What is gout? Discover the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of this painful condition. Avoid these 5 high-fructose fruits to control high uric acid levels.

What Is Gout?

Gout is a type of arthritis that occurs when uric acid crystals build up in the joints, causing inflammation, swelling and severe pain. It is a common and complex form of arthritis that can affect anyone. The condition typically causes sudden and severe attacks of pain, redness and tenderness in the joints, most commonly the big toe.

Symptoms of Gout

The main symptoms of gout include:

• Sudden and severe joint pain, usually in the big toe, but can also affect the ankles, heels, knees, and wrists
• Joint redness and swelling
• Warmth in the affected joint
• Stiffness and decreased range of motion in the affected joint

Causes of Gout

Gout is caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood, which can lead to the formation of uric acid crystals in the joints. Factors that can contribute to high uric acid levels include:

• Certain foods high in purines, such as red meat, seafood, and alcohol
• Dehydration
• Obesity
• Certain medications, such as diuretics and aspirin
• Genetics
• Kidney disease

Diagnosis of Gout

Gout is typically diagnosed through a combination of medical history, physical examination, and tests. The key tests used to diagnose gout include:

• Joint fluid test: A sample of fluid is taken from the affected joint and examined for the presence of uric acid crystals.
• Blood test: A blood test measures the level of uric acid in the blood.
• Imaging tests: X-rays, ultrasounds, or other imaging tests may be used to look for joint damage or the presence of uric acid crystals.

Treatment of Gout

The main goals of gout treatment are to relieve the immediate symptoms of a gout attack and to prevent future attacks. Treatments may include:

• Anti-inflammatory medications, such as NSAIDs or corticosteroids, to reduce inflammation and pain
• Medications that lower uric acid levels, such as allopurinol or febuxostat
• Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, limiting intake of high-purine foods, and staying hydrated

Prevention of Gout

To help prevent gout attacks, it is important to maintain healthy uric acid levels. This can be achieved through a combination of dietary changes and lifestyle modifications, such as:

• Limiting intake of high-purine foods, such as red meat, seafood, and alcohol
• Increasing intake of low-purine foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water
• Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular exercise
• Managing any underlying medical conditions, such as kidney disease or diabetes

Fruits to Avoid for Gout

While fruits are generally considered healthy, some can actually contribute to high uric acid levels and increase the risk of gout attacks. Here are five fruits that should be limited or avoided by individuals with gout:

1. Golden Raisins

Raisins are made from grapes, which are high in purines. The fructose content in raisins can also stimulate the production of uric acid, making them a poor choice for those with gout.

2. Tamarind Pulp

Tamarind pulp is a popular ingredient in many dishes, but it is also high in fructose, which can exacerbate gout symptoms.

3. Apples

Apples are a relatively high-fructose fruit, and consuming too many can contribute to elevated uric acid levels and increase the risk of gout attacks.

4. Dates

Dates are low in purines but high in fructose, making them a poor choice for individuals with gout.

5. Chikoo (Sapodilla)

Chikoo, also known as sapodilla, is a sweet fruit that is high in fructose and should be avoided by those with gout.

Instead, individuals with gout should focus on consuming low-fructose fruits, such as black currants, gooseberries, musk melons, peaches, pineapples, pomegranates, and strawberries.

Conclusion

Gout is a painful and debilitating form of arthritis that is caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood. By understanding the symptoms, causes, and risk factors for gout, as well as the dietary and lifestyle modifications that can help manage the condition, individuals with gout can take steps to prevent and control their symptoms.

High uric acid: Avoid these 5 foods to prevent gout and kidney damage | Health

ByParmita Uniyal, Delhi

Aug 19, 2022 10:20 AM IST

High uric acid can accumulate around the joints causing debilitating pain, stiffness and immobility. It can also affect heart, kidneys and other crucial organs eventually. Here are foods to control high uric acid.

Increased levels of uric acid in blood can lead to scary health conditions like bone and joint damage, kidney diseases and heart ailments. Uric acid is a byproduct of purines, a naturally occuring substance in the body, which normally leaves the body through urine. The problem begins when either our kidneys are not able to help excrete uric acid or our body is creating too much of it. This excessive uric acid takes the form of crystals and accumulates around the joints causing debilitating pain, stiffness and immobility. It can also affect heart, kidneys and other crucial organs eventually. (Also read: High uric acid: Ayurveda expert on easy lifestyle changes to treat the condition naturally)

One of the ways to fix high uric acid levels in the body is to be careful about what you are eating. (Pixabay)

One of the ways to fix high uric acid levels in the body is to be careful about what you are eating. Certain foods are high in purine and must be avoided. One suffering from this condition should also exercise caution while consuming fruits and vegetables as fructose found in them could stimulate production of uric acid in the blood.

“The chemical purine present in the body can be found in some foods too. Hence less consumption of purine can help in maintaining the correct level of uric acid in the blood. Fructose is the natural sugar found in various fruits and vegetables. Due to the presence of fructose, some foods have a natural sweet taste to them. However, fructose is one of the ingredients that increases the production of uric acid in the blood,” says Nidhi S, Nutritionist and Founder of Half Life to Health.

Nidhi suggests foods that must be avoided to maintain right uric acid levels in the blood:

● Golden Raisins

Fructose per 100 gm: 26. 54 gm

Raisins are made from grapes that contain purine. Consuming purine-rich foods can increase gout issues even more and it also increases the level of uric acid in the blood. These dried fruits should be avoided completely by people suffering from gout conditions.

● Tamarind pulp

Fructose per 100 gm: 12.31 gm

Although tamarind pulp has other health benefits, it is not advised for people suffering from gout issues. The fructose amount stimulates uric acid production leading to worse consequences.

● Apple

Fructose per 100 gm: 8.52 gm

Apples too are a storehouse of natural fructose. Too much consumption of apples can worsen the gout condition even more.

● Dates

Fructose per 100 gm: 15.04 gm

Dates are low-purine fruits however it contains a high amount of fructose. It can be risky to consume dates as they can alter the amount of uric acid in your blood.

● Chickoo

Fructose per 100 gm: 8.6 gm

It is considered a high-fructose food. So, it’s better to avoid chickoo to keep your uric acid levels in check.

Foods with low fructose levels

While you can avoid these fruits to prevent high uric acid, there are some fruits that you must include in your daily diet to see great results. Here are some fruits which are low in fructose content:

● Black currants (2.98 gm)

● Gooseberries (2.1 gm)

● Musk melons (0.62 gm)

● Peach (1.15 gm)

● Pineapple (1.21 gm)

● Pomegranate (1.01 gm)

● Strawberry (1.9 gm)

Tips to control uric acid levels

Apart from consuming these fruits, a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle can lower the risk of high uric acid.

1. Aerated drinks contain high sugar, avoid them as much as possible.

2. Stay away from fruit juices because of the fructose amount.

3. Say no to alcoholic beverages.

4. Consume tea or coffee in moderation.

5. Make sure to reduce consumption of high purine foods such spinach, broccoli, green peas, seafood, etc.

6. Red meat is a high purine food that must be avoided.

7. Increase intake of water.

8. Exercise daily and reduce weight from affected joints.

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Gout Diet Dos and Don’ts

1. What You Eat and Drink Matters

You know that keeping uric acid levels below 6 mg/dl helps to reduce your chance of having a gout attack. Here are a few suggestions about what foods to eat and avoid to best manage your gout. Get more nutrition information and support in managing gout pain with our pain resources.

2. DO: Drink Water

Glug, glug, glug. Drink at least 8 glasses of nonalcoholic beverages a day – plain water is best. And if you’re having a flare, increase your intake to 16 glasses a day. The water helps flush uric acid from your system.

3. DON’T: Drink Beer

Popping that cold one is not a good idea. Beer has a high purine content, which is converted to uric acid in the body. And a study found that alcoholic beer raises uric acid by 6.5% and nonalcoholic beer raises it 4.4%.

4. DO: Drink Milk

Does a tall glass of cold milk or some frozen yogurt sound good? Go ahead. Studies show that drinking low-fat milk and eating low-fat dairy can reduce your uric acid levels and risk of a gout attack. The proteins found in milk promote excretion of uric acid in the urine.

5. DON’T: Drink Liquor

Put down the highball. Alcoholic beverages can increase the risk of gout attacks. When the body breaks down alcohol, uric acid is produced and excretion of uric acid in the urine is slowed down. But most studies show that wine may be okay to drink in moderation.

6. DO: Drink Coffee

Love your morning cuppa joe? Enjoy! Long-term coffee drinkers (4-6 cups per day) have less risk of developing gout than people who don’t enjoy the popular brew. Coffee’s ability to prevent recurring attacks of gout once you’ve had one bout are not as certain.

7. DON’T: Drink Soda

Fructose is a sugar naturally found in fruit and honey. It is broken down in the body to release purines. The man-made sweetener high fructose corn syrup is found in many soft drinks. People who drink sweet drinks (including sugary soda and fruit juice) are more likely to have gout. And studies show that fructose increases serum acid levels.

8. Do: Eat Citrus

Vitamin C decreases uric acid levels and can help prevent gout attacks. Most studies suggest getting at least 500 mg per day. Since fruit also contains fructose, which is linked with increased uric acid levels, opt for lower-fructose options. Grapefruit, oranges, pineapples and strawberries are high in vitamin C, but lower in fructose.

9. DON’T: Eat Organ Meats

You may love liver and onions, but eating it may trigger a flare. Organ meats (sweetbreads, liver, tongue) are particularly high in purines, which can increase your uric acid levels and spur a gout attack. Red meats (beef, venison, bison) in general are higher in purines than white meats and should be eaten only occasionally.

10. DO: Eat Vegetable Proteins

Fill up on lots of green veggies and other non-meat proteins. That means peas, beans, lentils, tofu as well as leafy and starchy greens. They don’t raise uric acid levels and may even protect you from gout attacks.

11. DON’T: Eat Certain Seafood

Not all creatures of the sea are high in purines, but some are. Cold water fish like tuna, salmon and trout can increase your uric acid levels, but the heart benefit from eating them in moderation may be greater than the gout attack risk. Mussels, scallops, squid, shrimp, oysters, crab and lobsters should only be eaten once in a while.

12. DO: Eat Cherries

Eating tart cherries – or drinking tart cherry juice — may lower your risk of gout attacks. The red-purple pigments in the fruit – called anthocyanins – have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and are thought to provide protection.

What foods lead to gout, what can and cannot be eaten with gout – It’s a hell of a disease. And that’s putting it mildly. This disease can significantly ruin the life of its owners and lead to painful attacks. Doctors told us how gout manifests itself, what products will probably lead to it and what to do with it all.

Gout occurs due to a metabolic disorder, resulting in salt deposits. Roughly speaking, this is such an extremely painful symptom of an excess of uric acid in the body. It is formed in us quite independently due to metabolism and the intake of purines into the body: organic compounds that are contained, for example, in DNA. That is absolutely in any food. But some foods are especially rich in purines.

Gout is more of a male disease – they suffer from it several times more often than women. Moreover, the disease can start as early as 25-35 years. While in women, gout usually does not develop before menopause. Those who are prone to gout more than others were listed by endocrinologist Zukhra Pavlova:

• those who eat too much food rich in purines;

• people with ischemic heart disease, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, chronic kidney disease, certain blood disorders, psoriasis;

• those who regularly take certain diuretics, cyclosporins (an immunosuppressant drug for organ transplants), allopurinol (a drug prescribed for high uric acid), and those who take aspirin 2 grams per day;

• people with genetic characteristics – when there are not enough enzymes that break down uric acid or proteins that carry it.

“Gout can be confused with rheumatic arthritis,” says gastroenterologist Galina Bartashevich. – Swollen, painful joints, especially in the legs. The skin over the affected joint turns red and becomes smooth. In the developed state, tophi are formed – nodules of white or yellow color with a crumbly, cheesy content. They are even on the ears, not just over the joints. But long before the external manifestations, the first attacks of excruciating pain appear. Pain from gout is not relieved by any painkillers. They occur at night or in the early morning, may be accompanied by fever, but, as a rule, pass during the day. People think that they are cured, but this is not so – you need to urgently see a doctor.

Galina Bartashevich — gastroenterologist of the highest category, pediatric gastroenterologist, nutritionist, candidate of sciences.

Another name for gout is “royal disease”. She received such a nickname due to the fact that a long time ago she was a feature of crowned persons who could afford fatty meat, smoked meats, and various delicacies. Today, the food basket that contributes to gout is not limited to this list.

If you don’t want to get gout, eat less of these foods

Infographics: Vitaly Kalistratov / City portals

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Agree, the list of products that can “give” us gout looks like a restaurant menu. Wiping the mean tears of gastroenthusiasts, let us dwell on some positions in more detail. Take those sausages. Doctors generally have a lot of complaints about them. Ideally, they are generally advised to bypass them because of the threat of cancer. But if you can’t abstain, remember that due to the high content of salt, saturated fat and cholesterol, sausages are not recommended for people suffering from obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and hypertension. And phosphates in the composition of sausages are undesirable for gout and urolithiasis.

– Again, we must understand – natural sausages or store-bought. I can’t recommend stores as a nutritionist, says nutritionist Irina Borodina. – Natural sausages may be contraindicated in patients with heart failure, if there is a lot of salt (sodium), with kidney pathology, patients with gout, patients with phenylketonuria.

Irina Borodina — dietician of the Center for Public Health and Medical Prevention, Candidate of Sciences, general practitioner of the first category.

“Among non-protein foods, alcoholic beverages especially contribute to the production of uric acid, beer is generally taboo,” adds endocrinologist Zukhra Pavlova. – Sweetened drinks and juices – they are very high in fructose. No need to squeeze juice from berries and fruits daily. Everything is valuable in berries, even fiber, which, when processed into juice, remains in the cake. Using juices, we simply overeat: in one glass of apple juice there are 2-3 apples, this is the daily norm. And, as a rule, we drink more than one glass. Juices, even freshly squeezed, daily are a shortcut to gout.

Zukhra Pavlova – doctor – endocrinologist-andrologist, candidate of medical sciences.

You can try replacing juices with smoothies, but this is also not the surest solution (although it will certainly be a little healthier). Yes, smoothies contain fiber, which makes it difficult for simple carbohydrates to enter the bloodstream. But it’s still a product that doesn’t require chewing. And for fruits and berries, chewing and wetting with saliva is very important. Without it, we miss the necessary phase of digestion. Doctors’ verdict: you can drink juices and smoothies, but remember that this is a dessert, and count each glass.

If you already have gout, no amount of chewing will help. People with this disease generally need to eat fruits and berries very carefully: uric acid from fructose is produced in large quantities, and they can cause a painful attack. In addition, fructose, eaten in excess, promotes fatty degeneration of the liver, and this in itself will stimulate the production of uric acid by your own liver.

You can eat these foods safely even if you are at risk of gout

org/Person”> Infographics: Vitaly Kalistratov / City portals

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In a healthy person, uric acid is well excreted through the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract, so any problems with them can cause problems with its excretion. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the drinking regimen. Water will help flush out uric acid and reduce the risk of gout. In addition, remember that for normal motility of the digestive tract, it is necessary that blood rushes to it (this is achieved by mobility), and the contents are mobile enough, that is, they contain a normal amount of water and have the right consistency, and this cannot be achieved without vegetables and herbs in menu.

Gout Diet: Food Lists, Weekly Menus

People with gout cannot eat whatever they want and must limit or even eliminate certain foods and, conversely, favor others.

A large, long-term study published in the British Medical Journal looked at the diets of almost 45,000 men over 26 years. Those whose diet most closely resembled the DASH diet were found to have a lower risk of gout than those who did not.

First developed to combat hypertension, the DASH diet focuses heavily on fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, low-fat dairy, and whole grains while limiting sugary drinks, salt, and red or processed meats. Those subjects who ate a typical Western diet — lots of red or processed meats, french fries, refined grains and sweets — were at a higher risk of gout.

Although medical therapy for gout is indispensable, a therapeutic diet that lowers uric acid levels can improve a patient’s daily life by controlling gouty arthritis attacks.

The gout diet is called Table Six and is based on the following rules:

• exclusion from the diet of foods rich in purines and oxalic acid
• sodium chloride restriction
• increasing the amount of alkalizing foods (dairy, vegetables and fruits)
• drink plenty of fluids (1. 5 – 2 liters or more)
• a slight decrease in the proportion of proteins and fats (mainly refractory), and with concomitant obesity – and carbohydrates
• calories: 2700-2800 kcal
• Cooking and food temperatures are normal.

Several studies have shown that low-fat dairy products can help reduce the risk of gout. It is also recommended to distribute your protein, carbohydrate and fat intake throughout the day by consuming 3 balanced meals and snacking as needed.

Basic dietary rules for gouty arthritis:

• Reduce high purine foods in favor of purine free foods
• Get enough vitamin C
• Avoid dietary saturated fats
• Limit alcohol and sugar intake

Diet number 6 for illness should be based on foods low in purines (less than 100 mg of purines per 100 grams), as shown in the following table.

Which foods should be avoided?

The diet for elevated uric acid is primarily based on limiting hyperuricemic foods. This will help lower uric acid levels, prevent flare-ups, and relieve symptoms associated with gout.

In general, red meat, liver and offal, fatty fish (mackerel, herring, sardines) and some seafood (anchovies, shrimp, roe), and purine-rich alcohol are associated with an increased risk of gout. To prevent crises, nutritionists strongly recommend limiting their consumption as much as possible or completely removing them from the diet.

Since an increase in blood sugar causes a strong secretion of insulin, which is harmful to the liver, especially in the case of gout, as part of the “table number 6” diet, you should reduce the consumption of sugary foods: confectionery, sweets, chocolate, cakes and pastries, industrial juices .

It is best to avoid products containing simple carbohydrates and sugars, including glucose-fructose syrup. This common sweetener is a concentrate of sugar and fructose and is mainly found in soft drinks, canned fruit, sweet yogurt, baked goods, breakfast cereals, and condiments such as ketchup, barbecue sauce, jams, etc. Fructose is directly metabolized by the liver and can change its functioning in the long run.

Information about the amount of purines in 100 g of the product will help a gout patient to make the right diet in order to eat a balanced and varied diet.

What foods should not be eaten during an exacerbation?

It is known that gout provocateurs are feasts with an excess of meat food richly flavored with alcoholic beverages (departure for barbecues, birthdays and other holidays). Experts warn: eating too high-calorie food can provoke an attack of gout the next night.

The list of products prohibited during an exacerbation of gout includes products containing animal proteins: sausages, offal, game, young meat, like veal or too fatty meat, like lamb, dried and smoked meat, bacon, meat broth cubes.

Dehydrated sauces, oily fish (mackerel, sprats, trout, herring, anchovies, sardines), shellfish and crustaceans, as well as fermented cheeses and eggs are harmful.
Legumes (beans, peas, soybeans), as well as sorrel, spinach and tomatoes, as they contain a large amount of uric acid, are contraindicated in an attack of gout.

Hypouricemic diet reduces uricemia (1 mg/dl), therefore useful for gout, but will be of little benefit in patients who continue to consume strong alcohol (rum, whiskey, vodka, etc.), beer (with or without alcohol) . With an attack of gout, these drinks are completely prohibited. Also, some foods like chocolate or mushrooms can be triggers.