Gout Diet

Gout Diet – Foods to Eat to Avoid Gout

One of the more common diseases at present is gout. The main reason for the emergence of such disease is the diet of the people today. Gout results from the buildup of a certain material in our body which is the uric acid.

Uric acid is a waste product supposedly excreted by our body through urine. Unfortunately, because of improper diet and unhealthy habits, it has found its way to our joints. Later on, these compounds cause inflammation in our joints causing pain. In large quantities, this compound is very toxic to our body tissues and will cause a tremendous amount of damage. Together with elevated amounts of acidity in the bloodstream, a large amount of uric acid deposits causes gout. A good gout diet must therefore be considered to avoid this from occurring.

To control and prevent gout, a gout diet must be initiated. Gout and diet plays a very key role in its cure, control and prevention. There are a lot of foods in the market today that contains purine. Purine-containing foods trigger the increased production of uric acid.

Certain foods which have high purine content include hearts, smelt, sardines and sweetbreads. Other foods which may contain a moderate amount of purine include anchioves, grouse, turkey, salmon, liver, scallops, mutton, goose and the like. In addition to avoiding these purine rich foods, it is also important to note that alcohol intake must be minimized or avoided as much as possible.

Alcohol causes kidney impairment and thus elevates the production of uric acid in the body circulation. In addition, consumption of saturated fats and refined carbohydrates must also be minimized. These components trigger the increased retention of uric acid in our body.

For the gout diet, it is therefore important lessen the amount of uric acid in our body. One good food for the prevention of gout is cherries. Cherries must be included in diet for gout patients since it helps in lowering the levels of uric acid in the body greatly. It is very rich in anthocyanidins and flavonoids, which pretty much adds reinforcement to the collage matrix of our tendons and cartilage.

Gout diet also includes natural food supplements containing Quercetin and Bromelain which help break up uric acid crystals. A low purine diet for gout is indeed the best way to go. In addition to the ones stated above, it is also important to consider drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day. This helps in diluting the high concentrations of uric acid in our body, making them easily removed.

In summary of an anti gout diet, it is important to avoid foods which contain high amounts of purine. Minimizing in moderate purine content foods and alcohol intake must also be initialized. Other things which are to be noted in a gout diet include, avoiding excessive intake of vitamin C, iron and niacin. Excess Vitamin C increases production of uric acid; Excess iron cause uric acid formation in joints; and excess niacin competes with uric acid in the excretion process. Just follow these gout diet tips and you’ll enjoy a healthy life free from gout.