Dear Dr. SerVaas: I have had several bouts with gout. I don't eat organ meats. I have ground beef and meat loaf weekly. I have been using frozen mixed vegetables. Do peas and carrots have too many purines? I drink orange juice and cranapple juices.What foods should I eat to lessen gout? My blood pressure is under control. Thank you.
Wayne Garbert
Russiaville, Indiana
Dear Reader: Data published earlier this year in the New England Journal of Medicine suggest you should opt for dairy products and avoid meat and seafood.
As part of the ongoing Health Professionals Follow-up Study, researchers enrolled 47,150 men with no history of gout. Every four years, participants completed a questionnaire about their average consumption of common foods and beverages. Every two years, they provided information on weight, medications, and medical conditions.
Over a 12-year period, 73 new cases of gout were confirmed. When the data were analyzed, doctors found that those who consumed the most meat and seafood were at higher risk of gout than those who ate the least amounts of those foods. In contrast, a higher level of consumption of dairy products was linked to a decreased risk.
In addition, the NEJM study concluded that a moderate intake of purine-rich vegetables is not associated with an increased risk of gout. Green peas, asparagus, cauliflower, beans, and spinach are high in purines. Carrots and other vegetables, as well as fruit juices, are low in purines.
Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis in men.
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