| The best way to avoid gout is to keep away from | | | | - Beef |
| the food that cause gout. To determine which foods | | | | - Pork |
| are detrimental, you should first get to know the | | | | - Poultry: turkey, goose |
| main factors that contribute to the development of | | | | - Meat organs: liver, heart, tongue |
| gout. Uric acids and purines are precursors to gouty | | | | - Seafood: anchovies, herring, salmon, crabs, shrimps, |
| flare-ups, so you should look for food or beverages | | | | scallops, mussels |
| that are low in purines, low in uric acids and sufficient | | | | - Vegetables: asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, |
| in Alkalines. | | | | mushrooms. |
| How does a gout occur? | | | | - Legumes: green peas, lentils, dried peas, beans, |
| Gout happens when an abnormally high level of uric | | | | - Sauces / dressings: creamy sauces, gravies, meat |
| acid accumulates in your joints. The accumulation | | | | broths |
| turns it into crystals that somehow "jam" your | | | | - Beverages: coffee, alcohol (beer, wine, etc.) |
| connective tissues, making it hard for you to move | | | | - Oatmeal, wheat bran and wheat germ, yeast |
| your fingers or toes. The crystals will grow overtime, | | | | - Sweetbreads |
| usually in a matter of hours and therefore causes | | | | These are some of the foods that can cause an |
| inflammation-you will see your skin physically swelling | | | | increase in uric acid level in the body. One way to |
| and turning red as a result. If left untreated, the | | | | lower acidity is by eating alkaline foods. |
| swollen area will burst as the crystals exude through | | | | What is alkali? |
| the skin. | | | | Alkali is an acid-neutralizing compound. It raises pH |
| What is uric acid? | | | | levels to more than 7. Acid has a pH less than 7, so |
| Uric acid is a product of purine. We all naturally have | | | | alkali can be used to dilute uric acid in the body. |
| this in our bodies, but sometimes we could have | | | | Found below is a list of alkaline foods that could help |
| abnormal levels either at birth or by eating certain | | | | counteract high levels in your system: |
| types of food that can cause gout. It can form into | | | | - Bananas |
| crystals that cause pain and swelling. | | | | - Watermelon |
| What are purines? | | | | - Orange juice |
| Purines are nucleic acids that occur as nitrogenous | | | | - Potatoes |
| compounds in certain foods. They are excreted as | | | | - Spinach |
| this and are not considered vital in our diet. Since | | | | - Figs |
| purines are excreted as uric acid high-purine sources | | | | - Dandelion Greens |
| are obviously gout causes. It is estimated that 50% | | | | - Chocolate |
| of those who have high-purine diets have a higher | | | | - Mineral water |
| tendency of developing gout. Purines can be found in | | | | Keep in mind that sources high in fat are known to |
| gout-causing, so listing food sources would be | | | | cause gout. Also avoid foods that are high in proteins, |
| essential. | | | | because they are often high in purines that raise |
| Here is a general list of high-purine food that cause | | | | levels of uric acid in the body. |
| gout: | | | | |