What Foods Are Good For Gout?

Did you know you can control gout and even make it’s symptoms better by changing your eating habits? Some foods flare up gout and worsen your condition over time. Whereas, other foods can really help subside the symptoms.

So let’s discuss what foods are good for gout and what to avoid if you’re suffering from gout. But first, you should know about your condition to better understand why to avoid certain foods if you have gout. 

Gout – Overview 

Gout is a form of arthritis. The joints become weak and degenerate. As a result, the bones rub against each other and lose strength. Gout arthritis causes a lot of pain, especially in the knee joints.

Gout occurs when excess uric acid accumulates in the joints. The uric acid crystallizes and makes joints painful and weak. Uric acid “eats” away the cartilage and joints, resulting in gout. 

Gout is a common type of arthritis that can be controlled by limiting the amount of uric acid in the body. Uric acid somehow (mentioned below) comes from the food you eat. If you eat food that produces uric acid in a large amount then you have more risk of having gout in the future.

If not treated on time, it worsens and causes extreme pain, inflammation, swelling, and can impair a person from carrying out their daily activities. 

What causes gout?

Gout is caused when uric acid accumulates in the joints. Uric acid is made from a chemical called purine. This purine occurs in many food items and consuming high-purine foods too much makes excessive uric acid that the body doesn’t use. This uric acid starts storing in the joints, causing gout.

List of foods to avoid with gout

You should avoid high-purine foods if you’re at risk of gout. Risk factors include age, sex, and genetics. Even if you aren’t at risk of having gout, you should limit the following food items to keep yourself away from uric acid accumulation.

• Red meat including lamb meat 
• Seafood such as shrimps, lobsters, and crabs
• Food that’s high in fructose sugar.  These include ice-cream, soda, and desserts
• Organ meat such as liver, kidney, and brain

Foods good for gout 

Now let’s take a look at the foods that can ease gout symptoms as they are low-purine foods and subsequently, excess uric acid doesn’t form.

But note that these foods aren’t a substitute for medicines and therapy. You should follow your doctor’s prescription along with therapies and healthy food. 

• Low-fat dairy products including low-fat milk and yogurt
• A moderate quantity of chicken and fish
• Fats and oils
• Nuts 
• Potatoes, rice, pasta
• Bread 
• Eggs in moderate quantity 
• Low-purine vegetables and fruits. Recent research has shown that leafy green veggies don’t flare up gout or cause gout (on the contrary to the common belief).

To make this low-purine diet even more healthy, opt for whole-wheat pasta and bread. Choose brown rice and consume fresh fruits and veggies.

Drinks good for gout 

Certain drinks should be avoided if you have gout as these drinks increase the amount of uric acid in the body. 

• Drink A LOT of water. You should consume at least 12 glasses of water in a day. Along with water, have fluids that contain vitamin C. You can have orange juice in a moderate quantity as the fructose in orange juice can worsen the gout symptoms.
• Avoid sugary drinks 
• Avoid having fruit juice as fruit juice is high in fructose 
• Avoid soda and fizzy drinks 
• Avoid alcohol 

The Takeaway 

Gout is a type of arthritis in which the bones and joints degenerate due to the accumulation of uric acid in the joints. This uric acid crystallizes and makes joints and bones weak. Uric acid is produced by purine; a chemical that is present in certain foods. Now that you know what foods are good for gout and foods that cause gout, you can now actively try and control your gout diet. By eating joint-friendly food, you will be able to control gout and live a normal life.

The good news is that you can control gout and even stop it from worsening with advanced laser therapy. You will get rid of pain, inflammation, and improve your joints conditions in just a few sessions. Know more about it here.