4 foods that seem healthy but can easily trigger gout pain

Gout is a common arthritis that cannot be completely cured. Symptoms of the disease include sudden, intense pain with redness and swelling in the joints of the toes, ankles, wrists, knees, hands… accompanied by redness and swelling. The patient may not be able to walk if the pain becomes severe.

People with gout are often advised to avoid foods with high purine content. Because purines are decomposed, it leads to the formation of uric acid. Excess uric acid can crystallize and cause kidney stones or deposit in joints, causing acute gout attacks. Food cannot cure gout, but diet is directly related to the likelihood of gout flare-ups.

Poultry

Goose, geese, and duck meat have high purine content. Beef is often considered unhealthy because it can produce compounds such as heterocyclic amines (HCA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) when processed at high temperatures… However, lean cuts of beef have less purine than veal, lamb and chicken with skin.

100 g of goose or duck meat can contain about 138 mg of purines. People with gout can still eat but should only consume about 50-80 g/day, maximum two days a week. When eating poultry, you should limit eating the skin, prioritize boiling and steaming, and avoid over-processing because it can increase purine content.

Seafood

Seafood such as shrimp, squid, and clams, is one of the few natural food sources that provide vitamin D, which contributes to bone health as well as immune function.

Theo Healthlinea rich source of lean protein in seafood helps build and restore muscles and increase metabolism. It is also rich in essential micronutrients and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. However, some seafood contains a lot of purine such as mussels, crabs, giant crayfish, squid, and scallops. Eating too much can trigger gout attacks.

Fish

Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which help reduce inflammation and lower triglyceride levels. The omega-3 fatty acid DHA also contributes to improving cognitive function and reducing the risk of cognitive decline in older adults.

However, many types of fish contain large amounts of purine such as anchovies, sardines, herring, mackerel, tuna… When canned or processed through many stages, the amount of purine will increase. Patients should prioritize freshwater fish such as snakehead fish, carp, red tilapia, and perch because they are low in purines.

Yeast and yeast extract

Theo Healthfoods rich in probiotics help replenish large amounts of beneficial bacteria for the intestines, supporting microflora balance and digestive health. However, eating a lot of foods containing yeast can lead to changes in the intestinal tract that, over time, prompt the body to produce more uric acid, causing gout complications such as kidney stones, kidney failure, and blood vessel damage. Foods containing yeast should be limited such as ripe cheese, cereals, and cream cheese.