One of the biggest reasons for getting gout is eating a diet high in purines. This is because purines turn into uric acid which can accumulate in your joints leading to painful attacks. One of the best ways to prevent this disease is to eat properly. The following is a list of 7 common foods that cause gout:
1. Bacon. This popular breakfast food can lead to very painful problems because it is very high in purines and nitrates. Not to mention the sodium can dehydrate you which increases your risk of having a flare-up.
2. Hot dogs. Hot dogs, whether turkey, chicken, or beef can be very detrimental to your treatment efforts. All three of these meats are at least moderately high in purines. Hot dogs also contain organ parts. This is where the highest levels exist.
3. Game Foods. Wild game such as venison, pheasant, squirrel, and grouse should also be avoided due to their high amounts. While you would think that these animals would not cause us havoc, especially since they are not steroid filled as some meat products are, unfortunately, they tend to have fairly high levels. In fact, the most severe and longest lasting case of gout I ever had was due to eating venison every day for a few days for a change of pace since I was unaware it was not good for my condition at the time I ate it. My attack lasted a month.
4. Poultry. As mentioned earlier, turkey and chicken are considered to have moderately high amounts. They are also person dependent. I know of people who cannot eat chicken at all, whereas, it is my staple meat and I do not recall ever having had an attack because I ate chicken, however, I have had an attack after eating turkey. So again, eat in moderation if you are unsure if the chicken or any of these foods will cause you to have an attack.
5. Certain Seafood. Certain fish and shellfish are not good at all for you if you are susceptible to gout. Salmon has high levels as does shrimp and crab. In fact, salmon has twice the levels as chicken. It is a shame salmon is bad for gout patients, as this otherwise excellent food has healthy doses of omega 3 oils that actually help in treating gout. I suggest you use supplements instead.
6. Alcoholic Beverages Alcohol is perhaps one of the most common causes of gout. Beer tends to cause more problems than wine. Beer contains almost 8 times as much purines as it does alcohol.
7. Peas/Lentils Legumes are not good for you to eat if you suffer from gout. Peas are slightly higher in purines than chicken, however black eye peas are considerably higher than chicken. Again, everyone is different. Some can eat these foods without any trouble and some will suffer greatly for it.
It is important to test foods in moderation until you figure out what your body can handle. Knowing what foods can cause you to have a gout flare-up will definitely help you with your gout prevention diet.
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