Gout diet - Foods to eat

There are a lot of people all over the world who suffer from gout. Just like it is with many diseases, people who suffer from this one need to go on a special diet. This means that a person suffering from gout should avoid eating certain foods and include certain foods into his or her diet. However, the problem is that not all the diet plans for gout are the same and that makes some people feel confused. For instance, a person should reduce the consumption of purines but he or she should not exclude them from the diet entirely.

What is gout

When it comes to gout, it is more men that suffer from it than women. This disease is more common with older people. Gout is a form of arthritis and a person with it will experience sudden pain and tenderness in joints. In most cases of gout, it is the base of the big toe that is affected. Gout is caused by urate crystals that are formed around the joint and cause inflammation, swelling and severe pain. These crystals are formed in the first place due to excessive amount of uric acid in the blood.

Gout diet and foods to avoid

A person who is suffering from gout needs to know that there are certain foods that he or she should exclude from the menu. However, these people need to check with their doctor in order to find out which foods should not be excluded entirely. Some of the foods that patients with gout should avoid are herring, mushrooms, organ meat like liver and kidney, anchovies, asparagus, sweetbreads, sardines, mackerel and scallops. Another thing that people with gout should avoid is alcohol.

Gout diet and foods to include

First of all, people who suffer from gout need to know that it is highly important to perfectly balance the diet. A person needs to balance the intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and milk products. However, these milk products should be either fat-free or low-fat. A person suffering from gout should also make sure that all the foods he or she eats do that in moderation. Foods that are high in vitamin C should definitely be included. Some of these foods are red cabbage, tangerines, potatoes, oranges and mandarins. The main reason is because this vitamin influences the amount of uric acid in blood. Cherries should be consumed for the same reason.

Carbs, protein and water

Complex carbs can be included as well. Apart from these, people with gout should eat more foods which are low in protein. It is also important to drink at least 8 cups of water every day.