Purines naturally are broken down for the production of uric acid, which is a substance in the body. Now the problem begins when you take too much of these purines thereby elevating the level of uric acid in your body which can cause kidney disease or even gout. To stay healthy, below are some tips on the top 19 purine foods you should ingest in low quantity if you can’t avoid them totally:
1. Organ meats
Organ meats such as the heart, spleen and liver are rich in vitamins and minerals such as potassium, iron, and magnesium. But they are also high in purines. Purines content: 444 to 773 mg per 100 g of serving, with various calorie counts.
2. Sunflower Seeds
These contain high amounts of purines. For every 100 grams, you get 143 milligrams of purines, so keep your sunflower seed intake in check.
3. Caviar
Caviar is popularly available in sushi restaurants. Though it used to be only present as a ritzy food eaten by aristocratic people, it is now a very common meal. It is very high in purine so stay away from it.
4. Sardines
They contain salty fish which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and also triggers a response even when they are consumed in little portions. Eat them in moderate quantity.
5. Duck
As strange as it may seem, duck does contain purines, but not so high. Still, try and stay away from it.
6. Fish
Apart from perch, anchovies and herring that are a bit low in purines, all other fish contain a high amount of purines.
7. Chicken
I know you don’t want to believe this but it’s the truth. Yes! Chicken contains purines, even higher than beef but not fish. This is one thing that’s hard to keep away from, so it’s advised you monitor your intake of it.
8. Lentils
Although lentils are increasingly becoming more popular thanks to their various health benefits, you will want to skip them because they are one of the foods with high purine content. In addition, they are also a good source of fiber and vegetarian protein.
9. Ham
Ham is often allowed on various diet programs. However, if you are looking to reduce your purine consumption, you should reduce your ham intake. That is because it is quite high in purines in comparison to other foods.
10. Mussels
Mussels are easy to ignore as long as you stay away from seafood restaurants. They belong to the shellfish family and are high in purines. They would not show up unless you seek them out.
11. Beef
Well normally if you don’t have gout then you could still take this naturally. But people with gout are advised not to consume this in large quantity. You should consult your doctor to know whether beef is okay or not for you.
12. Venison
Venison is one of the foods that are high in purines, which means you should skip it if you are suffering from gout. In addition, it is also a great source of protein that can further aggravate the gout symptoms.
13. Scallops
Scallops belong to the family of shellfish and are wore than mussels and lobster because they contain a high amount of purine. You often see scallops combined with mussels, and some other seafood choices in an excellent dish but you should definitely try to avoid it.
14. Raisins
These dried grapes can cause some problems for gout sufferers because few people know that they contain purines. Raisins show up in all kinds of baked goods and many other recipes, so you should be careful not to consume too many of them.
15. Lobster
Lobster also belongs to the shellfish family. They all contain purines, so you’ll need to monitor your lobster intake.
16. Lamb
Like other meats, lamb is high in both purines and protein, which will make gout symptoms worse. It is available at many grocery stores, butchers, and most restaurants with international dishes.
17. Shrimp
It is the most common shellfish and also has the highest purine content of them all. Always what you eat because lots of foods contain shrimps without it being obvious.
18. Veal
Most times, people make the mistake of replacing beef with veal but ironically, veal contains way more purines than beef.
19. Turkey
Turkey contains less purines than chicken or duck but they still are above average so they are dangerous.
This list only provides basic information which you may find helpful but to be sure, you should seek professional advise from your doctor.
