Diet for gout is almost a first necessity because this disease is associated with metabolic disorders. What foods can you eat if you have gout, which should not, and which should be limited?
Gout is a disease caused by metabolic disorders. It occurs when urate crystals - uric acid salts - accumulate in the joints. These crystals begin to form when the level of uric acid in the blood is high - and this, in turn, happens when the body either creates too much of this acid, or the kidneys cannot get out with it. In such cases, crystals, similar to sharp needles, begin to form in the joints and surrounding tissues. These needles cause pain, inflammation, swelling - in general, gout symptoms. Very often deposits accumulate in the ankles, especially on the big toe.
Why is a diet important for gout? It’s simple: the body produces uric acid from purines, chemical compounds that are already present in it. But purines are not only found in the human body, they are abundant in certain foods: for example, meat and seafood. In addition, some types of food cause the formation of uric acid, which means that the raw materials for urate crystals are alcoholic beverages, especially beer, as well as beverages with fructose - fruit sugar. If you are in a risk group (for example, you have kidney disease or you are hypertensive) - with an improper diet the chances of “getting” gout increase. If the disease has already been diagnosed, it is simply necessary to eat properly, otherwise an attack cannot be avoided.
It used to be believed that mostly men were in danger, but lately more and more women are getting sick, so it is important to follow a diet for both sexes. A diet for gout in women, as well as in men, significantly reduces the likelihood of worsening. At the same time, there is no difference which joints are affected by the disease: it is important to follow a diet for gout on the legs and arms, and in general changing eating habits is the main recommendation of the doctor for this disease.
At the same time, the purpose of the restriction is not only to reduce purine consumption and uric acid production intensity, but also to reduce weight if the patient is overweight. The fact is that with obesity, and even just extra pounds (of course, excess in the medical sense of the word, appearance has nothing to do), the concentration of uric acid in the body increases, and proper nutrition helps to get rid of both pounds and this effect. Important: you absolutely should not "rush to all the bad" and lose weight with exhausting diets, it will only harm you, the acid level will, on the contrary, increase. It is better to get rid of the excess gradually. Eat right and eliminate potentially dangerous foods and you will not be afraid of getting worse.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Gout: Food List
First of all, it is necessary to remove foods rich in purines from the diet. Lastly, if your body is not receiving excess purines, then they will not produce excess acid from them, so why then do you give it building material. There is a lot of purine in products such as:
- Red meat. Lamb, veal, pork, beef are by far the best choices for gout patients. You can eat all of this, but portions should be limited.
- Meat by-products. Liver, kidneys, brain, any "internal" meat can cause deterioration. Yes, all this can be delicious, but when the gout is on the other side of the scales - thank you, no. Free Game
- . Of course, it does not appear often on the table (well, if you or your partner are not passionate hunters), but if you are suddenly offered to taste the exotic in the form of game or roasted pheasant, refuse.
- Fish and seafood: purines just float in them. Cod, herring, trout, mackerel, sardines, tuna, plus crabs, shrimps, caps and many other seafood can greatly worsen the condition of a person suffering from gout. True, some doctors believe that the benefits of seafood can outweigh the harm, but only if consumed a little.
What's even better to refrain from? The following foods have also been shown to raise uric acid levels in the body:
- Sweet drinks: lemonade and industrial sweet juices.
- Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages based on beer and wheat such as vodka and whiskey. It is possible a little, but if we are talking about a diet for gout during exacerbations - at the moment it is impossible at all.
- Excess sugar: honey, agave syrup, other foods high in fructose. Yeast additives.
- Semi-finished products (sometimes contain something incomprehensible).
Also, it would be great if you could give up white bread, cakes and pastries. They are not too dangerous in themselves, but they have few nutrients, and this also provokes the body to produce uric acid.
Of course, one steak or sandwich with liver pate will not cause an attack, the main thing is to generally adhere to a diet for gout and high uric acid.
What you can eat from gout: Food allowed
We agree that the list of things to avoid from your diet is pretty impressive, but that doesn’t mean you should only eat sunlight. Here are some foods you can eat for gout.
- Vegetables. You can eat absolutely everything, including those that are high in purines (for example, spinach) - they are not absorbed so well from vegetables.
- Fruits and berries. Almost anything is also possible, and some are even needed - cherries have been shown to reduce uric acid concentrations, meaning it is especially useful as a nutrient for gout. Legumes. And again, any, even lentils, even soy, even green beans.
- Whole grains. Oats, brown rice, barley are just examples.
- Nuts.
- Dairy products. In general, everyone is more or less safe, but it is better to eat and drink those with a reduced percentage of fat.
- Eggs.
- Lean meat (chicken, turkey).
- Coffee, tea, green tea. There are studies that show that coffee does not significantly reduce the risk of gout, but too much coffee can have other health consequences, so it is best not to overdo it.
- Vegetable oils: coconut, olive, flaxseed.
- Any spice.
Very useful for gout or a tendency to drink more. Another recommendation is to consume foods rich in vitamin C. Of course, this should not be orange juice from the store, but the orange itself or tea with lemon are fine.
Gout Diet: Food Table
So, what can and what should not be eaten from gout? Based on the above, we have compiled short lists of products to check
Yes
- Vegetables
- Fruits and berries
- Legumes
- Whole grains
- Nuts
- Dairy products
- Eggs
- Lean meat
- Coffee, tea, green tea
- Vegetable oils
- Any spices
Caution
- Red meat
- Seafood
- Fish
- White bread, pastries
Rarely or never
- By-products
- Game
- Juices, lemonade
- Honey and other high-food foods
- fructose
- Semi-finished products
- Alcohol
- Yeast Additives
Of course, a diet for increased gout means that food from the "Caution" column is moved to the "Rarely or never" column. If the joints hurt, it is better not to overload them with additional deposits, even the most insignificant ones.
Gout food: menu
So, everything is clear with allowed and forbidden products, but how to combine what is possible so that it is tasty and not often repeated? We have prepared a sample menu for you in a week and we have tried to diversify it as much as possible so that you have something to choose from. Of course, you can add it to the list of allowed products (and a little to those used with caution).
Monday
Breakfast: green tea, "lazy oatmeal" on kefir or yogurt with berries. Just pour kefir or yogurt on oatmeal with berries and leave in the fridge overnight. You will see, it is very tasty!
Lunch: Quinoa salad with boiled eggs and fresh vegetables, miso soup.
Dinner: Whole grain pasta with chicken and vegetables.
Tuesday
Breakfast: coffee, cottage cheese, peach or a few slices of melon, bran bran.
Lunch: brown rice with roasted turkey.
Dinner: scrambled eggs with mushrooms and spinach.
Wednesday
Breakfast: vegetable salad, a handful of nuts.
Lunch: lentil soup with chicken broth.
Dinner: Burger (whole grain bun, turkey cutlet, cheese, vegetables).
Thursday
Breakfast: tea, yogurt with berries and cereals.
Lunch: chickpea pilaf with chicken, vegetable salad.
Dinner: lean fish steak, garnished with green beans.
Friday
Breakfast: coffee, scrambled eggs with tomatoes and peppers.
Lunch: potato casserole with minced beef (replace with chicken during the deterioration period).
Dinner: fruit salad.
Saturday
Breakfast: milk, pancakes with low-fat sour cream.
Lunch: Grilled vegetables with chicken skewers.
Dinner: berry smoothie, a few sandwiches with cheese and herbs (it is better to use whole grain bread).
Sunday
Breakfast: tea, whole grain milk porridge with berries.
Lunch: Lasagna (again, it is better to use whole grain leaves as a base and minced chicken).
Dinner: julienne with chicken and mushrooms, homemade mulled wine based on berry compote (just add your favorite spices, apples and citrus fruits and heat up).
Any vegetables, fruits and berries can be used as a snack. Recall that cherries and citrus fruits are especially useful, and it is also important to drink plenty of plain water. Dehydration worsens gout.
In general, the diet with gout is quite simple, the list of foods is quite extensive and you can remember many of their combinations. Of course, it is much easier to follow a diet in the summer due to the fact that vegetables are cheaper and their variety is much greater. But you can always pay attention to seasonal vegetables: for example, the watermelon season continues in September, in December the shops are full of mandarins, then they are replaced by pomelo. . . The same cherries can be frozen in the summer, and in the winter they can be made into compotes or pies (the latter is better not with yeast dough and rarely), and lemons are available all year round without any restrictions.
Gout is not a death sentence, the frequency of outbreaks can be significantly reduced if eaten well and uric acid levels controlled. And even if you eat a steak once a month and drink it with dark beer, it is unlikely to cause an attack if you generally follow a diet.