Gout prevention diet

Introduction to Gout

Gout is a form of arthritis with is usually associated with very intense pain in the joints. It is characterized by redness, pain and an inflammation of the joints that generally attacks the big toe and then spread to other joints.

The cause of gout is an excessive saturation of uric acid in the blood and tissues.

When gout occurs, the uric acid gets crystallized in the joints, which leads to pain that is very reminiscent of arthritis.

A patient who has gout has a body that is not able to break down uric acid, which is a byproduct of many foods.

Gout is also associated with conditions such as liver disease, uric acid kidney stones, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Gout Prevention Diet

A person must be very careful when they are planning their diet because gout attacks are very painful and recurrent.

There are some medications that can be used to remedy gout, such as low doses of NSAIDs, allopurinol or febuxostat.

However, along with medications, it is very important for people to watch what kind of food they are eating.

Foods that are high in purine and protein are the prime and most frequent causes of gout.

It is important to drink a lot of water, at least six to eight glasses each day.

It is also important for people with gout to avoid alcohol, coffee, spicy food, oatmeal and grains.

There are other foods that need to be strictly avoided, including bacon, sweetbreads, organ meats, veal and meat broths and gravies.

Seafood like shrimp, mussels, crabs, salmon, trout, sardines, cod, and herring need to be avoided as well.

Vegetables that need to be avoided include asparagus, beans of all kinds, cauliflower, mushrooms and rhubarb.

However, there are also foods that are encouraged to be eaten by people who have problems with gout.

A low purine diet must be maintained in order to prevent gout attacks and the food eaten must be low in fat.

The best combination is that the foods be low in purine and high in complex carbohydrates. Low protein and low calorie diets are also encouraged for people suffering from gout.

Some fruits that should be consumed are blueberries, strawberries, fresh cherries, bananas tangerines, oranges and mandarins. Carbohydrate rich foods that are recommended include Cereals, pasta, wheat bread, rice and tofu.

Tomatoes, celery, kale, parsley, cabbage, red cabbage, red bell peppers, potatoes and all green and leafy vegetables are all vegetables that should be consumed by people with gout.