When you have too much uric acid in your body, purine rich foods are to blame. When you eat a lot of food that contains purine, your body will break it down into uric acid. For most people, this in not a problem because the body will then eliminate the uric acid through the kidneys. However, for some individuals this increased uric acid level will cause a very painful condition known as Gout.
Gout is actually a form of arthritis that can affect various joints throughout your body. For those who have their first attack of Gout, it is usually the big toe that gets affected. Gout can also affect the ankles, knees, fingers, elbows and other joints. Since the main cause of Gout for most people is an increase in uric acid, it is very important that you become familiar with the various foods high in uric acid so you can avoid them.
When we consider foods containing uric acid, we are actually talking about foods that contain high levels of purines. Purines are the components that are found in almost every living thing. When purines are broken down for use, they produce uric acid. This is why it is possible to control your Gout with dietary changes. The following is a list of foods high in uric acid or purines.
Meats
All meats have high levels of purines. However, organ meats have the highest levels. Liver, kidney, brains and hearts should be avoided if you suffer from Gout. Red meats are also very high in purines. This includes steak, ground beef, pot roast, etc. You can eat lean meats in moderate amounts to get adequate protein. These lean white meats include poultry and ham. But processed meats should be avoided because they contain high levels of nitrates. Bacon is definitely something you not should eat when you suffer from Gout.
Seafood
Salmon, sardines, tuna, shrimp and lobster all contain high levels of purines. You should do your best to avoid these types of seafood if you want to get rid of your Gout.
Yeast
This is a major contributor to Gout because of the high purine levels. Breads, alcoholic beverages and beer have a lot of yeast. Alcohol can also interfere with the normal function of the kidneys which could contribute to higher than normal levels of uric acid.
Caffeine
If you drink a lot of coffee, tea or other caffeinated drinks you could be interfering with the kidney’s ability to remove uric acid from the body. This will obviously lead to higher than normal levels of uric acid which could produce Gout symptoms. The best thing you can do is to switch from caffeinated drinks to water. The more water you drink the faster you will be able to get rid of Gout.
It may seem tough to avoid foods high in uric acid as they form the part of our routine. It really is not as hard as it seems. All you need to do is eliminate organ meats and red meats from your diet. Instead, you can eat white meats such as lean ham and chicken. Make the bulk of your daily diet fruits and vegetables. These will fill you up without adding to the uric acid in your system.
In fact, certain fruits have been proven to help eliminate Gout. Black cherries, strawberries and blueberries all contain natural chemicals which can reduce the amount of uric acid in your system. Many individuals have cured their Gout with these fruits. It is definitely to give this a try.
If you are a Gout sufferer, it is important that you avoid foods high in uric acid. This can be done easily if you are familiar with foods containing uric acid or purines. Make a list of the foods you commonly eat and then do a search online to discover how much purines are in one. Then try to eliminate the ones that contain the highest levels of purines.
