Shrimp Foods And Anti Gout Diet

Should shrimp be avoided if one is suffering from gout – Please suggest which shrimps are healthy to eat for gout sufferers?

Gout refers to a medical condition that occurs due to inflammation and pain in the joints, such as that of the big toe, ankle etc. People with gout either produce too much uric acid or are unable to eliminate it efficiently from their system, thus leading to an excess of uric acid which forms crystals and gets accumulated in the joints. Dietary modifications are efficient in controlling and treating problems of gout. It is important to reduce consumption of foods rich in compounds known as purines which raise the uric acid levels in the blood and increase the risk of gout.

Shrimps are high in purine compounds and can increase the level of uric acid in the blood and thus they should be avoided. Other foods high in purines include seafood products such as fish roe, sardines, scallops, trout, mackerel, herring and anchovies, poultry including chicken, duck and turkey, meat such as pork, beef and bacon, meat extracts, minced meat, yeast extracts, baker’s yeast and brewer’s yeast. Even lentils, lima beans and spinach are high in purine compounds and thus they should be avoided.

Gout Treatment Diet And Anti Gout Diet Plans

Apart from restricting foods that have high purine content, you should also avoid foods with sugar content, i.e. sucrose found in refined sugars as well as fructose found in fruits. This is because they can also increase the levels of uric acid in the system. Consumption of alcohol, especially beer should also be limited to a maximum of one drink daily. It is important to lose weight to control and treat gout effectively, but you should avoid drastic diets or fad diets which can lead to a buildup of uric acid in your system.

Instead you should stick to a moderate diet and regular exercise to gradually lose weight and get in shape. You should modify your diet to reduce the fat intake and increase consumption of proteins and carbohydrates. You should eat plenty of whole grain cereals and fresh vegetables, avoiding all fried, greasy and spicy foods as well as non-vegetarian food. Moderate consumption of Vitamin C with the doctor’s advice is also recommended to reduce the levels of uric acid in the blood.

You can consume ½ a pound of cherries or drink the juice obtained from ½ a pound of cherries to combat the pain and inflammation caused by gout. This also helps to increase Vitamin C compounds in the blood. Finally it is important to drink plenty of water, i.e. at least 3 liters of water daily, in order to treat the gout problem by diluting and dissolving the uric acid crystals that have formed in the joints.