7 Foods to Avoid for Uric Acid Buildup and Prevent Gout

If you suffer then you know that high uric acid leads to gout. So you know you need to lower those levels. A key part of the process is avoiding certain foods. But what foods? Here you will discover 7 foods to avoid for uric acid buildup in order to prevent gout…

“You are what you eat” may never be more true than in the case of taste. You see, although gout symptoms are caused by the buildup of crystals in the joints and connective tissue, these crystals usually only form when you have higher than normal levels of uric acid in your system.

So how does high uric acid occur, and what role does the food you eat play in all of this?

Uric acid is a normal byproduct of your body’s metabolism, produced by chemicals in your body called “purines” that are broken down during this process.

Now normal healthy levels are a good thing because this acid is a very important antioxidant. The problem is that higher-than-normal levels aren’t so good, causing things like gout and kidney stones, among other things.

But as long as your kidneys are healthy and working at their full potential, they process and remove excess uric acid from your body, leaving enough to do all the good things you need to do.

However, if your kidneys are not working properly, not enough acid is excreted and excess is retained in the blood. This can lead to the formation of crystals in the joints and therefore in the taste.

The problem is that even when your kidneys are working effectively, there is another cause of high uric acid, which is that your body is making too much for your kidneys to handle.

One of the reasons for this could be your diet. The foods you eat also contain purines, some much more than others. Therefore, eating a diet high in purines only produces more uric acid, perhaps more than your kidneys can handle.

That’s why it’s important for gout patients to take a close look at their diet and consider making any necessary changes to help reduce uric acid production.

7 Foods to Avoid for Uric Acid

So what foods should you avoid for uric acid? Seven foods that are particularly high in purines are:-

1. Organ meats: eg liver, heart, kidney, brain, sweetbread.

2. Game and game birds: eg deer, rabbit, partridge, pheasant, duck.

3. Seafood: eg prawns, prawns, langoustines, scallops, mussels.

4. Certain fish: eg mackerel, herring, anchovies, sardines, fish roe.

5. Some poultry: eg goose, turkey, chicken.

6. Some vegetables: eg mushrooms, spinach, cauliflower, asparagus.

7. Meat sauce/extracts: eg sauces, bouillon, broth, broth.

Although not a food, alcohol is known to be one of the main triggers for gout and should be avoided, especially beer, because brewer’s yeast and baker’s yeast are also high in purines.

While it’s much better to avoid these foods if you can, they clearly can be difficult to stick with long-term. So if you find it difficult, at the very least, you should cut back in terms of how much you eat at one time and how often you eat them.

For example, eat no more than a total of 6 ounces of lean meat, fish, and poultry per day. But, while you’re doing this, it’s best to avoid game and organ meats altogether, as they’re very high in purines.

[Note: Before changing your diet you must always consult your healthcare provider / physician for advice about its suitability for your particular case.]