Reduce the intake of high-purine foods, diet recommendations for gout patients

The core of gout patients' diet management is to reduce the intake of high-purine foods, drink more water to promote uric acid excretion, and maintain a healthy weight.

Dietary control is the core of non-drug treatment of gout. Its purpose is not only to reduce blood uric acid levels and reduce acute gout attacks, but more importantly to promote and maintain an ideal state of health, prevent and properly manage gout complications.

Dietary principles

● Control purine intake

Purine is a precursor of uric acid, and gout patients should strictly control purine intake. Generally speaking, foods with low purine content should be selected during acute attacks, and can be appropriately relaxed during remission, but excessive intake of high-purine foods should also be avoided.

● Reduce calorie intake

Many gout patients are overweight or obese, and should appropriately reduce calorie intake to achieve and maintain normal weight, but weight loss should be gradual, and excessive dieting should be avoided to avoid uric acid metabolism disorders.

● Limit alcohol intake

Alcohol can cause lactic acid accumulation in the body, inhibit the excretion of uric acid, and aggravate gout. Gout patients should strictly abstain from alcohol, especially beer and strong liquor. Red wine can be consumed in moderation, but not excessively.

● Reasonable protein intake

Choose low-fat, low-purine high-quality protein foods, such as milk, eggs, tofu, etc., avoid high-purine meat and seafood, and ensure that protein intake accounts for 10%-20% of total energy.

● Increase vitamin C intake

Vitamin C can promote the dissolution and excretion of uric acid. Eating more fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, lemons, strawberries, cherries, broccoli, spinach, etc., can help lower blood uric acid levels and prevent gout attacks.

Choice of foods with different purine contents

Low-purine foods

This type of food contains less than 25 mg of purine per 100 grams, and gout patients can eat it with confidence, including:

• Cereals such as rice, millet, corn, oatmeal, noodles, macaroni, bread, etc.; potatoes such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, etc.;
• Vegetables such as most vegetables, such as cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes, cabbage, celery, cabbage, carrots, melons, pumpkins, winter melons, loofahs, bitter melons, lettuce, leeks, onions, green peppers, peppers, eggplants, bean sprouts, lotus roots, etc.;
• Fruits such as most fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, oranges, lemons, strawberries, cherries, watermelons, peaches, apricots, coconuts, grapes, etc.;
• Dairy products such as milk, goat milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, etc.; others such as eggs, pig blood, cow blood, chicken blood, duck blood, goose blood, etc.

Medium-purine foods

Each 100 grams contains 25-150 mg of purine. Gout patients can eat it appropriately during the stable period of the disease, but it should not be excessive. It should be avoided during the acute attack period, including:

• Poultry and livestock meat such as chicken, duck, goose, turkey, pork, beef, lamb, etc.;
• Fish such as grass carp, carp, crucian carp, roundhead bream, silver carp, herring, flounder, cod, eel, etc.;
• Shellfish such as abalone, clam meat, lobster, crab, sea cucumber, jellyfish skin, etc.;
• Vegetables such as spinach, leek, peas, beans, lentils, green beans, green beans, cowpeas, spinach, etc.

High-purine foods

Each 100 grams contains 150-1000 mg of purine, and gout patients should strictly avoid eating them, including:

• Animal offal such as liver, kidney, heart, brain, intestine, etc.;
• Some seafood such as sardines, anchovies, silver carp, shrimp, oysters, clams, scallops, hairtail, yellow croaker, sea bass, cod, eel, etc.;
• Some meats such as lamb leg, rabbit, etc.; as well as thick broth, hot pot soup, yeast powder, etc.

Specific food recommendations

● Vegetables

It is recommended to eat more green leafy vegetables, melon vegetables, nightshade vegetables, etc. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, lettuce, celery leaves, etc. are rich in vitamins and minerals, which help maintain good health; melon vegetables such as cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, etc. have the effect of clearing heat and promoting diuresis, which is beneficial to the excretion of uric acid; nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants, green peppers, etc. are rich in antioxidants, which can reduce inflammatory reactions. At the same time, the purine content of vegetables is relatively low and will not cause a significant increase in uric acid levels.

● Fruits

You can choose cherries, strawberries, blueberries, apples, pears, bananas, kiwis, oranges, lemons, etc. Cherries are rich in anthocyanins and vitamin C, have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and can also promote the excretion of uric acid. Studies have found that regular consumption of cherries can reduce the risk of gout attacks; berry fruits such as strawberries and blueberries are also rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, which are beneficial to gout patients; fruits such as apples, pears, bananas, kiwis, oranges, lemons, etc. can supplement nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, etc., which help regulate the body's acid-base balance and immune function.

● Staple foods

It is advisable to choose rice, millet, corn, oats, buckwheat, potatoes, etc. These staple foods are rich in carbohydrates, which can provide the energy needed by the body. At the same time, the purine content is low, which will not increase the burden of uric acid metabolism. Among them, potatoes such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams can also provide rich nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium, which help maintain the stability of intestinal flora and promote the excretion of uric acid.

● Protein sources

Milk, eggs, tofu, etc. are ideal for gout patients.