Purine is a compound found primarily in foods of animal origin. It is especially high in organ meats, anchovies, mackerel, and sardines.
Why Should I Follow a Low-Purine Diet?
A low-purine diet is usually recommended if you have
gout. It may also be recommended if you have
kidney stones
or have had an organ transplant.
The body metabolizes purine into uric acid. A buildup of uric acid can worsen symptoms of gout. If you have gout, eating a low-purine diet can help minimize uric acid production and thereby improve symptoms.
Eating Guide for a Low-Purine Diet
Food Category
Foods Recommended
Foods to Limit or Avoid
Grains
Enriched breads, cereals, rice, noodles, pasta, and potatoes
Oatmeal (no more than 2/3 cup uncooked, daily)
Wheat bran, wheat germ (no more than ¼ cup dry, daily)
Vegetables
All except those on the “foods to limit or avoid” list
Mushrooms, green peas, dried peas and beans, spinach, asparagus, cauliflower (no more than ½ cup per day)
Fruits
All fruit and juices
—
Dairy
Nonfat or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese
Eggs
—
Meat and Beans
Eggs, peanut butter, and nuts
Red meat (eg, beef, lamb, pork, and veal), poultry, fish, and shellfish (no more than 4-6 ounces per day)
Dried peas, beans, and lentils (no more than 1 cup cooked daily)
In addition to following a low-purine diet, here are some other suggestions for decreasing uric acid production:
Avoid or limit your intake of alcohol, especially beer. While alcohol does not contain purines, it increases your production of purine.
Drink 8-12 cups of fluid every day. This will help dilute your urinary uric acid, which can help prevent kidney stones from forming.
Consume low-fat or nonfat dairy products, such as milk and yogurt, on a regular basis. Research shows that these foods may help prevent gout from occurring.
Limit your intake of fat to 30% of your calories.
Don’t follow low-carbohydrate diets.
Avoid rapid weight loss, as this can increase your uric acid levels. If you need to lose weight, do so gradually.
Consider meeting with a registered dietitian to come up with a personalized eating plan.
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2005;52:283-289.
Fam AG. Gout: excess calories, purines, and alcohol intake and beyond. Response to a urate-lowering diet.
J Rheumatol.
2005;32:903-905.
Gout: is a purine-restricted diet still recommended? American Dietetic Association website. Available at:
http://www.eatrigh...
. Accessed June 22, 2007.
Hyon CK, Mount DB, Reginato AM. Pathogenesis of gout.
Ann Intern Med.
2005;143:499-516.
Low-purine diet. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center website. Available at:
http://patienteducation.upmc.com/Pdf/LowPurineDiet.PDF
. Accessed June 21, 2007.
Nutrition care manual. American Dietetic Association website. Available at:
http://nutritioncaremanual.org/auth.cfm?p=%2Findex.cfm%3F
. Accessed January 3, 2009.
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This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.
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