Purine rich foods

Information on Purine

Purine is a natural substance which gets converted into uric acid inside the human body and it may be associated with certain types of health problems. It can be found in certain types of food. It is an important part of the genetic material commonly contained in all species of animals and plants and it is actually a nucleotide base.

The human body may synthesize some purines, but their major part gets ingested by the consumption of food. Purines structure the human genes and they are important components of RNA, DNA and certain types of energy molecules. Purines can often be associated with a medical condition known as gout.

It is the most painful type of arthritis and it gets triggered by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. The normal metabolic processes dispose of uric acid and prevent the accumulation of its crystals. Uric acid is actually an antioxidant and its main purpose is to fight the free radicals and reduce the amount of damage they cause to the human body.

When the levels of uric acid in the human body become abnormally high they can lead to certain medical conditions such as kidney stones and gout. That is why it is a good idea to avoid certain types of food which are good sources of purines.

Purine Rich Foods

The most remarkable sources of purine are all different types of organ meats. A serving of 100 grams may contain up to 300 milligrams of purine. The list of meats includes beef, venison, lamb, veal, chicken, turkey and duck and the most common organs which contain the highest amounts of purines are liver, brains, heart and kidneys.

Different types of seafood such as anchovies, trout, sardines, tuna, herring, lobster, mackerel, crabs, salmon, cod and shrimps are also very rich in purines. A serving of 100 grams of anchovies may contain up to 411 milligrams of purine. Each serving of 100 grams of sardines contains approximately 345 milligrams of purines. Different types of legumes are also excellent sources of purines, because all different types of food rich in proteins are good sources of purines as well.

Legumes rich in purines include black eyed peas, garbanzo beans, white beans, red beans, lentils and split peas. There are also certain types of vegetables which contain significant amounts of purine. Those vegetables include spinach, mushrooms, asparagus and cauliflower. Purine can also be found in all different kinds of alcoholic beverages.