Suffering from gout? Here’s what you should eat – and avoid

Gout is a form of arthritis that comes in attacks and can be very painful.
There are medications that can relieve your symptoms, but the right diet can also make a difference.
Here, our registered dietitian Sofia gives her best advice on what foods to avoid if you suffer from gout.

Reader question: I wonder if you know of any good cookbooks for people who suffer from gout? My 85-year-old mother has it, and her doctor only tells her what she should avoid. Do you have any advice? What should she eat?

The dietitian answers: How to relieve the symptoms of gout

Gout is a disease that occurs due to excessive levels of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is formed when purines are broken down in the body and accumulate in cartilage and joint capsules, where they cause severe pain. 

When it comes to dietary advice for gout, there is often talk of what to avoid, and this is really the only advice available for alleviating the symptoms. Typical foods that contain high levels of purine and should be avoided are offal, herring, mackerel, and anchovies. It is also good to drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol and beverages containing fructose, such as juices, as fructose increases the formation of uric acid. 

Magnesium intake has also been linked to gout, and it seems that a sufficiently high intake is important for reducing symptoms. Magnesium is found in green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, bananas, legumes, and dark chocolate.

Port wine toe

Port wine toe is a term used to describe gout in the big toe in Scandinavia. The name comes from an old belief that gout mainly affected wealthy people who indulged in fatty foods and alcohol. Although obesity and alcohol increase the risk, we now know that genetic factors and other diseases such as kidney problems are often behind the diagnosis.