Also known as Gouty arthritis, gout is a type of arthritis caused by high uric acid in the blood.
This uric acid is caused by the consumption of diets with high purine content, which is a chemical that is naturally found in most of the foods we eat.
Some foods that cause gout include Sugary beverages, Alcohol, Organ meat, Seafood, Red meat, Game meat, Yeast, and Corn Syrup.
Purines must be broken down to form a byproduct called uric acid, but when there is extra uric acid in the body, they form crystal balls in the joint, most especially the big toe, and they cause swelling, sharp pains, and inflammation.
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Symptoms of Gout
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Some of the symptoms of the hours include lumps in the joints(ankle, knee, toe), severe pain, redness in the affected region, and sometimes deformity of the affected area.
Since gout is caused by excess uric acid in the body, the best measure to take is to consume foods that are low in purine and reduce the level of uric acid in our body.
In this article, we will talk about foods that cause gout and foods that are best for curing gout.
Read on as we explore these foods.
Foods That Can Trigger Gout
Avoid these three kinds of food; high-purine foods, moderately-purine foods, and high-fructose foods.
Here are some foods in this category;
- Sugary beverages
- Alcohol
- Organ meat
- Seafood
- Red meat
- Game meat
- Yeast
- Corn Syrup, etc.
1. Sugary Beverages
Sugary beverages are high in sugar, and sugar is naturally high in fructose.
This fructose would break down into uric acid, which in excess will lead to a gout attack.
Examples of sugary beverages include sweetened water, soda, sugar-added honey, tea/coffee, etc.
2. Alcohol
Alcoholic drinks contain a high volume of purine. If you have gout or want to prevent it, avoid alcohol.
While not alcoholic drinks might be high in purine, they do increase the production of purine in the body.
This is because alcohol stops the kidney from eliminating the uric acid; it instead causes accumulation and increases the risk of a gout attack.
On the safer side, men and women should consume 2 or 1 alcohol per day.
3. Organ Meat
Organ meat includes liver, heart, brain, tongue, kidney, intestine, etc.
And they are very high in purine, producing high levels of uric acids that are very difficult to break down by the body, leading to gout attacks.
The more organ meats you consume, the higher the uric acid level in your blood.
4. Fish and Sea Foods
Seafood is commonly known to be high in purine.
If you are prone to gout attacks, avoid seafood and fish like mackerel, herring, haddock, mussels, cod fish, tuna, etc.
5. Red Meat
Red meats can cause much harm to the body’s system, including gout.
They are usually red when raw and become darker after being cooked, mainly gotten from
All red meats are high in purine, and they also increase the level of uric acid in the body.
Generally, avoid red meats if you have gout, as it will only worsen it.
Some examples of red meat include mutton, pork, beef, tension, etc.
Read: How to Reheat Fried Shrimp
6. Corn Syrup
Corn syrup combines sugar, glucose, maltose, and oligosaccharides.
This makes the food syrup very high in fructose and dangerous to the health.
The high level of fructose in corn syrup increases the level of uric acid more than in any other food group; this makes a significant gout trigger.
7. Yeast
To prevent gout attacks and prevent the storing of uric acid in the body, avoid any food or supplement made with yeast or yeast extracts.
Yeast extracts like brewer’s yeast are used to make alcoholic beers that contain a high volume of purine, preventing the body from excretion of uric acid.
Examples of yeast produce include yeast supplements, alcoholic beers, yeast bread, etc.
Note: There are also other kinds of foods that, while not high in fructose or purine, are very low in nutrients, which will increase the level of uric acid in the body.
These foods include cakes, cookies, white bread, etc.
Foods That Can Help With Gout: Foods That Reduces the Level of Uric Acid
Foods that are very low in purine can help gout go away.
According to experts, low purine diets reduce the level of uric acid in the body, which mitigates the risk of gout and can also cure it.
Examples of foods low in purine include;
- Diary Products
- Herbs and Spices
- Vegetables
- Coffee
- Cherries
- Fruits
- Whole Grains, etc.
1. Whole Grains
Whole grains are gout-friendly as they contain just a tiny amount of purine.
However, whole grains like oatmeal might not be the wise choice for combating gout, as 100 grams of oat can contain up to 150 milligrams of purine.
Regardless, in addition to reducing the level of uric acid in the body, whole grains reduce the risk of other ailments like type 2 diabetes, stroke, obesity, heart disease, etc.
Examples of whole grains include barley, millet, whole-wheat bread, brown rice, etc.
2. Fruits
Especially citrus fruits that are a great source of vitamin C.
Fruits have been proven to reduce the level of uric acids in the body by enabling the kidney to eliminate more uric acid.
This prevents gout attacks, can cure gout time and can cure gout when consumed over time.
Examples of citrus fruits include oranges, tangerines, apples, grapefruit, pineapples, strawberries, etc.
3. Diary Products
Dairy produce includes milk, cheese, ice cream, butter, etc. And are all great for preventing gout.
However, skim milk is the proper diet that prevents gout and can also cure it.
Skim milk is produced when all the milk fat from whole milk is removed; this leaves just about 0.1% of fat in its properties.
They also stop inflammation and burnout of the uric acid crystals formed in affected areas, eliminating gout.
4. Herb and Spices
All herbs and spices are great for dissolving the uric acid in the blood. They are a quick fix for gout attacks.
Herbs include thyme, chives, basil, bay leaf, etc.
Spices include vanilla, ginger, saffron, cinnamon, dill seed, etc.
5. Cherries
Either cherry fruit or juice, cherries have been proven by experts to help relieve gout, as they contain anti-inflammatory properties in them.
They also help in reducing the level of uric acid in the blood.
Read: How to Cook Seafood Mushrooms
Conclusion
A gout attack is mainly caused by the consumption of high-purine diets. The purine diet breaks down into a byproduct called “uric acid” in the blood.
If the uric acid is not excreted effectively, it forms gout in some important joints in the body like the toe, elbow, knee, etc.
To prevent your, we are to consume foods with low purine content, and we can also treat gout with foods that have been proven to reduce uric acid in the body.
As promised, the article answered the question about the foods that cause grout.
