Gout and Purine
The main cause of gout is the high level of uric acid in the blood. Where does the uric acid in the human body come from? Uric acid is the product of purine oxidation in the human body. In other words, purine is the culprit that leads to gout. Gout is closely related to dietary habits, so reducing purine intake in food is also crucial if you want to stay away from gout!
The “accomplices” or “root causes” of gout have been identified. Reminder: 5 types of “hidden purine” foods, consume them less often to possibly avoid gout!
1. Animal organs (brain, liver, kidneys, etc.)
Animal organs such as goose liver, pork liver, chicken hearts, brains, kidneys, etc., contain very high levels of purine. Besides being rich in purine, a substrate for uric acid synthesis, they also contain abundant saturated fatty acids, which are positively correlated with insulin resistance and can reduce uric acid excretion by the kidneys. Consumption of these foods can lead to an increase in uric acid levels in the body, which is not beneficial for overall health.
2. Seafood and shellfish
Seafood and shellfish are rich in purine and protein. During the body’s metabolism process, purine breaks down and generates uric acid, which is then excreted in urine. Consuming large amounts of protein can create a slightly acidic environment in the body, promoting the formation of uric acid crystals.
Therefore, frequent consumption of seafood can rapidly increase uric acid levels in the blood, hindering timely excretion, leading to the deposition of urate salts and triggering gout.
3. Rich meat soups, rich fish soups, seafood hotpot soups
Do you know? The prevalence of gout and hyperuricemia among Cantonese people is higher than in other regions of China, mainly due to their fondness for rich meat soups, rich fish soups, and seafood hotpot soups.
This is because purine is a substance soluble in water, and rich meat soups contain a high amount of purine. Moreover, the high fat content in meat soups can lead to metabolic abnormalities. Additionally, meat soups contain a large amount of seasonings, which are not conducive to uric acid excretion from the body.
4. Alcohol
Although alcohol has a low purine content, it contains a large amount of guanosine. Guanosine metabolizes into purine in the body. Furthermore, alcohol metabolism in the body produces lactic acid. Lactic acid competes with uric acid for excretion pathways, affecting uric acid excretion and leading to increased uric acid levels in the body, triggering gout.
Therefore, regular alcohol consumption also contributes to gout!
5. Hotpot
This is because in hotpot, the soup continues to boil and the meats and seafood in it release purines, which dissolve into the soup. The concentration of purines in the soup is much higher than in the foods themselves. After indulging in a hotpot meal, the amount of absorbed purines by the body may be tens of times higher than during normal eating!
Therefore, health experts remind us not to drink the soup broth from the hotpot excessively, as the high purine content can cause a sharp increase in uric acid levels in the body.
If you want to lower uric acid levels and eliminate purines, there is an important method – drink more water!
Health experts suggest that uric acid dissolves in urine. In other words, the more urine the body excretes, the more uric acid is naturally excreted. Therefore, by drinking more water and ensuring an adequate intake of fluids, more uric acid can be eliminated, preventing crystal formation and avoiding conditions like gout.
So, how much water should you drink? It is recommended to consume over 2000 milliliters of water daily.
That’s all for today’s sharing with you, hope the content today brings some help, and feel free to share other knowledge about gout in the comments section to benefit more people. Sharing is caring. Thank you~ And of course, if you found this article helpful, remember to like and share. Spreading love is spreading care. Love you all~
References:
Chen W, Fang WG, Gu P, et al. The correlation between purine-rich food intake, obesity, alcohol consumption, and hyperuricemia. Chinese Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Bai JJ, Xia Y, Wu QJ, et al. Research progress on the relationship between purine-rich foods and hyperuricemia. Chinese Journal of Public Health.
Sun MH. High purine foods, excessive consumption leading to increased uric acid. Healthy Living.
A Ying. Gout patients should avoid purine-rich foods. Health & Life.
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