Foods You Should Not Eat If You Have Elevated Uric Acid

Elevated uric acid or hyperuricemia has traditionally been associated with people who love immunity, both when eating and drinking. Although we know that it depends on a number of factors, dietary change is important if you have elevated uric acid.

Hyperuricemia or elevated uric acid

Uric acid is a compound consisting of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen that is formed when your body breaks down purines. Purines are formed naturally in the body and they are also found in certain foods.

Uric acid does not cause health problems when you have normal levels as it is excreted by the kidneys. However, for various reasons, your uric acid levels may rise beyond acceptable levels.

When you have elevated uric acid, one of the most feared symptoms is gout. However, the negative consequences of hyperuricemia can be even more serious. It is related to a higher risk of kidney and cardiovascular problems and chronic arthritis.

Foods high in uric acid

You should correct an excess of uric acid to avoid long-term health problems and loss of quality of life. It can be very beneficial to change a few diets.

Also read: The new diet pyramid for a healthy lifestyle

If you are suffering from this health problem, there are certain foods that you should avoid. Keep in mind, though, that we are not talking about forbidden foods, just foods that you should limit your intake of.

Purine-rich foods

Purines are components that are naturally formed in the body. When they are broken down, they turn into uric acid. Therefore, controlling your intake of foods high in purine can help reduce the amount of uric acid in your blood. Especially during outbreaks of gout.

The following are foods high in purine:

• Liver, kidneys, sprat and other organs.
• Red meat from cows, sheep and pigs.
• Fatty seafood such as sardines, anchovies, tuna, shrimp, crabs and other shellfish. You should not avoid them all, because then you will miss out on their benefits. But you need to eat moderate portions.
• Sausages.
• Highly aged cheeses.
• Certain vegetables like asparagus, peas, spinach and tomato contain many purines. A sensible option is to reduce your consumption of this type of vegetable to once or twice a week.

Fatty foods

It is harder to eliminate urates when you eat a lot of fat. For this reason, you should check the amount of fat in your diet if you have elevated uric acid.

The best option, it is almost always, is to use extra virgin olive oil. You can use it raw as a dressing for your dishes and also for cooking. It is better to eliminate processed foods completely as these may have trans or hydrogenated fats, and reduce your intake of saturated fats.

Fructose and sugary drinks

Fructose is the only carbohydrate that has been shown to have a direct relationship to the metabolism of uric acid. In this case, we are talking about sodas, fruit juices and other sweetened beverages.

The risk of gout is twice as high in people who drink two or more sugary drinks a day, compared to those who drink less than one a month.

However, we do not know the exact cause of this increase in uric acid. It may be due to other ingredients in beverages besides fructose or be due to other unhealthy habits.

Alcohol

In the case of alcoholic beverages, there is no doubt. The risk of developing gout is more than twice as high among men who drink 50 grams or more of alcohol a day, compared to those who do not drink alcohol.

Also read: Ten things that happen to your body by drinking alcohol

In both men and women, alcohol consumption is related to higher uremia and gout. In fact, the risk is higher in women.

This is because consuming a lot of alcohol in a short time increases the lactic acid concentration. This makes it difficult for the kidneys to remove uric acid. On the other hand, if you chronically drink alcohol, the problem comes from high levels of purines.

Good diets to keep in mind when you have elevated uric acid

When we talk about hyperuricemia, we are not just talking about foods you should not eat. There are other steps in the diet and related aspects that you can change to improve your situation:

• It does not help to have a weight that is higher than what is considered healthy. If you are overweight, take steps for gradual weight loss.
• You should not fast or extremely limit your calorie intake as this can also increase your levels.
• Drink enough water. You should drink approx. 2 liters (8 glasses) of water a day.

All of these steps should accompany your specific medical treatment prescribed by a physician.

Concluding remarks on elevated uric acid

You should limit your intake of red meat, fatty fish, sugary drinks and alcohol if you suffer from hyperuricemia. Eating moderately, drinking plenty of water, and eating a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, skim milk, and yogurt will be a great help in combating this health problem.