Low Purine Foods

Purine is a substance that is found in the majority of foods that we consume and when purines are broken down by the body it produces uric acid. Uric acid is a waste by-product that is filtered out by the kidneys before being eliminated from the body. However some people are not able to flush out the uric acid from the body which can lead to gout.

Gout is a condition where there is a buildup of uric acid in the body which leads to the formation of urate crystals. These crystals which forms generally in the joints cause swelling and inflammation accompanied with severe pain.

Although a gout attack can be treated with medicines, making dietary changes can help to prevent an attack. Limiting the amount of purine by consuming low purine foods is the best way to manage gout. Let us make a list of these low purine food items which will aid in drawing up a low purine diet.

• Apple - 14
• Broccoli - 81
• Strawberry - 21
• Potato - 16
• Orange - 19
• Dried Fig - 64
• Cucumber - 7.3

• Kale - 48
• Lettuce - 13
• Grape - 27
• Watercress - 28
• Cheddar Cheese - 6
• Green Pepper - 55
• Oyster Mushroom - 50
• Marinated Green Olives - 29
• Peanuts - 79
• Leek - 74
• Cantaloupe - 33

• Kiwi fruit - 19
• Cauliflower - 51
• Brussels Sprouts - 69
• Carrot - 17
• Aubergine - 21
• Banana - 57
• Soya beans - 80
• Cabbage - 22
• Cherry - 7.1
• Hazelnuts - 37

• Green Peas - 84
• Pineapple - 19
• Peach - 21
• Rhubarb - 12
• Chicory - 12
• Vienna Sausage - 78
• Spinach - 57
• Tofu - 68
• Yogurt - 8.1
• Tomato - 11

If you are suffering from gout then you need to avoid eating foods that are high in purine. Here is a list of foods that are high in purine.

• Anchovies
• Sweetbread
• Consomme
• Gravy
• Sardines
• Goose
• Mincemeat
• Mackerel

• Mushrooms
• Caviar
• Tuna fish in Oil
• Mussels
• Sardines
• Scallops
• Bouillon
• Red meat
• Fish Roe
• Foie Gras

It is best to avoid these items. In addition to these changes, a person suffering from gout should take care of few things:

• Limit the amount of fat and increase the water intake. Drinking adequate amounts of liquid will keep the body hydrated and will help in flushing out the extra uric acid.

• You need to go easy on alcohol and avoid beer, whiskey, rum and gin as they contain very high amounts of purine.
• If you are overweight, you have a tendency of having a gout attack. It is best to lose the extra flab by opting for moderate exercise regularly. Do not indulge in any fad diets or quick weight loss schemes as you will end up harming your body.

• Maintain an ideal body weight and follow a diet that is high in complex carbohydrates and low in protein.
• Switch to brown rice and whole wheat bread and eat dairy products that are low-fat like skimmed milk, low-fat cheese and organic yogurt.

• When you dine out or attend a party do not go overboard with the food and stick to healthy options like a clear soup instead of a cream based soup.
• If you are having a salad, order a low-fat vinaigrette dressing instead of creamy dressings smothered in mayonnaise.

• Avoid eating tofu and red meat altogether and have freshwater fish which is low in purine.
• People suffering from gout should have no more than two to three eggs a week.
• You also need to avoid organ meat like liver, brain, kidneys and heart of chicken, turkey or lamb.

So, this was all about low purine foods and how it should be incorporated in your diet to avoid a gout attack. Following a diet of low purine food for gout has been proved quite successful to decrease gout attack.