaline?
No Lemons because of their low sugar content actually have an alkalizing effect on the body see: Acid alkaline diet