Low-purine eating: meal ideas

What the sources say

NIAMS explains that urate comes from purines, which are found in the body’s tissues and in many foods, and that purine-rich foods are usually from animal sources. Among diet changes, NIAMS lists drinking fewer alcoholic beverages (including nonalcoholic beer), avoiding sugar-sweetened drinks, avoiding red meats and organ meats such as liver, kidney, tongue, and sweetbreads, and avoiding certain seafood such as shrimp, lobster, sardines, and anchovies.

NIAMS also describes the DASH eating plan: plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains; low-fat or fat-free dairy, poultry, and oils; and limits on saturated fat and sugar-sweetened foods and drinks. NHLBI’s description of DASH also includes fish, beans, and nuts.

What food can and cannot do

NIAMS says that when gout comes with frequent flares or tophi, lifestyle changes alone are not enough, and medicines that lower urate are the mainstay. Eating well is still worth doing for its own sake and for heart health. It is not a reason to start, stop, or change a medicine. Talk with your clinician before big diet changes, especially if you have kidney disease or diabetes.

This site does not publish purine counts, a daily purine limit, or a list of foods that cure gout. There is no such list.

Meal ideas

Each is built on vegetables, whole grains, beans, low-fat dairy, eggs, or a modest amount of poultry. None uses organ meats or shellfish.

• Vegetable and lentil soup A pot of soup built on carrots, celery, tomatoes, greens, and lentils.
• Vegetable omelet with toast Eggs folded around peppers, spinach, and a little low-fat cheese, with whole-grain toast.
• Overnight oats with yogurt and fruit Rolled oats soaked in low-fat milk and yogurt, topped with fruit.
• Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with brown rice A modest amount of chicken with plenty of vegetables over brown rice.
• Whole-wheat pasta primavera Whole-wheat pasta tossed with seasonal vegetables, olive oil, and a little cheese.
• Roasted vegetable and chickpea grain bowl Roasted vegetables and chickpeas over a whole grain, with a yogurt dressing.