Those suffering from gout have high levels of uric acid in their body. They are thus required to consume low-purine foods. Although these dietary changes do not help in treating the condition, but can help prevent further gout attacks.
Did You Know?
According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey carried out during the year 2007 – 2008, 8.3 million Americans were reported to have suffered from gout at least once, out of which 6.1 million were men and 2.2 million were women.
Gout is a form of arthritis which is caused due to a condition called hyperuricemia. In hyperuricemia, a person has high levels of uric acid in his bloodstream. Uric acid is nothing but a chemical produced by the body after the purine in the body is broken down. Thus, it is normal for the body to produce uric acid.
But what happens in some cases is that the body starts producing more uric acid than usual. This acid then starts forming crystals which deposit around the joints. This causes acute joint inflammation. Although gout mostly affects the joint of the big toe, it can also affect other joints like feet, ankles, hands, elbows, wrists and knees. Men are known to be more susceptible to gout as compared to women.
Purine is found in huge quantities in foods like meat, seafood, and alcohol. Consuming purine can further worsen an existing gout condition. Therefore, patients are required to switch to a diet that includes low-purine foods. Here are a few sample menus to help you figure out what you can eat when suffering from gout.
Gout Diet Plans
Plan #1
Breakfast
- 2 eggs (any style) with 2 slices of whole wheat bread
- A glass of low-fat milk/cocoa/coffee
Mid-morning
- 2 slices of cornbread
- A glass of orange juice
Lunch
- Green salad
- Fish sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce and tomato
- 1 cup whole-wheat macaroni
Mid-afternoon
- 2 cups popcorn
- A banana
Dinner
- A vegetable salad made with carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower
- 2 – 3 oz small portion lean meat with basmati rice
Plan #2
Breakfast
- Whole-wheat toast with trans-fat-free margarine
- A cup of tea/coffee
Mid-morning
- 2-3 pieces of cream crackers
- A glass of strawberry juice
Lunch
- Green salad
- Vegetable soup
- A sandwich made up of whole-wheat bread, olive oil-based spread, a slice of lean meat, lettuce, and tomato slices
- A pear
Mid-afternoon
- 1 whole-wheat muffin with fresh dark berries
Dinner
- Vegetable salad with low-fat dressing
- 1 cup steamed vegetables
- 2 to 3 ounces of salmon
Plan #3
Breakfast
- A bowl of whole-grained unsweetened cereal topped with fresh fruit
- 1 glass low-fat milk
- 2 slices of whole-wheat bread with peanut butter spread
Mid-morning
- A handful of mixed nuts and a glass of lime juice
Lunch
- 1 cup tomato soup
- 1 cup boiled pulses
- 1 serving plain rice or 1 sandwich
Mid-afternoon
- A cup of coffee/cocoa with tortilla chips
Dinner
- Vegetable salad made with carrots, cauliflower, and celery
- 2 medium-sized potatoes/sweet potatoes with sour cream (baked or boiled)
- 1 serving whole-wheat pasta
Recipes
Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
- 8 tomatoes
- 5 basil leaves, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cups low-fat milk
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 pinch red pepper powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Procedure
- Boil the tomatoes in a large pot.
- Drain the water and cool the tomatoes. Peel off the skin.
- Cut the tomatoes and remove their seeds. Put them in a blender and make a pulp. Put the blender aside for further use.
- Take a saucepan. Stir fry the chopped onion in olive oil for about 4 – 5 minutes until it is golden brown in color. Add the crushed garlic and cook for another minute.
- Now add the tomato pulp in the pan.
- Cook on a medium flame for 20 minutes.
- Put the mixture back into the blender and make a smooth puree.
- Put the puree in the saucepan.
- Add the chopped basil leaves, milk and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- ¾ cup low-fat yogurt
- ½ cup basil, chopped
- 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
Procedure
- Preheat oven to 400 °F.
- Put the chicken breast halves in a baking dish.
- Mix the basil, yogurt and cornstarch, and spread it over the chicken.
- Add the bread crumbs with the Parmesan cheese.
- Sprinkle this mixture on the chicken.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Serve hot.
USEFUL TIPS
• Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. It helps to flush out the uric acid crystals from the body.
• Consuming berries like blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, bilberries, cranberries, elderberries lower the uric acid level in the blood due to their high cyanidin content. Try consuming a few berries at least once a day.
• Consuming olive oil, nuts and oily fish also helps in reducing inflammation.
• Incorporate complex carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet.
• Obesity has always been associated with the complication of gout. Therefore, try maintaining a healthy body weight.
• Consumption of alcohol interferes with the elimination of uric acid. Thus, alcohol should be completely avoided.
• Consumption of meat increases the risk of gout attacks. Therefore, foods like red meat, organ meat, herring, anchovies, mackerel, fatty fish, which are high in purine should be completely avoided. Substitute it with lean, skinless meat (limited up to 6 ounces a day).
Disclaimer: The above HealthHearty article is solely for informative purposes and does not in any way attempt to replace the advice offered by an expert on the subject. Always consult a dietitian/nutritionist before following any diet plan.
