Gout is a type of arthritis that causes pain, inflammation, redness, and swelling of joints due to uric acid buildup. A compound found in most food items, purine is broken down by the body to form uric acid. Although a common affliction, it is possible to manage gout and its symptoms by lifestyle. Here are some foods listed below that can help you figure out what to eat and what to avoid when you have gout.
Include Water and Exclude Alcohol
When dealing with gout it is suggested to drink as much water as you can, since it helps rid the body of the excessive uric acid levels. Water is essential when you are considering what to eat and what to avoid when you have gout. Including some vitamin-C-rich juices and even some coffee works well too. However, water still needs to remain your major hydration source.
Most people are used to grabbing a glass of beer or some other alcoholic beverage quite often. However, alcohol is known to increase the uric acid levels in your system as they contain purines and can result in a flare in the symptoms.
Include Dairy and Exclude Soft Drinks
A glass of milk, a cup of yogurt, or some cheese over your sandwiches, are all good to go in your diet for gout. Milk and dairy products have been proven to help the body break down uric acid and decrease the possibility of a flare-up. Although all dairy is good, low-fat dairy is proven to be more beneficial when it comes to treating gout.
Our body breaks down fructose to form purines, and soft drinks are loaded with synthetically produced fructose. These purines eventually find their way to the joints and deposit there as uric acid crystals leading to episodes of gout.
Include Vegetables and Exclude Seafood
Most fruits and vegetables contain purines and that can cause a rise in the symptoms. But that doesn’t necessarily imply eliminating all the veggies from your diet. Our body needs protein for growth and development and to eliminate toxins like excessive uric acid. This can be done by including veggies like green leafy vegetables, beans, peas, and tofu. These vegetables are not known to raise the body’s uric acid deposits and hence do not increase the probability of a gout attack.
Just like veggies and meat some kinds of seafood too are included in the list of what to eat and what to avoid when you have gout. Fish like salmon, tuna, and trout along with other shellfish like mussels, crab, oysters, lobsters comprise purine. However, since these have more health benefits than side effects it is advisable to consume them in moderation and with care.