Gout is a form of joint inflammation, according to Diet vs Disease, and is caused by excessive uric acid in circulation. It is known medically as Hyperuricaemia.
When your body’s natural uric acid threshold is exceeded, painful crystals or urate can form in and around the joints. These crystals can trigger the characteristic pain and symptoms.
Diet plays an essential role in the treatment and prevention of gout, which is a form of arthritis. Here are 5 foods you should avoid if you have gout.
Foods to Avoid for Gout:
1. Beer
Drinking beer should be avoided for gout-prone folks, according to Health. Beer increases your uric-acid level, and makes it harder for your body to clear this substance from your system.
Wine is a better choice, but remember that heavy drinking is a bad idea for everyone, and individuals who have gout are no exception. During a flare, doctors will usually recommend abstaining from alcohol completely.
2. Dairy Foods
Full-fat dairy products such as icre cream and whole milk are often discouraged for people with gout. But, studies have reported that increasing the amount of dairy products you consume, including yogurt, cheese, and ice cream, may reduce your risk of developing gout.
Always remember to choose dairy products that are fat-free or low in fat, and fortunately, almost every kind of yogurt, cheese, ice cream and milk, comes in tasty low-fat versions.
3. Red Meat
Beef is a high-purine food, and should be avoided, including lamb and pork. And while organ meats, such as brains, sweetbreads and kidneys, are not much a part of the American diet, individuals who live with the chronic pain of gout should avoid them because these foods are high in purines.
You can try white-meat poultry as an alternative. You will not see as many problems with poultry, as compared with red meat. Tofu is another choice when considering foods for gout.
4. Seafood
Some seafood contain higher purines than others. The worst for individuals with gout are codfish, anchovies, herring, haddock, mussels, mackerel, roe (fish eggs), scallops, sardines, and trout.
Salmon seems to be an exceptionm, and is in fact a better choice of seafood for someone with gout. Most people find they can also consume limited amounts of certain crab, shellfish, oysters, lobster and shrimp, which contain just a moderate amount of purine.
5. Sugary Drinks
Avoid beverages that are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, including fruit drinks and non-diet sodas.
These drinks are an easy way to pack on pounds; and the sweeteners will stimulate your body to produce more uric acid.
A study reported that men who drink lots of fructose were at higher risk of developing gout. Also, in 2010 the same research team found that drinking fructose-sweetened drinks daily, as compared with consuming less than 1 drink a month, increased women’s gout risk too.
Sources:
Everyday Health
Health Line
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2. Fruits to Include in Your Diet for Gout
3. How to Use Lemon Juice to Ease Gout