Gout Diet

Taking on a proper gout diet is important to reduce the probability of getting gout attack again in the future, besides the fact that it is healthy for your overall health. Main principles in gout diet are to limit the consumption of red meat, seafood, alcohol, while increasing the consumption of low-fat dairy products and complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are found in fiver-rich whole grain and some fruits and vegetables. Suffice most of your protein needs from healthy sources such as soy, lean meat and poultry. Limit the animal fats intake to the maximum of 10% of the daily fat consumption. The diet is useful to help you manage overweight, which is one of the factors that cause gout attack.

Foods to include in a gout diet are tofu, legumes, soy bean products, flaxseeds, tuna, salmon, nuts, seeds, potatoes, low-fat dairy products (cheese, skim milk, yogurt), chocolate and other cocoa products, whole grain bread, whole grain cereal, olive oil, eggs, whole grain pasta and rice. For fruits, eat bananas, cherries, strawberries and other berries, pineapple and oranges. The best recommended vegetables are such as kale, celery, tomatoes, cabbage, parsley, as well as other green-leafy vegetables. Dark berries are extremely good to prevent gout since there is chemical composition that can help to lower uric acid and reduce inflammation. While soy bean products can help to suffice your daily protein need and replace those you get from meat. Foods that have high content of fatty acids (sea fish and nuts) are good to prevent inflammation.

Drink fruit juices, coffee, tea and plain water. Drink plain water, at least 8 glasses per day, the more the better. Do not drink coffee more than two glasses per day, and watch the sugar in your tea. Carbonated drink is also good to prevent gout, but it is not recommended because the effect can be severe to the calcium in bones and teeth. Carbonated drink also tends to have high sugar level. Every fluid is generally good to prevent gout, except the alcoholic ones.

Foods to avoid in a gout diet are those that have high purine level such as foods that have high amounts of yeast, organ meats (such as liver, kidney, sweetbreads, brain), mutton, pork, beef and other red meats, legumes, anchovies, herring, mackerel, mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, cauliflower, and of course alcoholic drinks. It is also recommended to limit the consumption of Vitamin C to the amount you need per day.