Which Foods Cause Gout - 5 foods to avoid in Gout

Gout is a metabolic disease affecting the joints which results from an increased level of uric acid in the body. Typically afflicting elderly males and postmenopausal women, this condition could be characterized by acute joint pain (a flare) or a chronic one. It has been found that certain foods cause gout to worsen and we will learn about those foods. But before we find out foods to avoid with gout flare up, let’s first take a look into how certain foods can affect the pain of gout.

Relation between foods and Gout

To understand the relationship between food and gout let us briefly go through the question “what causes gout?” Purines are a fundamental component of genetic material. Our body however metabolizes purines and forms Uric Acid, which is the end product. The body gets rid of this component via the kidneys. However, in certain individuals, there is either increased production or decreased excretion of Uric Acid. This leads to a condition called Hyperuricemia, in simple words, a high level of uric acid in the blood. When the uric acid level is too high, they combine to form crystals and get deposited in the joints, leading to gout.

As food products are essentially derived from living things, they too have cells, thus genetic material, which contains purines. Those food products with a high level of purines can cause gout to flare up or worsens.

5 foods to avoid with gout flare up

As you might have guessed, all food products contain purines. However, I would like to shortlist 5 foods to avoid in gout flare up or anyone having gout in general, as those foods can precipitate an acute attack of the pain of gout. This includes:

1. Red Meat, yes you have to give up on that bacon and steak!
2. Organ meats like liver, kidneys, sweetbreads (thymus, pancreas), and Anchovy
3. Alcoholic beverages like beer
4. Seafood like lobster, shrimps, sardines
5. High Fructose containing products like ice creams, fruit juices

As it is evident, anything that has genetic material (that is almost all food products) has purines, however, the above list has a higher content of purines and are the “must” foods to avoid in gout. Feels restricted? Well, there are a bunch of alternative foods to choose from. Believe me; a carefully restricted food choice is far better than suffering the stabs of gout.