| Gout is an extremely painful form of arthritis that | | | | percent more likely to develop gout compared to |
| can be triggered by what a person eats. Even in | | | | men who ate the least seafood. The study |
| the 1600s, doctors recognized a link between | | | | determined that eating canned tuna more than |
| gout and diet but they didn't have solid | | | | once a week increased gout occurrence risk by |
| information on what foods cause the condition. | | | | 28 percent. |
| Today, researchers have pinpointed specific food | | | | 4. Limit red meat - Survey findings showed that |
| groups that contribute to gout. A massive study | | | | the participants who consumed the most beef, |
| that involved more than 46,000 men who tracked | | | | pork and lamb had a 41 percent higher incidence |
| their eating habits for more than 12 years has | | | | of gout than the men who ate these foods the |
| uncovered foods that can cause gout and seem | | | | least. |
| to prevent it. | | | | 5. Eat low-fat dairy - Men who ate the most |
| Based on this study, a gout diet should exclude | | | | low-fat dairy (defined as frequent intake of |
| sugar-sweetened soda drinks, seafood (including | | | | low-fat yogurt and skim milk) had a 42 percent |
| fish and shellfish), beef and pork, and alcohol. | | | | lower rate of developing gout than the men who |
| What should a gout diet include? Make sure you | | | | consumed the smallest amounts of low-fat dairy |
| get enough foods rich in vitamin C, low-fat dairy | | | | products. |
| products and plenty of water. | | | | 6. Consume foods with high vitamin C content - |
| Gout diet recommendations | | | | Survey results show that the men who |
| 1. Eliminate sugar-sweetened sodas - In the large | | | | consumed 1,500 milligrams or more of vitamin C |
| gout study we just mentioned, researchers found | | | | had a 45 percent lower risk of developing gout |
| that men who drank one soda a day had a 45 | | | | compared to the participants who ingested less |
| percent higher chance of developing gout than | | | | than 250 milligrams of vitamin C daily. Top foods |
| men who drank one can of soda a month. And | | | | for vitamin C are: papaya, bell peppers (yellow, |
| the men who drank two sodas a day were 85 | | | | red and green), broccoli, brussel sprouts, |
| percent more likely to come down with gout than | | | | strawberries, oranges, cantaloupe, kiwifruit, kale, |
| those who rarely consumed soda. | | | | cauliflower (boiled), kale (boiled), grapefruit, |
| 2. Avoid alcohol - Study participants were 30 | | | | tomatoes and raspberries. |
| percent more likely to develop gout if they drank | | | | 7. Drink plenty of water - A study presented at |
| one alcoholic drink a day, compared to participants | | | | the 2006 annual scientific meeting of the |
| who drank no alcohol. The men who consumed | | | | American College of Rheumatology found a link |
| two alcoholic drinks daily were 50 percent more | | | | between dehydration due to hot and humid |
| likely to develop gout and at 3 drinks a day, the | | | | weather and gout attacks. Based on this report, it |
| risk for gout jumped to 100 percent. | | | | makes sense to stay hydrated (in all weather |
| 3. Limit seafood - The men in the study who at | | | | conditions) and include 6 to 8 glasses of water |
| the most seafood (fish and shellfish) were 51 | | | | daily in a gout diet. |