Gout diet

Gout diet is highest on the list of life style modifications recommended for people with gout. Each person is different and if you have gout, or think you may have gout, it is important to talk to a health care provider and get yourself checked.

Obesity is a health epidemic in the U.S. and is associated with a litany of conditions, illnesses, and difficulties. While genetics plays a role in gout, so does weight. If you have gout or a tendency toward gout, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to get to and stay at your ideal weight.

Good eating habits

One of the best rules of thumb for all of us with or without gout, is to eat the way we know we're supposed to anyway. Good gout food includes lots of fresh fruits and veggies, especially in season (and preferably local). A good balance meaning not too much protein, complex carbs in moderation and some healthy fats.

That also includes avoiding dense, fast and junk foods that are likely to put on the pounds in a hurry. As discussed, gout becomes an issue exactly at the ages where it is easier to put weight on and harder to take it off. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. No wait. A pound of prevention is a partial cure.

With gout, whatever the genetic tendency may be, weight is a factor.

With that in mind, there are certain dietary issues that relate specifically to gout. Let's take a look at those.

Gout diet: Don'ts

The big don't: Avoid purine-rich foods.

Purines are a part of all human tissue. They are also found in all protein foods, so it is not recommended to avoid all purines. That said, some foods are quite high in purine.

Not everyone gets gout attacks for the same reasons. Some people over-produce uric acid; some people don't eliminate enough uric acid. Some people respond more dramatically to purine-rich food than others. Still, in all cases of gout it is good common sense to keep a lid on purine-rich foods.
According to the American Medical Association, the following foods are purine-rich:

• Beer and other alcoholic beverages.
• Anchovies, sardines in oil, fish roes, herring.
• Yeast.
• Organ meat (liver, kidneys, sweetbreads)
• Meat extracts, consomme, gravies.

Gout diet: Do's

The same general rules of healthy diet apply except that protein is recommended to be no higher than 15% of intake and the sources from soy, lean meats, and poultry. Additionally, some legumes, some fish and some vegetables are moderately high in purines and should only be eaten in moderation.

These are general guidelines. For specific dietary intake anyone with gout should refer to their doctor. Additionally, the National institute of Health website on arthritis contains specifics on diet.

Gout diet: 3 Must Do's!

There are some items that are especially beneficial for gout sufferers. People with gout benefit greatly from berries, especially cherries.

The NIH site references a study in the New England Journal of Medicine showing that a high intake of low-fat dairy products reduces the risk of gout in men by half.

Vitamin C seems to have special benefits in preventing and managing gout