Foods to Avoid for Gout
Dealing with gout symptoms can be incredibly frustrating but there are ways through both diet and medication you can resume a normal lifestyle. Eating a proper diet can help reduce painful symptoms associated with gout. There are many foods to avoid for gout that can keep you on the right track to feeling great. While eating the right foods won’t completely cure gout, it can make coping with the symptoms more manageable.
Certain Proteins Liver, red meat, and certain high fat seafood are all high in purines and should be avoided when trying to control gout symptoms. Other high purine proteins that should be avoided include mussels, salmon, turkey, bacon and veal. Foods high in purines contribute to the development of uric acid within the body. High levels of uric acid cause symptoms of gout. As a person suffering from gout it will be necessary to avoid high purine foods.
Alcohol Drinking alcohol, especially beer, is a common trigger of painful gout attacks. Alcohol makes it difficult for your body to remove and process uric acid. Avoiding alcohol all together is the best option for reducing symptoms. However, indulging in a small glass of wine instead of a beer when not having a gout attack is not as harmful.
Full Fat Dairy Products There have been studies have shown that dairy products lower in fat can help reduce symptoms of gout. Switching from drinking whole milk to skim milk and eating reduced fat cheeses and yogurt is a simple change to make. Also, instead of cooking with full fat dairy products start substituting the lower fat alternatives.
Whole Grains More foods to avoid for gout include those that are high in whole grains like oatmeal, wheat bran and wheat germ. Certain whole grains can be classified as foods that are high in purines which can cause symptoms of gout to flare. Even though including whole grains in a healthy diet is important, for gout sufferers it is necessary to eat these types of food with moderation and caution. White flour is lower in purines and a more suitable choice.
Knowing what foods to avoid for gout can change the way you feel. Making simple changes to your diet can help reduce gout symptoms quickly. There are also many delicious foods that are great for people dealing with gout. Instead of focusing on what you cannot have, find pleasure in the foods you can enjoy!