A painful inflammatory form of arthritis, gout tends to affect your joints one at a time. The episodes, also known as flares, appear when the symptoms of gouts are worse. Repeated flares of gouts can result in a condition called gouty arthritis. As there is no cure for this disease, the only way to manage it is through medication and strategies aimed at lifestyle and diet management. In terms of a diet, some foods are to be avoid by gout patietns. These foods are high in purine, which gets converted into uric acid by the body. So, when you consume such foods, your uric acid level increases, causing gout flares.

So, let us look take a closer look at what foods to avoid for gout.

Meats
Organ meats like the liver and kidneys and game meats like pheasant and veal have high levels of purine. With regard to other kinds of meats, like chicken, pork, and lamb, these should also be had in moderation. You will also need to avoid the consumption of other animal-based foods like broths, gravies, and soups as they are very high in purine.

Seafood
All kinds of seafood like fish, oysters, crabs, lobsters, and shrimps contain large amounts of purine and need to be consumed in moderation. The most problematic seafood are scallops, mackerel, sardines, anchovies and herring, as they are known to have an association with the flare-up of gout.

Whole-grain Foods
Although grain foods are more beneficial to gout patients than risk, it is advisable to limit consumption as the purine level in them is average. Studies have shown that by reducing the consumption of foods with a high glycemic index, like white bread and rice, you can reduce the risk of gout flares. So, make sure to manage the amount of whole grains in your diet.

Sugary Foods
Sugary beverages like fruit juices and sodas as well as foods with added sugar like honey, high-fructose corn syrup, and agave nectar can lead to an increase in the level of uric acid in the body. Hence, they can lead to flares and are foods to avoid for gout. Try and stick to consuming fresh fruits rather than juices to get fiber and necessary nutrition, without the overdose of sugar.

Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages, as per studies, can potentially increase the production of purine in the body, which in turn can lead to an increase in uric acid levels. Thus, limit your consumption of alcohol, especially beer, as it is rich in purine.

Now, you have a fair idea about which foods to avoid for gout. Plan your daily meals accordingly and consult a doctor or nutritionist if you need a personalized diet or suffer from some other diseases too.