Comprehensive Guide to Low-Purine Diet - Definition, Foods to Eat & Avoid

Individuals suffering from diseases like kidney stones, gout or other similar problems can keep their condition in check by following a low-purine diet. This diet will help prevent high purine concentration in the body. Further, it will also reduce the chances of having gout.

Learn about the food items to eat and avoid in the following section, along with a comprehensive definition of a low-purine diet.

Purines are organic compounds found in the body that are harmless when present in low concentrations. This is because breaking down purine releases uric acid in the blood, which further flushes out of the body through kidney filtration. However, if present in high amounts, purine accumulates uric acid in the body, which is a common cause of gout, kidney stones, and other diseases.

Switching to a low-purine diet can help individuals maintain purine level by limiting its intake and replacing it with healthier alternatives.

Here is a list of low-purine food that one can follow to avoid transferring excess uric acid into the bloodstream:

• Fruits & vegetables
• Lean proteins
• Low-fat dairy items like skimmed milk, yoghurt
• Egg
• Grains & starch like rice, pasta, potatoes, etc.,
• Nuts & peanut butter
• Vitamin C-rich vegetables and fruits like bell pepper, avocados, etc.

ndividuals should avoid consuming the following eatables when on a  low-purine diet, such as:

• Organ meat like kidney, thymus glands, liver, kidneys
• Seafood like tuna, codfish, trout, scallops, sardines and others
• Wild game like duck, veal and others
• Red meat, pork, lamb
• High-fructose products like cereal, juices, ice-cream

If you have formed uric acid crystals in your joints or tendons, leading to gout or kidney stones, you must start following a low-purine diet to prevent excess uric acid from entering your bloodstream. Also, it further helps reduce severe health complications in future.

A low-purine diet is also helpful for those with a medical condition involving high uric acid  called hyperuricemia.

Apart from making changes in your diet plan, you may also have to bring positive changes in your lifestyle, which include:

• Maintain a Healthy Weight

Doctors recommend maintaining a healthy weight for insulin to work properly and remove excess sugar from the blood. In other words, losing weight lowers uric acid level and prevents insulin resistance. Thus reducing the chances of developing kidney stone and gout diseases.

• Stay Hydrated

Another positive habit to incorporate in your life is always staying hydrated. When the body gets appropriate water content, it reduces the chances of developing the disease by flushing urine out and maintaining uric acid content in the blood. Also, you will have to keep an eye on how much you sweat. If you are more involved in laborious activity, you may need more hydration.

• Avoid Alcohol

One of the common triggers of a gout attack and kidney stone is alcohol. Your body first tries to flush out alcohol before removing uric acid. As a result, the uric acid gets accumulated and crystalised over time. So, it is better to minimise your alcohol intake or avoid it altogether.

• Exercise Regularly

Daily exercise can reduce your chances of suffering from gout attacks or kidney stone. It does so by maintaining a healthy body weight and maintaining low uric acid content in the blood.

• Include Vitamin C Supplement in Your Diet

Including vitamin C supplements in your daily diet can minimise your chances of experiencing a gout attack by maintaining a low uric acid level in the blood. This is because vitamin C helps the kidney flush out more uric acid present in the urine.

A low-purine diet helps people maintain low uric acid levels in their blood and prevent their chances of suffering from gout attacks and kidney stones. So, if you are thinking of trying out this low-purine diet, refer to the above lists of foods you need to eat and avoid. Also, look at the healthy habits to include in your daily life to experience utmost positive results.