What Foods Cause Gout? A Dietary Guide to Managing Gout

Gout, a type of arthritis characterized by sudden and severe pain, redness, and tenderness in joints, is triggered by high levels of uric acid in the bloodstream. Understanding What Foods Cause Gout is crucial for managing this condition. Uric acid forms when the body breaks down purines, substances found naturally in our bodies and in various foods. While our bodies normally eliminate uric acid through urine, excess production or insufficient removal can lead to its accumulation, forming crystals in joints and causing gout attacks.

While a gout diet isn’t a standalone cure, it plays a significant role in reducing uric acid levels, thereby minimizing the risk of recurrent gout flares and slowing down joint damage progression. It’s important to note that individuals with gout typically still require medication to manage pain and lower uric acid levels, even when following a gout-friendly diet.

Dietary Goals for Gout Management

A well-structured dietary approach to gout aims to:

Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight and promote overall healthy eating patterns.
Limit the consumption of high-purine foods, but not eliminate them entirely.
Incorporate foods that may assist in controlling uric acid levels in the body.

The cornerstone of a gout diet is consuming healthy foods in moderation, ensuring a balanced and sustainable eating plan.

Key Dietary Recommendations to Reduce Gout Risk

The principles of a gout diet align closely with general healthy eating guidelines, with specific attention to purine intake and foods impacting uric acid levels.

Weight Management: Overweight and obesity significantly increase the risk of gout. Weight loss, even modestly, can effectively lower uric acid levels and reduce gout attacks. Research indicates that calorie reduction and weight loss, independent of purine restriction, contribute to lower uric acid and fewer gout episodes. Furthermore, maintaining a healthy weight reduces stress on joints.
Complex Carbohydrates: Emphasize fruits, vegetables, and whole grains as primary sources of carbohydrates. These complex carbohydrates are beneficial for overall health. Conversely, it’s advisable to limit or avoid foods and beverages high in fructose corn syrup, and moderate intake of naturally sweet fruit juices due to their potential impact on uric acid.
Hydration: Staying adequately hydrated is essential for uric acid elimination. Prioritize water consumption throughout the day.
Fats: Reduce the intake of saturated fats, commonly found in red meat, fatty poultry, and high-fat dairy products. These fats can negatively influence gout management.
Proteins: Choose lean protein sources such as poultry, fish, low-fat dairy, and legumes like lentils. These options are preferable to high-fat meats in a gout-conscious diet.

Specific food and supplement recommendations for gout management include:

Organ and Glandular Meats: Strictly Avoid. Organ meats like liver, kidney, and sweetbreads are exceptionally high in purines. Consuming these significantly elevates uric acid levels and should be avoided entirely by individuals with gout.
Red Meat: Limit Portions. Beef, lamb, and pork should be consumed in limited serving sizes due to their purine content. Moderation is key when incorporating red meat into a gout diet.
Seafood: Choose Wisely and Moderate. Certain seafood varieties, including anchovies, shellfish, sardines, and tuna, are higher in purines compared to others. However, the overall health benefits of fish consumption might outweigh the risks for gout sufferers when consumed in moderation. Moderate portions of fish can be included as part of a balanced gout diet.
High-Purine Vegetables: No Restriction. Contrary to some beliefs, studies have demonstrated that vegetables naturally higher in purines, such as asparagus and spinach, do not increase the risk of gout or recurrent gout attacks. These vegetables are healthy and can be included in the diet without concern regarding gout.
Alcohol: Minimize or Avoid, Especially Beer and Liquor. Beer and distilled liquors are strongly linked to an increased risk of gout and recurrent attacks. Wine consumption in moderation appears to have less impact, but it’s still prudent to limit intake. It is crucial to avoid alcohol altogether during gout attacks and significantly limit it, especially beer, between attacks.
Sugary Foods and Beverages: Limit Significantly. Sugar-sweetened foods and drinks, including sweetened cereals, baked goods, candies, and sugary fruit juices, should be limited or avoided. These contribute to various health issues and can also impact gout management.
Vitamin C: Potential Benefit. Vitamin C may help lower uric acid levels. Consult with your doctor to determine if a 500-milligram vitamin C supplement is appropriate for your individual diet and medication plan.
Coffee: Moderate Consumption May Be Beneficial. Some research suggests that moderate coffee consumption, particularly regular caffeinated coffee, might be associated with a reduced risk of gout. However, coffee may not be suitable for everyone, especially those with other health conditions. Discuss appropriate coffee intake with your healthcare provider.
Cherries: Potential Benefit. Evidence suggests that consuming cherries may be linked to a reduced risk of gout attacks. Incorporating cherries into the diet could be a beneficial addition.

Sample Gout-Friendly Menu

This sample menu provides an idea of what a typical day on a gout diet might look like:

Breakfast

Whole-grain, unsweetened cereal with skim or low-fat milk
1 cup fresh strawberries
Coffee
Water

Lunch

Roasted chicken breast slices (2 ounces) on a whole-grain roll with mustard
Mixed green salad with vegetables, 1 tablespoon nuts, and balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing
Skim or low-fat milk or water

Afternoon Snack

1 cup fresh cherries
Water

Dinner

Roasted salmon (3 to 4 ounces)
Roasted or steamed green beans
1/2 to 1 cup whole-grain pasta with olive oil and lemon pepper
Water
Low-fat yogurt
1 cup fresh melon
Caffeine-free beverage, such as herbal tea

Expected Outcomes of a Gout Diet

Adhering to a gout diet can effectively reduce uric acid production and enhance its elimination from the body. While a gout diet alone is unlikely to lower uric acid levels sufficiently to treat gout without medication, it is a valuable tool in decreasing the frequency and severity of gout attacks.

Furthermore, combining a gout diet with calorie control and regular physical activity contributes to overall health improvement, including achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

Following these dietary guidelines and consulting with healthcare professionals will empower individuals to effectively manage gout and improve their quality of life.

## From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. [Click here for an email preview.](https://links.e.response.mayoclinic.org/EmailPreview-GeneralHealth)

ErrorEmail field is required

ErrorInclude a valid email address

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.


### Thank you for subscribing!

You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox.


### Sorry something went wrong with your subscription

Please, try again in a couple of minutes

June 25, 20221. Firestein GS, et al., eds. Etiology and pathogenesis of hyperuricemia and gout. In: Kelley and Firestein's Textbook of Rheumatology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2017. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed May 1, 2018.
2. Becker MA. Lifestyle modification and other strategies to reduce the risk of gout flares and progression of gout. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed May 1, 2018.
3. AskMayoExpert. Gout. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2018.
4. Beyl RN, et al. Update on importance of diet in gout. The American Journal of Medicine. 2016;129:1153.
5. Zeratsky KA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 9, 2018.


[See more In-depth](/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/basics/nutrition-basics/hlv-20049477)