Gout Triggering Foods that Should be Avoided While gout, a “form of arthritis characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness and tenderness in the joints”, can affect anyone, there things one can to to try and avoid an attack. For example, staying away from these gout triggering foods.
The list of common foods that can trigger gout can be mind-blowing to read. Everything from red meet to cookies to even beer can increase one’s risk of suffering an attack, especially those who area afflicted with recurring gout. However, there are often substitute foods that can please a palette in the same way, while not increasing the levels of uric acid or urate crystals – AKA the main causes of gout – in the blood stream.
Red Meat:
Unfortunately for anyone major meat fans suffering from gout, one of the first foods that should be cut from your diet is red meat. Protein-packed meals like beef, venison, bison, steak, burgers, etc. are all very high in purines, which in-turn leads to high levels of uric acid and urate crystals in the blood, which leads to gout.
Fish:
Fish is obviously too large a category completely, and there are some seafoods that those with gout can enjoy, but there are also a ton that they should avoid at all costs. Certain fish, including carp, codfish, halibut, salmon, snapper, and trout are all very high in those dreaded purines, and should be avoided in order to keep levels of uric acid down.
Wild Game:
Wild game, including bear, bison, antelope, caribou, deer, elk, moose, reindeer, wild boar, snake, alligator, rabbit, squirrel, beaver, and birds like pheasant, grouse, quail, wild turkey, wild geese and ducks (pictured) are another food group that is unfortunately very high in purines and should be avoided by those prone to gout. Clearly a blow to hunters everywhere.
Scallops:
While we’ve covered seafood generally above, scallops are a seafood we have to single out as being a particular bad idea to eat for those suffering from gout. Don’t fret through, there are seafoods that those suffering from gout can enjoy in moderation, including sole, tuna, catfish, red snapper, tilapia, flounder, and whitefish
Organ Meats:
Organ meats such as liver (pictured), heart, kidneys, sweetbreads, brain, tongue, and tripe are… unfortunately (?) high in purines and lead to large increases in uric acid levels. So, for those of you who enjoy eating kidneys, livers, hearts, and etc. you should avoid them if you want to avoid gout… and probably for other reasons, but we digress.
Beer:
Unfortunately yes, it’s true. Even beer needs to be avoided According a major study shared by WebMD, “researchers found that as few as two to four beers a week increased the risk of gout by 25%. But men who drank at least two beers a day were more than 200% as likely to develop gout as non-beer drinkers.”
Sugary Drinks:
Beyond beer, even alcohol-free sugary drinks out one at a much higher risk for gout. According to an NCBI study, “Consuming two servings a day of a sugar sweetened soft drink increased the risk of developing gout by 85%.” That means no soda, no sports drinks, no energy drinks, and nothing else sugary.
(Some) Veggies:
Vegetables are an interesting category. Some, like kailan, cabbage, squash, red bell pepper, and beetroot make up an integral part of a diet built around avoiding potential gout attacks. However, vegetables like asparagus, spinach, cauliflower and mushrooms are quite high in purines, which as we’ve established should be avoided.
Honey:
Sweetener like honey, brown sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, golden syrup and palm sugar are often high in fructose corn syrup, which can raise purine and uric acid levels. However, some claim that raw, unsweetened honey can actually help lower uric acid levels.
Refined Carbohydrates:
Refined carbohydrates such as white bread, cakes and cookies should be avoided by those at risk for gout. Now, it should be noted that these foods aren’t particularly high in purines. However, they are low in nutrients, and high in sugars which can increase uric acid levels.
If you’d like to avoid suffering from gout, especially if you have in the past, be sure to avoid gout triggering foods… after talking to your doctor of course.