Foods That Lower the Risk of Gout
A gout is a form of arthritis that mainly affects the joints. The condition results in the crystallization of uric acid that accumulates in these joints, thus causing severe pain. Uric acid is a byproduct of foods broken down by the body to absorb and utilize energy. Reducing the consumption of purine-rich foods and switching to the following alternatives can help manage the symptoms to some extent.
Dairy products
The risk of gout flare-ups is increased due to an imbalance in uric acid levels in the body. However, studies show that drinking milk and eating yogurt (low fat, of course) reduce the risk of uric acid crystals accumulating in the body. Milk is rich in proteins that also help the bladder to better process out uric acids from the body to maintain an optimum balance.
Broccoli
This leafy green is one of the top superfoods for gout pain management merely owing to the abundance of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals in a single vegetable. Broccoli has concentrated amounts of vitamin c and antioxidants. Vitamin C helps naturally lower the uric acid level in the body, and antioxidants promote compounds that are effective in fighting the inflammation that can result in further flare-ups. Moreover, broccoli is one of the few vegetables with a low purine count, making the superfood a preferable choice to be incorporated in a healthy diet. Research shows that the potent vegetable has less than 70mg of purine per 100 grams of broccoli. Alternatively, beans, lentils, and peas are other veggies that feature a low purine count.
Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits are packed with vitamin C making them one of the best superfoods for gout. More importantly, they are available in abundance, so it is easy to naturally incorporate two or more fruits to meet the daily vitamin C requirement naturally. Lemon, oranges, strawberries, and grapes are low-fructose vitamin-C-rich citrus options for gout to lower the risk of uric acid crystals forming in vital joints. Additionally, they also reduce the risk of inflammation flare-ups if one is already suffering from gout.
Coffee
Several research papers state the benefits of drinking coffee throughout the day to lower the risk of uric acid. Coffee also helps increase the rate of metabolic activity in the body that indirectly promotes quicker excretion of urine. Coffee is also known to counter the enzyme and break down the purines that can trigger uric acid accumulation. However, there are no conclusive studies that diet the effectiveness of coffee once gout develops or the symptoms flare-up.
Plain water
Staying hydrated is one of the crucial tasks for gout management. Superfoods for gout can only help relieve the pain and manage symptoms to some extent. However, drinking plenty of water (at least the recommended number of glasses) will naturally help the body flush out any excess uric acid.