When the body breaks down purines, a naturally occurring compound in its system, it creates something called uric acid. In most people, uric acid in the blood can range anywhere from 2.4 to 6.0 milligrams per deciliter for women and a range of 3.4 to 7.0 milligrams per deciliter for men. In a well-balanced system, these deposits of the acid are easily eliminated in the urine. But, in other cases where the buildup is too high or the body cannot eliminate it fast enough, these can accumulate and form crystals that can build up around the joints causing a painful arthritic condition.
The good news is that even if you're one of those who is prone to developing a build up of uric acid in the blood, it is possible to control it with a little diet and exercise. If that's you, one of the first things you'll need to do is become familiar with the Uric Acid Food List.
What Is The List?
The list is a basic guideline of foods that you should avoid that can introduce more purines into your diet. By avoiding these foods you prevent the body from getting too much purine, which can naturally lead to the production of more uric acid in the body. If your diet includes foods that are too high in purine concentration, your uric acid level will naturally be elevated so avoiding those foods on the Uric Acid Food List can be the simplest way to avoid another painful breakout.
Foods To Avoid:
High fat diets often interfere with the ability of the kidneys to clean out the uric acid from your body. So those who are more prone to the development of gout should avoid consuming full-fat dairy products, baked goods, fried foods, or foods that are served with gravy or cheese-based sauces. A good guideline would be to limit your intake of fat to no more than 30% of your total daily caloric intake.
The list also includes a number of vegetables that contain high concentrations of purine.
These include:
- dried beans
- legumes
- mushrooms
- spinach
- cauliflower
- asparagus
It is recommended that you avoid these if possible or limit your consumption of them to no more than two servings per week. One serving is equivalent to a cup of raw vegetables or 1/2 cup cooked vegetables.
Watch The Protein:
The Uric Acid Food Lists also recommends watching your proteins and consuming a moderate amount of animal-based proteins every day.
Special caution is given for organ meats like:
- liver
- kidneys
- game meats
- goose
- partridge
- shellfish
These foods are often loaded with purines and can cause some major problems if not controlled carefully.
While a flare up of gout can be painful and uncomfortable, it is not a condition that is beyond our control and with care it is possible to get total relief from pain. By following the guidelines listed on the Uric Acid Food List you can avoid a repeat of those painful conditions from returning and making you miserable.