Gout Diet

Gout Dietary Recommendations

It has been long believed that if you wake up with a throbbing, painful toe, you have probably overindulged in certain foods (shellfish, alcohol, meat), but that is just part of the story. Despite popular misconceptions, diet is not the root cause of gout. However, it can be one of many things that trigger a gout attack in people who already have high uric acid levels.

Gout is not caused by diet alone. It is caused by a buildup of uric acid in the blood.

Everyone has uric acid in their bodies. It comes from substances called purines. Most purines are created naturally in the body. The rest comes from purines in your diet. If your body produces too much uric acid and/or your kidneys have trouble getting rid of it, the uric acid builds up. If you have gout, high uric acid buildup can lead to more attacks.

No specific dietary changes are proven to reduce your risk of gout. However, it may make sense to eat foods that contain fewer purines.

If you want to try a gout diet, try to:

Eat more low-fat dairy products.
Eat more complex carbohydrates, such as whole-grain breads.

Choose portions that allow you to maintain a healthy weight. Losing weight may decrease uric acid levels in your body. But avoid fasting or rapid weight loss, since doing so may temporarily raise uric acid levels. But, you should be aware that, while limiting certain foods that are high in purines is important, changing your diet alone may not be enough to get rid of the buildup of uric acid and help reduce future gout attacks.

In most cases, a strict low-purine diet has been shown to reduce uric acid levels by about 1 mg/dL—a good thing, for sure, but typically not enough to reach a healthy level (less than 6 mg/dL). Products, such as Gout-Relief and Gout Cleanse Combo, may also be needed to reach a healthy uric acid level.

Additional Information


	Gout: What Not to Consume In the event of a gout flare up, Lona Sandon, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, recommends cutting back on both seafoods and meats Read More

	Grilling with Gout Many people enjoy an ice cold beer or frozen cocktail alongside their red-meat burger or shrimp skewer. All of these menu items, however, prompt a build up of uric acid in a gout sufferer. Read More

	Vitamin C for Gout Relief Vitamin C may have a positive effect for gout developments according to the Arthritis Research Centre. Read More

	Gout and Sugary Beverages Further investigation has been conducted regarding the link between high fructose corn syrup and gout. Read More