Uric acid is a byproduct of the breakdown of purines, which are found in red meat and other animal products. Purines are also found in some vegetables, including asparagus and mushrooms.
Uric acid is not itself bad for you. It’s actually a natural component of blood plasma that helps prevent kidney stones and gout. However, if you have too much uric acid in your system, it can form crystals that deposit into joints and other tissues, causing pain and inflammation.
Vegetables high in uric acid include:
Cabbage
Corn
Beets
Asparagus
Carrots
Green peas
Corn is one of the most common foods associated with gout. While it’s not clear why this is, some theories suggest that the high purine content of corn may be to blame. Purines are substances that form when meat (including fish) breaks down in the body. High purines can increase the risk of developing gout. Cabbage, potatoes and peas are also considered high-purine foods because they contain a compound called oxalate, which can increase uric acid levels in the blood if you eat too much at once.
What Is Uric Acid?
Uric acid is a waste product produced when cells break down certain proteins in your body. It’s naturally present in urine and helps protect against infection by keeping bacteria from sticking to your bladder wall and urinary tract lining. When you have gout, however, there can be too much uric acid floating around in your bloodstream — which causes painful attacks (called flares).
High-Uric-Acid Vegetables
Cabbage. This vegetable is very high in purines and should be avoided by gout patients.
Corn. Corn has been found to aggravate gouty arthritis, possibly due to its high content of purines.
Beets. Beets are also high in purines and should be avoided by gout sufferers.
The main foods that you should avoid eating if you have gout are:
Meat. Meat is high in purines, so it can lead to an increase in uric acid levels.
Meats include beef, pork, lamb, venison, liver and other organ meats.
Seafood. Seafood contains large amounts of purines, which can cause an imbalance in uric acid levels in the body.
Fish includes tuna, mackerel and salmon (fresh or canned), crab and lobster. Shellfish also falls into this category and includes shrimp and scallops.
Dairy products. Milk products contain a compound called lactose that is naturally present in milk but not absorbed well by some people who have lactose intolerance (an inability to digest lactose). Lactose intolerance may be more common among people with gout than those who don’t have gout because their bodies produce an enzyme called uricase that helps break down the sugar molecules found in milk products into simpler forms that can be used by the body’s cells more easily
If you are looking for ways to reduce uric acid, consider incorporating these vegetables into your diet.
Cabbage: Cabbage is a good source of fiber, which may help lower blood levels of uric acid. One cup of shredded raw cabbage has 1 gram of fiber.
Corn: Corn is another food that may lower blood levels of uric acid. A single ear contains 3 grams of fiber, which is almost 15 percent of the daily value for fiber in a 2,000-calorie diet. In addition to its high fiber content, corn contains some antioxidants and other nutrients that may have beneficial effects on health.
Cauliflower: Like other cruciferous vegetables, cauliflower contains compounds called indoles and isothiocyanates that are thought to help prevent cancer. These compounds may also reduce levels of uric acid in the blood by increasing the amount excreted through urine and stool. One serving of raw cauliflower provides about 3 grams of fiber — about 15 percent of the daily value for fiber in a 2,000-calorie diet.
Spinach: Spinach contains oxalates that can bind with calcium and make it unavailable for absorption in the body. This can lead to an increase in urinary excretion of calcium (
High-purine foods include:
beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages
seafood, such as anchovies, sardines, herring and mussels (avoid if you have gout)
animal organs, such as liver and kidneys
organ meats such as sweetbreads, tripe and tongue
meat extracts (e.g., gravy), meat gravies and broth-based soups
legumes (beans), lentils and split peas
egg yolks (one large egg has about 180 micrograms of purines)
Reducing Uric Acid Levels
The following foods can help lower uric acid levels:
1. Cabbage: Cabbage is a great food for gout patients because it contains high amounts of vitamin C, which helps the body break down purines. It also has sulfur-containing compounds called glucosinolates that have been shown to reduce uric acid levels by as much as 30%.
2. Corn: Corn is another high-purine food that should be avoided by those with gout. However, corn that has been cooked and then cooled down may help reduce uric acid levels and lower your risk of gout attacks. This is because when you cook corn, some of its sugars are converted into fructose, which may help protect against gout attacks by lowering uric acid levels somewhat.
3. Beans: Beans contain a lot of protein (purines) and should not be consumed in large quantities by people who suffer from frequent gout attacks. However, if you’re someone who doesn’t have many gout attacks but still wants to limit his or her intake of purines from beans, then consider substituting half the amount of black beans with kidney beans or pinto beans in your recipes. This will help reduce the overall amount
Gout is a type of arthritis that occurs when there is an excess of uric acid in the body. Uric acid is produced as a result of the breakdown of purines, which are found in foods like organ meats, asparagus and beer.
The gout diet should be high in water-soluble fiber, which will help reduce uric acid levels. It should also include plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Foods to avoid include organ meats and alcohol. These foods are high in purines, which cause the body to produce more uric acid than it can handle.
Foods that can help lower uric acid levels include:
Fruits: Apples and pears contain malic acid which helps decrease uric acid levels in the blood stream. Bananas are good sources of potassium and magnesium; both are helpful for lowering blood pressure and preventing heart disease. Strawberries contain vitamin C and folic acid which can help prevent gout attacks by preventing hyperuricemia (high levels of uric acid) from occurring in the first place. Citrus fruits also contain vitamin C which can help protect against free radical damage caused by overproduction of uric acid crystals in joints during an attack of gouty arthritis or chronic
What to eat when you have gout
There’s no diet cure for gout. But certain foods can trigger attacks and other foods can help reduce inflammation and the pain of an attack.
The foods to avoid are those that are rich in purines (protein compounds), such as organ meats (kidneys) and seafood (oysters, mussels, scallops). Some types of seafood contain high levels of purine, so it’s best to avoid these during an attack. If you do eat them, stick to a small amount and don’t repeat the meal too often.
Foods high in fats and sugars are also bad because they cause inflammation. So cut down on:
red meat
chicken skin
peanuts
alcoholic drinks
Gout is a form of arthritis that causes sudden and severe attacks of pain, redness and swelling in the joints. Gout is caused by deposits of uric acid crystals in a joint or surrounding tissues. The deposit causes an inflammatory response and swelling.
Gout can be prevented with diet and lifestyle changes, but it may return after treatment ends if you resume the same habits that caused the condition in the first place.
The following foods can help prevent gout attacks:
Foods high in water content: Water helps flush out uric acid from your body through urine. Foods high in water content include melons, cucumbers, celery and lettuce.
Foods high in fiber: Fiber helps reduce uric acid levels by increasing bowel movements and preventing constipation, which can lead to more kidney stones. Foods high in fiber include vegetables (except corn), beans, whole grains and fruits (except strawberries).
Foods rich in vitamins C and B6: Vitamin C helps your body absorb less uric acid from foods while vitamin B6 helps break down purines into uric acids. Foods rich in these vitamins include citrus fruits such as oranges; potatoes; tomatoes; spinach; cantaloupe; broccoli; green beans; cauliflower; cabbage
Gout is a type of arthritis that’s caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is created during the breakdown of purines, a substance found in many foods.
The most common symptom of gout is sudden, severe pain and swelling in a joint — usually the big toe. Gout can also cause attacks of pain and tenderness in other joints, especially the knees, ankles and elbows.
Avoiding foods that contain high levels of purines can help prevent gout attacks. Eating more water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables may also lower your risk of gout attacks by helping you urinate more frequently than usual.
In addition to avoiding certain foods, it’s important to maintain a healthy weight so that your kidneys have an easier time filtering waste products from your blood — including uric acid.