High Purine Food, Low Purine Food

Gout is affected by not only the type of foods you eat, but most importantly by how much you eat. If you enjoy  rich foods, and lots of it, then you are more at risk than the person who has a more spartan diet.

Diet may not necessarily be the sole cause of gout, however it can certainly cause outbreaks and exacerbations of gout.The predisposition to the gouty diathesis has to exist in the first place, then all it needs to bring it to the surface is a purine rich diet.Gout Diet

High Purine Food, Low Purine Food

High Purine Foods include:
 
Seafood including shellfish such as mussels, prawns, scallops, and oysters,some types of fish such as mackerel,anchovies, sardines and herring, and organ meats such as kidneys, heart, liver, and  brains.

All game meats such as venison, guinea fowl, pheasant, and generally poultry of all kinds, as well as beef, pork and lamb.

Meat and vegetable extracts such as Bonox, Bovril, Marmite, Vegemite, Promite, and soup enhancers such as chicken and beef stock cubes.

Beans and lentils, this includes, soya bean products such as tofu, miso, and other types of bean and lentil fillers used in processed products. Re tofu, some say that the purine content is diminished in the processing of tofu, so maybe it is not necessary to eliminate it from your diet, but to eat with caution. It is important to note that peanuts are not nuts, but are legumes, and must be included on the purine food list, this also includes peanut butter.

High Purine Food, Low Purine Food

Spinach, tomatoes, cauliflower, rhubarb, mushrooms, peas, and strawberries. These foods may be eaten for they have many nutritional benefits, however, they are best not eaten to excess.

Beer is a huge  offender for setting off gout attacks, and is to be avoided at all costs, alcohol in general is best avoided, perhaps a single glass of celebratory wine on special occasions may be consumed.

So you may well ask what is left to eat, it may be particularly difficult if you are vegetarian, however, gout is less likely to present in a vegetarian even though they may eat soy bean products to compensate for their lack of protein.

The low purine foods include all fruits and vegetables not mentioned in the above list:

Cherries, blueberries, respberries, bananas, pineapple ( contains bromelain which is an anti-inflammatory agent),lemons, oranges, and mandarins.

Low fat dairy products, complex carbohydrates ,  wholegrain breads, cereals, pasta, and rice. Cocoa, chocolate, coffee and tea.

If you have gout it is important to educate yourself  as to what the high purine and low purine foods are, but also never forget, it's not only what you eat, but how much you eat, obesity has been shown to be a contributing factor in gout.

Read more:Gout and Obesity