Gout Diet
Gout can be an agonizing condition for those stricken with it. While there is no cure for this strain of arthritis, a gout diet can make it much more bearable and possibly help avoid getting it.

Most gout treatment diets recommend eliminating or restricting foods high in purines. Foods typically eliminated from the best diets for gout are animal hearts, herring, mussels, yeast, smelt, sardines and sweetbreads. A diet to prevent gout may also exclude anchovies, grouse, mutton, veal, bacon, liver, salmon, turkey, kidneys, partridge, trout, goose, haddock, pheasant and scallops.

A gout diet is usually heavy in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and starches. Most meats, especially red meat, is excluded from an arthritis gout diet. Alcohol is not forbidden but gout dietary restrictions call for no more than one glass of wine per day if you are on a diet for gout.

Gout Diet Foods
There are some fruits and vegetables that are better for gout and diets that address arthritis. These include:
• Red and blue berries like cherries, strawberries and blueberries
• Bananas
• Pineapple
• Red and orange fruits including oranges, red peppers, mango and papayas
• Celery
• Tomatoes
• Dark green leafy vegetables including red and green cabbage and spinach
• Low-fat milk, cheese and yogurt
• Complex carbohydrates like bran, wheat germ, barley, cornmeal, oatmeal, brown rice and wheat pasta
• Chocolate bars containing at least 70% pure cocoa
• Nuts and seeds
• Tuna

Because gout is often associated with kidney stones and excessive urate levels, many sufferers understand that a low oxalate diet and gout prevention are one in the same. A low oxalate gout diet should exclude beer, chocolate, tea, cinnamon, soy sauce, grapes, berries, most starches, soybean curd, garbanzo beans and a fewleafy greens.

Medications
Sometimes, changing a diet for gout just isn’t enough. Occasionally medications are needed. These usually include over the counter or mild prescription topical ointments. Supplements may include bromelain (found in large doses in pineapple as well) and/or vitamin C.

Low Carb And Gout Diets
There has been some speculation that the low carb diet trend has contributed to the increase in gout cases. If you fall into a high risk category for gout, it’s best to avoid these high-protein food plans.

Professional Advice
Before following the first free gout diet you find online, you should contact your doctor and review your medical history. Only a professional can properly formulat a diet for gout patients. If you are at risk for renal failure or problems or have a family history of chronic gout, blood tests may be required.