9 Foods that can cause gout

Gout is a condition that has helped shape the world we know today, due to the fact that some of the most powerful rulers throughout history suffered from it. Benjamin Franklin, King Henry VIII, King George IV and Benjamin Disraeli are just some of the famous people who suffered from gout and described the attacks in their memoirs. The description of gout also appears in the earliest medical records. Until recently, the types of food that causes gout wasn’t generally available to the middle or lower class as they were too expensive, so the disease was called “rich man’s disease” and “the disease of kings”. Gout occurs when your metabolism of purine, a chemical component of DNA formed in the body and found in some food and drinks, gets out of balance increasing levels of uric acid. Purine is broken down in the liver, producing uric acid as a byproduct. If uric acid levels rise above a certain level, crystals can start to form in tissues and joints causing sudden and severe joint pain, called an acute gout attack. Common foods that can cause gout include: 1 Red meat. Red meat should be avoided for those suffering from gout. One of the waste products of meat metabolism, i.e. uric acid, plays the crucial role in the development of the disease. Gout comes and goes in episodes, so during the flare-up patients should exclude red meat from their diet entirely. During periods when the disease is absent, it is important to limit the intake of red meat to avoid more attacks. 2. Organ meats or offal. Foods made of organ meats, sometimes referred to as offal, are known to contain high amounts of purine and consumption should be limited at all times irrespective of whether you have a bout of gout or not. Organ meats include heart, brain and kidneys etc. Pate is an excellent example of food prepared with organ meats. Just as an example, the amount of purines per 100 grams of pig’s heart is 40 times (4000%) higher than beer, which is a drink that should be avoided by gout sufferers. More foods on next page... 3. Shellfish, fish, seafood. Gout attacks are almost entirely preventable with the right diet. Seafood is rich in purine but have different amounts. While tuna, anchovies, and herring should be avoided, shrimps, lobsters, eels, and crabs are a bit safer, assuming moderate intake. Keep in mind to avoid even the “safe seafood” during a gout attack. 4. Beer and other alcohol drinks. Drinking any amounts of alcohol can make gout worse, and can actually work against drugs used to treat gout. Beer should be excluded entirely from the diet if you are suffering from gout, regardless of whether the disease is completely silent or you are in the middle of a flare-up. It increases the uric acid level, bringing its level in blood closer to crystallization concentration and interferes with the metabolic pathways that helps clear the substance. Unlike beer, some low-alcoholic drinks are considered to be safer for gout patients but only in limited amounts. 5. Asparagus and cauliflower. Asparagus is known to contain a moderate amount of purine. However, as a rich source of vitamins B, E, and C, rich in fibers and folic acid, you should just moderate consumption rather than cut it out completely. The recommended amount is ½ cup serving, no more than five times a week. Again, do not consider taking asparagus during the flare-up. Consider using other vegetables such as okra or leeks. Cauliflower is an excellent food for those in need of folic acid, vitamin C, fibers and salt restriction. Unfortunately, it contains a lot of purine. Recommended intake is not more than ½ cup, five times a week. However, if you enjoy cauliflower and its texture, try replacing it with broccoli which contains significantly less purine. 6. Fructose. Fructose and corn syrup rich food elevate uric acid in the blood. Studies have shown that increasing fructose causes the increase of uric acid. The exact mechanism of this effect is quite complicated, but the message is clear; avoid food rich in corn syrup and fructose especially during attacks. According to one study, consuming two or more sweet drinks a day increases the risk of gout by 85%. Some popular foods that often contain high-fructose corn syrup include soda, candy bars, sweetened yogurt, frozen junk foods, breakfast cereals, sweetened breads, canned fruit in syrup, juice and salad dressing. 7. Seasonings and supplements. Most seasonings are very rich in purines. For example, powdered umami broth contains approx. 700mg of purines per 100 grams. Yeast supplements contain approx. 3000+ mg of purines per 100 grams, meaning this is extremely rich in purine. Please bear in mind that small quantities are used in cooking, so the final meal with it will not contain high amounts of purines, unless from another source. Moderate consumption is the key. 8. Medicines. Obviously medicine is not food, but can be considered part of our diet as we regularly ingest high amounts of medicine. The list of drugs that increase the risk of gout attacks is long, so we will take a look only at those most frequently used. Aspirin, used for prevention of heart disease by one-third of middle-aged Americans, increases the risk of gout attacks by 50%. Not all aspirin users have the problem of uric acid increase, but those who do should look for their doctor’s advice since there are medicines that can successfully prevent heart disease while not affecting uric acid levels. Certain diuretic drugs (most often used for the treatment of hypertension or heart failure) also increase the amount of uric acid in the blood (subsequently increasing the risk of gout). 9. Lifestyle. Again, lifestyle is not food, but it is connected in so many ways. Occasionally, moderate consumption of foods rich in purine is ok. Diet is just one of the tools you can use to fight off gout, but not the only one. With modern therapy options, lifestyle changes and physical activity, gout can be easily controlled. Learn about gout-friendly food, and learn more about foods that are not so friendly. Once you know the good and bad, it will be a lot easier to juggle between the two. A balanced diet means consuming amounts of purine in such low quantities that it won’t cause a flare-up. Being purine-free for a couple of weeks does not mean it’s safe to consume extreme amounts of purines in one day, on a wild purine binge party. Moderate consumption is more important than restriction.

7. Seasonings and supplements

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