Unless you’re one of the million-plus people who are affected by gout in the UK, it’s relevant to explain what it is first. Gout is a form of arthritis caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood. They form crystals in the joints, causing inflammation and intense pain.
Red meat, seafood and beer are all key dietary villains that can contribute to a gout attack, while some suspects are generally spared from scrutiny – but not entirely free from gout guilt…
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Mushrooms
Not only are these omnipresent fungi delicious, they’re also packed with nutrients including antioxidants, which are linked to better gut and heart health. So, all good…
Well, maybe not as mushrooms are moderately high in purines, so they contribute to elevate levels of uric acid. They’re much less risky than read meat or seafood – containing 50-150mg purines per 100g compared to over 300mg/100g in beef liver and over 400mg/100g in anchovies – and their potential negative effects are diluted somewhat by mushrooms’ reasonable fibre content, but if you’re in the middle of a gout attack, avoid them temporarily.
Cauliflower
Not only does this brassica tantalise your tastebuds, but it tickles your health, too, with cauliflowers high in immune-boosting vitamin C and gut-enriching fibre, and low in calories. Unfortunately, at 50-100mg per 100g, they also feature a similar amount of purines to mushrooms, so are best banished if your gout’s flaring up.
Gravy
According to YouGov research, bangers and mash is Britons’ ninth most popular dish (roast chicken nestles at number one). More accurately, that should read ‘bangers, mash and gravy’, as bangers and mash shorn of this puddle of palate pleasure is akin to fish and chips without salt and a flake-less Mr Whippy.
Or should you stick with the lifeless bangers and mash? Maybe as gravy, stock and broth all contribute to gout, at least if your homemade accompaniment is made via simmering bones, meat and connective tissue for hours. That rich taste sadly equals high purine content. A simple sausage saviour is to make your stock and gravy from low-purine vegetable stock (or try this River Cottage vegan gravy recipe).
Fruit juice
There’s little that kickstarts the day with more vigour than waking to a day-long hike, fuelled by a hearty breakfast that’s all washed down with a cool glass of orange juice. It supercharges the mind and body, flooding your system with vitamin C, plus folate and potassium, which help with generating red blood cells and lowering blood pressure, respectively.
Unfortunately, fruit juice is a big no-no when it comes to gout because it’s swimming with fructose. Unlike glucose, fructose is metabolised mainly in the liver. In the process of creating energy for hiking muscles, you produce uric acid as a byproduct.
It also cranks up fat production in your liver, which slows your kidneys’ ability to excrete uric acid. Numerous studies have shown that those who drink fruit juice and sports drinks have a higher risk of gout. Stick with whole fruit as the fibre dials down the risk of gout.
Chocolate
Who doesn’t fancy a block or two of chocolate to round out the day. Yes, you know it’s no health food, but you know that a following day packed with outdoor merriment will burn rough shod through those calories. Which it will. But it won’t burn through the purine content, which is pretty high due to the high sugar and fat content. Milk chocolate and sweetened cocoa powder are also on the gout hitlist.
Instead, choose dark chocolate (around 70 to 85%) that contains minimal sugar. A small amount is fine; in fact, it may even give you a boost as dark chocolate contains high levels of flavonoids, which are linked with better heart and brain health.
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Top image credit: Getty
