A Low Purine Diet

A low purine diet is usually adopted by individuals suffering from gout, and it has helped many individuals ease the pain of the malady. Gout causes pain in the extremities and is formed by excessive uric acid in the body. The joints are attacked with accumulated crystals. Purins in food release more uric acid into the body, which is why a diet low in purins is beneficial.

Foods High in Purins

The foods that should be avoided in a low-purine diet are seafood such as sardines, mackerel, anchovies, herring and roe. Game meats, such as duck and goose, are also foods that aren't allowed, along with animal organs such as the heart, brains, liver and kidneys. Meat extracts, broth, bouillon and mince meats can also cause a flareup because of their high concentration of uric acid.

Medium-Purine Foods

Foods that have medium purine content can be consumed, but only in moderation. In the case of a severely painful gout attacks, stay away from medium-purine foods. Any other times, stick to only one serving of these foods each day. The seafood that can be consumed is any fish or seafood that isn't found on the high-purine food list. Poultry, beef, pork, lamb and other red meats are also safe in moderation. Foods that are high in fiber, such as lentils, peas, oats and dried beans, are part of the medium-purine food list. Vegetables that have medium purine content are mushrooms, asparagus, spinach, cauliflower and asparagus.

Low-Purine Foods

The whole basis of a low-purine diet is adopting foods that are low in purins. Along with low purine, a low fat diet must also be eaten so that other problems don't arise. Eggs are low in purins, but must be restricted to only three to four each week to ensure that the low-fat aspect of the diet is respected. Eating only low-fat or fat-free cheeses and other dairy products are advised for a low-purine diet. Some vegetables (those not on the medium-purine foods list) and all fruits (and their juices) can be consumed. Breads and cereals that are made of white flour, fiber sources and whole grains are also allowed. Other foods are rice, pasta, gelatin and sweets, when consumed in moderation. Allowed beverages are coffee, tea, water and soda.

Other Rules to the Low-Purine Diet

Low-fat foods are a must with the low-purine diet because the risk of heart disease is increased by gout. Even if certain foods are low in purins, they are also high in fat. To maintain a low-fat diet with low purins, don't eat fried food.
Increase the amount of liquids to 10 to 12 glasses a day. Maintain your weight by following a regular exercise regimen.