7 Things To Include In Your Gout Diet!

No health condition brings you comfort and gout especially. It comes with pain and discomfort that needs treatment and diet changes.

The not-so-good lifestyle is affecting human health in numerous ways. People are becoming prone to diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, and various health conditions. These issues stay lifelong, and one can deal with them by following an appropriate medical care plan, including diet and lifestyle changes.

One such condition that we will discuss in this blog is gout. Those suffering from this condition should follow the blog to know what foods they should include in their diet and what items to avoid. So, let us move ahead!

Table Of Contents

1. What Is Gout? 

2. Foods To Add To Your Gout Diet

3. Food To Avoid In Your Gout Diet

4. Dietitian’s  Recommendation

5. The Final Say

6. FAQs 

What Is Gout?

Gout stands for gouty arthritis, in which an individual experiences extreme pain, swelling, and tenderness in joints. It can be severely painful sometimes due to inflammation. It happens due to uric acid deposits forming crystals between the joints. 

Initial signs of arthritis come from toe pain and progress accordingly. It has no specific treatment except pain management through analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, colchicine, and uric acid-lowering drugs. 

Here, lifestyle management and dietary implications also help relieve the symptoms. One can also follow a weight loss diet to reduce some kgs and feel relief because being overweight equally contributes to discomfort.

Serum uric acid increment is very much related to a sedentary lifestyle. Intake of more non-vegetarian food, stress, dehydration and no physical activity may lead to high serum uric acid levels. So, patients remain careful about what they eat and avoid.

Foods To Add To Your Gout Diet

Those suffering from gout should include these things in their diet:

1. Low Purine Foods

Purines are nitrogen-containing heterogeneous compounds naturally found in the body, metabolising to uric acid. Hence, include low-purine foods predominantly in the diet. Some examples of low-purine foods are :

Fruits- Apples, bananas, oranges, grapefruits, pears, peaches, berries, melons, and pineapple.

Vegetables- Leafy greens, carrots, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, potatoes, squash, eggplant, celery, and tomatoes.

Grains- Quinoa, barley, oats, buckwheat, millet, wild rice, and brown rice.

Dairy- Low-fat yoghurt, low-fat cheese, low-fat milk, and unsweetened almond milk.

Legumes- Lentils, black beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans.

Nuts and seeds- Almonds, walnuts, peanuts, flaxseeds, and pumpkin seeds.

Beverages- Herbal tea, water, and unsweetened juice.

Additionally, the use of plant-based diets over animal-based diets should be encouraged.

2. High-Fibre Food 

Fibre provides bulk to the food and also gives a satiety feeling. Hence individuals leading a sedentary lifestyle due to work or other commitments should take a fibre-rich diet to reduce total calorie intake because you do not digest fibre, so it does not provide any calories.

Additionally, high-fibre foods can help regulate blood sugar levels and improve digestion. High-fibre foods include fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and certain cereals. 

3. Herbs And Spices

Herbs and spices like chamomile, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, black pepper, and tulsi have anti-inflammatory properties, which help reduce the symptoms of pain and swelling. 

Superfoods, like fenugreek seeds, ginger and garlic, also have anti-inflammatory properties helping reduce gout symptoms.

4. Vitamin C Rich Foods 

Though it is a contradiction that ascorbic acid increases pain over the inflammatory site, it has long-term benefits in healing inflammation. Hence, including berries, cherries, citrus fruits, pears, avocado, and pomegranate in moderation can help in curing inflammation.

5. Good Quality Fats

Essential fatty acids are good to have for gout. They help in more lubrication between the joints and have anti-inflammatory qualities in reducing the symptoms of GOUT. Hence, including nuts and cold press oils like sunflower, safflower, rice bran, mustard oil, and olive oils in your diet will support overall health and reduce gout symptoms.

6. Low-Fat Dairy Products 

Consuming low-fat dairy products will not only help in hydration but will also provide calcium and protein to help maintain overall joint health. Here, you can also sometimes reverse pseudogout conditions by taking calcium supplements.

7. Water

Since water is considered nutritious, it is essential for our bodies. And as uric acid is a waste metabolite which needs to get out of the body, drinking a good amount of water helps remove excess uric acid and other toxins. Here, one should measure and drink water according to perspiration and body weight.

Foods To Avoid In Your Gout Diet

Here is a list of gout patients should avoid:

1. High Purine Foods

Consuming large amounts of purine-rich foods can increase the risk of gout flares. Hence, avoid the following items:

Red meat- Lamb, beef, pork, and venison

Organ meat- Liver, kidney, and sweetbreads

Seafood- Anchovies, sardines, mackerel, mussels, herring, and scallops

Legumes- Lentils, peas, beans, and chickpeas

Vegetables- Spinach, cauliflower, asparagus, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts

However, food processing techniques like leaching, soaking overnight, and cooking can help reduce the anti-nutritional factors and purines also to some extent. Hence, food processing is very much essential.

2. Caffeinated Drinks And Alcohol

Alcohol and caffeinated drinks can be bad for gout because both increase the production of uric acid in the body leading to gout flares. Moreover, both increase the risk of dehydration, which can worsen gout symptoms. 

Also, alcohol can interfere with medicines patients take to treat arthritis. Therefore, it is best to limit or avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks in gout.

3. High Fructose Foods

High fructose food will lead to high uric acid production in the body, aggravating gout symptoms. So, avoid foods like soft drinks, candy, and desserts. 

Fruits like apples, oranges, and pears also have fructose, but you can eat them moderately because of their anti-inflammatory properties. Other high-fructose foods include honey, agave nectar, and high-fructose corn syrup.

4. High Fatty Foods

Avoid high-fatty foods like fried or saturated fat-containing foods to evade the risk of gaining more weight. It will also affect digestion and metabolism, which in turn will increase toxins in the body. 

However, for high serum uric acid levels active lifestyle is mandatory. Regular exercise with active life will reduce uric acid levels and help control weight gain issues due to lack of mobility in gout patients. 

Lastly, manage your eating patterns. It is because staying empty stomach for lengthier periods will increase uric acid levels in the body, which increases gout flares. Hence, avoid following intermittent fasting, especially with long fasting windows in gout. 

Dietitian’s Recommendation 

Some foods, such as organ meats, seafood, and sugary drinks, can exacerbate gout symptoms, so avoid them. And others, like low-fat dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, can help to reduce inflammation and manage symptoms, so eat them. 

Additionally, achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is essential in managing gout. So, work on it.

-Dieititian Aditi Upadhyay

The Final Say

Gout comes with pain and inflammation, but you can manage it with a suitable diet. Ensure what you eat to get relief in symptoms and avoid to prevent discomfort from getting severe. Take medicines regularly and bring necessary lifestyle changes.

FAQs

1. What foods should be avoided on a gout diet?

Avoid red meat, organ meats, seafood (particularly shellfish), alcohol, and high-purine vegetables like asparagus, spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower.

2. What foods should I be eating on a gout diet? 

Consume fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean proteins like poultry and fish. Also, ensure that you drink enough water to stay hydrated.

3. Are there any supplements that I should take for gout?

Supplements beneficial for gout include vitamin C, magnesium, and fish oil. The cherry extract may also help reduce gout symptoms, but consult a doctor before consuming anything.

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