Gout-Friendly Foods
Though many people misunderstand the role of diet in gout, there are some well-established, research-based guidelines that may be helpful:
- Drink plenty of liquids, especially water. Fluids help remove uric acid from the body.
- Talk to your healthcare provider about adding low-fat dairy products to your diet. Eating more of these dairy products is associated with a decreased risk of gout.
- Additional low-purine choices include carbonated beverages, coffee, cereals, chocolate, fruits, breads, grains, pasta, rice, olives, cheese, eggs, milk products, sugar, tomatoes, and some types of green vegetables.
One food that gets a lot of attention on the Internet is cherry juice—there's a lot of talk about cherries but not much medically based proof that eating cherries or drinking cherry juice helps gout symptoms. One recent medical report involving 10 healthy women suggests that cherries may help lower uric acid levels, but the connection has not been verified by a controlled clinical study.
Make sure you discuss your whole health picture with your healthcare provider. Each person is different, and each person's gout deserves individual attention. Also, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about every medication you are taking—including prescription drugs, aspirin and other medications you may buy at the drug store or supermarket, herbs, natural supplements, vitamins, and anything else that you take to affect your health.