Those suffering from gout often find that they have periods where the pain is more intense than others are and this might be related to the foods that they are eating. Most people know that foods high in purines are often to blame, but some foods with high protein content can be a problem as well. Both of these tend to raise the levels of uric acid in the body, and that means the painful crystals associated with gout form more readily and easily. Not only should a gout patient worry about what they are supposed to eat, they have to find a list of food that cause gout pain so they can avoid them.
As more and more information is released, it is becoming clearer which foods are bad for gout and which are safe to eat. Some say all seafood is bad, but that statement is currently being reevaluated. It now appears that some seafood will cause problems and should remain on the list of foods that cause gout, but others are actually okay, and because seafood is good for the body, this is very good news. Mussels, for example, are high in purines and should be avoided. The same can be said for scallops, haddock, herring, sardines, smelt, all types of trout, and salmon. Anything else may be okay, but it can be individual to each patient.
Yeast seems to be an issue with gout, and many sufferers avoid some breads. However, it seems that whole grain breads are the ones to avoid the most. Other types of bread can be tried to see what reaction there is, if any, if someone wishes to reintroduce bread back into their diet. Yeast is in all breads though, so it may still be problematic for some people. Yeasts and whole grain breads are considered high to medium purine foods, so be careful and monitor pain if adding back to the diet. Beer contains yeast, so it may need to be avoided as well.
Most don't like to hear it, but bacon is another food best avoided. Bacon is a protein and moderately high in purines, depending on the cut, and is probably something to avoid.
The heart tissue of any type of animal is very high in purines, and should be avoided. Other types of meat to avoid are other organ meats, turkey, mutton, grouse, veal, pheasant, and goose. Like heart tissue, these are higher in purines and raise levels of uric acid in the system.
Some studies suggest that vegetables should be on a list of foods that cause gout pain, but again this is undergoing careful reconsideration. It was said that avoiding vegetables like spinach, cauliflower, asparagus, and mushrooms was vital to good health for gout patients, but that might not be the case for all. Some have to avoid legumes as well. These include dried items like peas, beans, and even soybeans. You now have room to experiment with all of these rather than instantly ridding your diet of them.
Some sufferers think they will find it incredibly hard to follow along and avoid the list of foods that cause gout pain, but after putting up with the pain for so long, letting go of some of these foods should be pretty easy. With gout and diet it is very much a of elimination and trial and error before figuring out which foods are triggers for pain and which ones can be tolerated.
