Gout Foods to Prevent Painful Flare Ups

Once upon a time gout was referred to as the blight of the kings as it was linked to people who overindulged in some of life’s bounty. This analysis was actually pretty close to the mark as these days scientists can point to diet as a major factor leading to gout flare ups. There are several gout foods that are almost guaranteed to make your gout break out if you consume them and there are other gout foods that may offer your body a level of protection or cure.

Nowadays scientists realize that gout is commonly caused by eating too much purine rich food. Purine is a substance that is found in some animal products and causes uric acid to build up around the joints which causes very intense pain. In order to minimize your suffering you should know all about gout healthy foods – that is, what to include in your diet and what to discard.

In addition to gout foods, you should also make sure that you are drinking lots of water. If you can manage two liters of water a day, you will be able to flush out uric acid from your body more easily. At a minimum you should drink eight glasses each day to ensure that your body can eliminate toxins effectively.

You should also reduce your alcohol intake as alcohol consumption has been shown to have a very strong correlation to gout flare ups and can even make them come more frequently, stick around longer and increase the intensity of the pain. Suddenly that beer or evening glass of wine might not seem like such a good idea.

Gout foods to avoid are those that have high levels of purine. Everybody needs some purine in their body, but in high doses it can cause health problems such as gout. The foods that are quite high in purine and should be avoided include: turkey, sardines, herrings, anchovies, organ meats, red meat and sweetbreads.

Other gout foods that you should definitely restrict when you want to improve your condition are shrimp, trout, mussels, crab, oysters, haddock and lobster. Other meats include: kidneys, liver, beef and pork.

Gout foods that can be enjoyed in moderation, but not overdone include: chicken, asparagus, mushrooms, beans and spinach. As well as this you should watch your sugar intake as this can also affect the uric acid levels in your body and its ability to expel them.

Gout healthy foods that can really benefit you are cherries, blueberries, strawberries, pineapple and oranges.

By taking control of your diet and restricting gout foods that can worsen your condition and eating a healthy and balanced diet rich in gout foods that benefit you, you can get better.