Summer has come again. In the evenings of summer, with a gentle breeze blowing, enjoying a barbecue, sipping beer, it is truly one of life’s great pleasures.
However, for those with high uric acid levels, this kind of joy is now beyond your reach. Barbecue and beer can be considered a “gout package meal”, with frequent consumption possibly sending uric acid levels “sky-high”.
In addition to barbecue and beer, there are many other high purine foods to be wary of for those with high uric acid levels. Keeping uric acid stable within a normal range by avoiding these foods will prevent gout from bothering you.
Uric Acid Levels in Food
Level One: Low-purine foods. These can be eaten in moderate amounts and are helpful in reducing uric acid levels.
Main low-purine staple foods include: millet, glutinous rice, wheat, flour, oats, coix seed, sweet potatoes, and potatoes;
Low-purine vegetables include cabbage, celery, cabbage, shepherd’s purse, cucumbers, bitter gourd, winter melon, loofah, eggplant, green peppers, radishes, tomatoes, and wood ear fungus. Particularly noteworthy are bitter gourd, winter melon, and radish, with low purine levels, high water content, heat-clearing, and diuretic properties, which are helpful in acid excretion when consumed regularly.
Low-purine meat includes pig blood, pig skin, sea cucumber, and sea moss. There are relatively fewer low-purine meats, and these types can be consumed in moderation but not excessively.
Eggs such as chicken eggs, duck eggs, and preserved eggs are rich in nutrients and suitable for supplementing the nutrition of individuals with high uric acid levels, but eggs should not be consumed in excess – a maximum of two per day. Although preserved eggs have low purine content, they are not healthy, so they should be consumed sparingly.
Additionally, foods like milk, almonds, goji berries, lotus seeds, strawberries, pineapples, are also low in purines. While fruits are generally low in purines, many fruits have high fructose content, so they can be consumed but not excessively.
Level Two: Moderate-purine foods. These can be consumed in moderation, but the quantity should be controlled and not excessive.
Main moderate-purine staple foods include wheat bran, rice bran, and wheat germ;
Moderate-purine vegetables include fresh peas, green beans, enoki mushrooms, Tremella fuciformis, and kelp;
Legumes such as red beans, mung beans, tofu, black beans, green beans are all moderate-purine foods and can be consumed in moderation.
Moderate-purine meats include pork, beef, lamb, chicken, rabbit, pig heart, pig brain, pigeon meat, grass carp, ribbonfish, grass carp, carp, fish maw, cod, salmon, chicken heart, duck intestine, etc. There are quite a variety of moderate-purine meats; if your uric acid levels are well-controlled, you can consume moderate amounts of these meats. When consuming meat, keep in mind to use fewer seasonings in cooking and avoid meat broth. However, if your uric acid levels are not within a reasonable range yet, you should avoid consuming these meats.
Furthermore, moderate-purine foods like black sesame, cashews, peanuts, Tremella fuciformis, white fungus, sunflower seeds, etc., can be consumed in moderation if uric acid levels are well controlled.
Level Three: High-purine foods. These should be avoided as much as possible; do not consume them until uric acid levels are lowered.
Vegetables like shiitake mushrooms, pea shoots, bean sprouts, nori seaweed, etc.;
Meats such as duck, goose, pig liver, beef liver, horse meat, pig intestines, chicken liver, shrimp, freshwater eel, gilt-head bream, oysters, squid, oysters, salmon, clams, sardines, sauries, mackerel, hairtail, cockles, anchovies, etc.
Other items to avoid include yeast powder, various types of stewed meat soups, fish soups, etc. These foods should be strictly avoided; consume them only when absolutely necessary.
Summer is unique as uric acid levels tend to fluctuate. The season brings increased perspiration, and if you can control your diet, drink plenty of water, urinate frequently, avoid excessive air-conditioning, refrain from staying up late, and maintain a regular lifestyle, your uric acid levels can easily stay balanced. However, if you do not control your diet well, consume a lot of cold drinks, indulge in barbecues, and do not adjust your lifestyle and dietary habits, your uric acid levels will likely increase significantly.
For individuals with high uric acid levels, cultivating good lifestyle habits, maintaining a balanced diet, controlling weight, refraining from smoking and alcohol, and quickly lowering uric acid levels to a reasonable range are essential in warding off the onset of gout.
