When we eat food containing purines, uric acid is released into our blood. When the body is functioning normally, the kidneys will flush out the uric acid via urine. Any interruption in this process or the excessive consumption of purine-high food leads to the accumulation of uric acid crystals in our joints, causing gout. Gout flare-ups could last from a day, a week or even ten days. You should avoid high purine foods during flare-ups and until your symptoms go away completely.

Gout can also happen as a side effect of certain medications. Other factors like age, menopause, obesity or even a recent trauma surgery can lead to the condition. Diseases like metabolic syndrome, hypertension, kidney and heart diseases can also lead to it. Therefore, along with the low purine diet, your diet should also avoid those food items that can worsen the underlying cause. The dietary tips for gout given below will help you get an idea of the same.

7 foods to avoid if you have gout
If the uric acid levels are higher than 7 mg/dL, then you are at risk of a flare-up. The following food items have very high levels of purines and are likely to worsen the conditions leading up to a gout attack.

• Organ meat

A lot of individuals prefer to eat organ meat such as brains, tongue, and tripe. If you are partial to red organ meat, you have to give it up not only during a gout flare-up but after that too. Avoid wild meat like duck, goose, game meat like venison and pheasant, which also have high levels of purine.

• Seafood

Avoid seafood like trout, scallops, sardines, anchovies, haddock, codfish, herring and mackerel. and shellfish. They have very high levels of purines and are a definite no on your menu.

• Vegetables

Asparagus is a vegetable rich in purines. So are spinach, mushrooms, cauliflower, and peas. You can skip these veggies during a flare-up and gradually eat them in moderation during recovery. As one of the dietary tips for gout, doctors generally do not completely remove these items from your food plan, as the impact of purine-rich vegetables is not as drastic as animal protein.

• Fructose

This is a compound which adds sweetness naturally to food like fruits and vegetables. Doctors have established a positive correlation between fructose and gout and hence they are likely to dissuade you from eating fructose-rich food. Peaches, pears, plums, grapes, prune dates and even apples all have this compound. You should avoid these during a flare-up and can have moderate quantities once you recover. Like purine-rich vegetables, moderate amounts of these fruits will not affect gout too much. One cup a day should be okay.

• Sugar

Refined sugar and artificial sweeteners are as impactful as fructose. Sodas, carbonated drinks, cakes, cookies, and candies are full of sugar. Avoid these as they can cause a gout attack.

• Beer

Doctors will normally advise you to stay away from alcohol during a flare-up, but one thing that’s a definite no is beer. Studies are going on to see if it is the alcohol or the yeast, which aggravates gout.

• Dairy

Though high-fat dairy and dairy products do not contain purines, it is better to avoid them as they adversely affect gout.

You can talk to your doctors about the portion sizes, the number of servings and the frequency of the food you are permitted to eat. They might take a call based on your age and overall health and advise further dietary tips for gout accordingly.