Avoiding purines completely is impossible, but you should try your best to limit them. For your gout diet, you may want to begin by eliminating foods in the 'high-purine' category. At the same time, reduce your intake of foods in the "moderate-purine" category.
If you don't have gout attacks after trying this, you may add more foods from the "moderate" category, or occasionally try a food from the "high" category. With this strategy, you will learn by trial and error what your personal limit is, which foods cause problems, and therefore what the best gout diet for you is.
Maintaining a healthy body weight is also important for gout patients. Obesity can cause the body to produce increased levels of uric acid. Follow a well-balanced diet to lose excess body weight. Do not follow a high-protein, low-carb diet, as this can cause gout conditions to become worse.
(Click BMI Calculator to see if your weight is within a healthy range.)
As part of a gout diet, you should also limit your intake of alcohol or not drink alcohol at all. Alcohol interferes with the removal of uric acid from the body. Finally, Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Fluids help remove uric acid from the body.
Avoiding High-Purine Foods as Part of Your Gout Diet
Foods that are high in purine content should be avoided as part of a gout diet. Some examples of these foods include:
- Gravy
- Some types of fish and shellfish, such as:
- Anchovies
- Sardines
- Mackerel
- Herring
- Scallops
- Mussels
- Codfish
- Trout
- Haddock
- Liver
- Sweetbreads (thymus and pancreas)
- Brains
- Kidneys
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