What's the Best Food to Eat to Get Rid of Gout?

December 5, 2025 •

2 min read

According to the Arthritis Foundation, dietary changes are a crucial part of managing gout, a painful form of arthritis affecting millions. Knowing what's the best food to eat to get rid of gout can significantly help lower uric acid levels and decrease the frequency and severity of flare-ups. This involves focusing on a low-purine diet rich in beneficial foods while limiting high-purine and sugary items.

Quick Summary

Adopting a low-purine diet centered on fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy can help manage gout by lowering uric acid levels. Limiting high-purine foods like red meat and organ meats, along with sugary beverages, is also key for preventing painful flare-ups.

Key Points

Low-Purine Diet: A diet low in purines, found in red meats, organ meats, and some seafood, is crucial for managing gout by reducing uric acid levels.
Hydration is Vital: Drinking plenty of water helps the kidneys flush excess uric acid from the body, preventing crystal formation in joints.
Cherries Can Help: Both sweet and tart cherries contain compounds that have been shown to lower uric acid and reduce inflammation associated with gout.
Low-Fat Dairy is Beneficial: Incorporating low-fat milk and yogurt into your diet may help decrease uric acid levels and lower the risk of gout attacks.
Avoid Sugary Drinks and Alcohol: Beverages sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup and most types of alcohol, especially beer, are major triggers for gout flare-ups and should be limited or avoided.
Plant-Based Proteins are Safer: Choose protein sources like tofu, lentils, and beans over high-purine animal proteins to help maintain healthy uric acid levels.

Understanding the Gout and Diet Connection

Gout attacks occur when high uric acid levels in the blood lead to crystal formation in the joints. Uric acid comes from purines in food. For those with gout, the body doesn't handle uric acid well. While diet isn't a cure, a low-purine diet helps manage levels and reduce attacks.

Best Foods to Incorporate into Your Gout Diet

Focus on low-purine, high-fiber whole foods to support healthy uric acid and manage inflammation.

Cherries: Studies suggest cherries and tart cherry juice lower uric acid and reduce flare-ups due to antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
Low-Fat Dairy Products: Milk, yogurt, and kefir may lower gout attack risk and help excrete uric acid.
Water and Fluids: Hydration helps kidneys flush excess uric acid.
Coffee: Moderate consumption may lower uric acid and gout risk.
Vitamin C-Rich Foods: Citrus, kiwi, and bell peppers may help lower uric acid.
Complex Carbohydrates: Whole grains like oats, brown rice, and quinoa provide fiber without spiking uric acid.
Plant-Based Proteins: Tofu, lentils, and beans are lower-purine options than many meats.

Foods to Limit or Avoid with Gout

Restrict high-purine foods and drinks that increase uric acid to minimize flare-ups.

High-Purine Animal Foods: Avoid organ meats, red meats, and game meats.
Certain Seafood: Limit or avoid anchovies, sardines, herring, mussels, and scallops.
Sugary Beverages and High-Fructose Corn Syrup: These increase uric acid production.
Alcohol: Beer and hard liquors raise uric acid and hinder excretion; avoid during a flare-up.
Yeast Extracts: Found in items like gravy and some soups, these are high in purines.

Comparison Table: Gout-Friendly vs. Gout-Aggravating Foods


Category	Gout-Friendly Options	Gout-Aggravating Options
Protein	Tofu, lentils, low-fat dairy, eggs, lean chicken breast	Organ meats (liver, kidney), red meat (beef, lamb), high-purine seafood (anchovies, sardines)
Beverages	Water, coffee, unsweetened tart cherry juice, herbal teas	Beer, hard liquor, sugary sodas, fruit juices with added sugar
Fruits & Veggies	Cherries, citrus fruits, berries, most vegetables (including spinach, asparagus)	High-fructose fruits in excess (mango, watermelon), fruit juices with added sugar
Carbohydrates	Whole grains (brown rice, oats, whole wheat pasta)	Refined carbs (white bread, white rice), sugary cereals and pastries
Fats	Olive oil, nuts, avocados	Saturated fats from red meat, fatty poultry skin, full-fat dairy

Long-Term Dietary Strategies for Gout Management

Sustainable, healthy eating is key. Diets like DASH or Mediterranean plans align with low-purine principles and can help control weight, which is important for gout. Gradual weight loss can lower uric acid, but rapid dieting can trigger attacks. Combine diet with prescribed medication for best results. A registered dietitian can provide tailored guidance.

Conclusion: A Balanced Diet is Key

No single food cures gout, but a healthy dietary pattern significantly helps. A low-purine diet emphasizing hydration, low-fat dairy, and cherries, while limiting red meat, organ meats, sugary drinks, and alcohol, is most effective. This approach, with medical treatment, helps manage symptoms and reduce flare-ups. Consistent healthy eating is vital for long-term well-being and preventing gout attacks.

Frequently Asked Questions

The best drink is plain water. Drinking 8 to 16 cups of water per day helps your kidneys excrete excess uric acid from your body, preventing the crystal buildup that causes gout.

Yes, research indicates that consuming cherries or unsweetened tart cherry juice can help lower uric acid levels and reduce the frequency of gout attacks due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

You can eat some lean meat, such as chicken or turkey, in moderation (around 4-6 ounces per day). However, you should strictly limit or avoid organ meats and red meats, which are very high in purines and can trigger a flare-up.

Low-fat dairy products, such as milk and yogurt, have been shown to be beneficial for gout. They contain proteins that help increase uric acid excretion, potentially lowering levels and reducing flare-ups.

Not all seafood needs to be avoided entirely, but you should limit or avoid high-purine types like anchovies, sardines, scallops, and mussels. Leaner fish like salmon may be acceptable in moderation, but moderation is key.

Alcohol, particularly beer and hard liquor, increases uric acid production and impairs your kidneys' ability to excrete it. Beer is also high in purines, making it a major trigger for gout attacks.

Yes, current research suggests that high-purine vegetables like spinach and asparagus do not increase the risk of gout attacks. The benefits of including them in your diet as part of a healthy, balanced eating pattern outweigh any moderate purine content.