Dietary restrictions for Gout patients suggest what people should not eat, but what should people eat? What foods will help control gout attacks? The American Medical Association recommends the following dietary guidelines for people with gout, advising them to eat a diet:
high in complex carbohydrates (fiber-rich whole grains, fruits, and vegetables)
low in protein (15% of calories and sources should be soy, lean meats, or poultry)
no more than 30% of calories in fat (with only 10% animal fats)
Recommended Foods To Eat
- Fresh cherries, strawberries, blueberries, and other red-blue berries
- Bananas
- Celery
- Tomatoes
- Vegetables including kale, cabbage, parsley, green-leafy vegetables
- Foods high in bromelain (pineapple)
- Foods high in vitamin C (red cabbage, red bell peppers, tangerines, mandarins, oranges, potatoes)
- Drink fruit juices and purified water (8 glasses of water per day)
- Low-fat dairy products
- Complex carbohydrates (breads, cereals, pasta, rice, as well as aforementioned vegetables and fruits)
- Chocolate, cocoa
- Coffee, tea
- Carbonated beverages
- Essential fatty acids (tuna and salmon, flaxseed, nuts, seeds)
- Tofu, although a legume and made from soybeans, may be a better choice than meat
Foods considered moderately high in purines but which may not raise the risk of gout include: asparagus, cauliflower, mushrooms, peas, spinach, whole grain breads and cereals, chicken, duck, ham, turkey, kidney and lima beans. It is important to remember that purines are found in all protein foods. All sources of purines should not be eliminated.
