Patients experiencing gout attacks must be wary of what they eat as the foods they eat can either ease the pain associated with the condition or aggravate it. Certain foods are a definite no for gout patients, while other foods are beneficial for them. Also, being overweight increases the risk of gout, so it is important to follow a balanced and healthy diet.

An ideal diet for gout patients decreases uric acid levels in the body, preventing painful uric acid deposits in the joints. This article includes a list of what to eat and what to avoid when one has gout to lead a healthy life.

• Drink plenty of water
  Hydration keeps the levels of uric acid in check by flushing out excess uric acid from the body. Drinking two to three liters of plain water decreases the chances of gout attacks by forty percent. However, it is advisable to avoid sugary sodas, energy drinks, and soft drinks.
• Eat fruits
  Fruits provide the body with essential fiber and nutrients that help manage body weight effectively.  Fruits rich in vitamin C, like pineapples, strawberries, kiwi, papaya, oranges, grapes, and tangerines, help prevent pain as they balance the uric acid levels. Cherries are effective remedies for easing gout pain as they have anti-oxidant properties.
• Eat the right vegetables
  Vegetables are a powerhouse of goodness as they contain healthy carbohydrates, nutrients, fiber, and multi-vitamins, which energize and regulate weight and bowel movements.
• Eat a handful of nuts every day
  Nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pistachios are excellent snacks and supplements as they do not contain purine. Two to three spoons of mixed nuts supply the body with unsaturated fats, which can also help maintain a healthy weight.
• Legumes for proteins
  Legumes like chickpeas, peas, beans, and soybeans are great sources of healthy and digestive proteins. Also, they contain fewer purines that doctors recommend to patients with gout as a substitute for the high-purine animal proteins.
• Avoid high-purine meat and seafood
  Meats and organ meats may be delicious, but they can trigger painful episodes of gout. Red meats like beef, lamb, venison, pork, turkey, and goose, along with organ meats like sweetbreads, lungs, liver, brain, and veal have high purine content and increase uric acid levels in the blood, triggering gout attacks. Seafood like anchovies, haddocks, herrings, mussels, shellfish, sardines, and scallops are also rich in purine and should be avoided.
• Avoid sugary beverages and processed foods
  Foods and drinks with high-fructose corn syrup increase the purine content in the body, which, in turn, increases the uric acid levels. Sugary beverages that gout patients should avoid include soft drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened soda. Patients should also avoid processed foods like frozen foods, canned vegetables, and pastries.
• Avoid alcohol
  Last but not least, all types of alcohol, and especially beer, increase the uric acid levels and cause sudden and painful gout attacks. So, when considering what to eat and what to avoid when one has gout, it is necessary to avoid alcohol consumption.