What foods are beneficial for gout patients?

If you have gout, you really need to be careful about what you eat. The core principle is to control your diet and minimize consumption of foods that raise uric acid levels (i.e., high-purine foods). The categories you mentioned are indeed very friendly "good partners" for gout patients.

1. Low-fat Dairy Products Absolutely, low-fat dairy products like skim milk, yogurt, and cheese are excellent choices. They are naturally low in purines, and studies have shown that dairy products can help our kidneys excrete uric acid. Therefore, drinking a glass of low-fat milk or yogurt daily is very beneficial for uric acid control.

2. Fresh Vegetables You can freely eat most vegetables, such as cabbage, lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, etc. They are low in purines, alkaline foods that can neutralize acidic substances in the body, and provide various vitamins.

   • A special note: Many people worry about spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, and cauliflower, thinking they are not low in purines. However, the current view is that plant-based purines do not have as significant an impact on the human body. As long as you don't eat several pounds in one sitting, normal consumption is perfectly fine, so there's no need to worry excessively. Eating a wider variety of vegetables ensures a balanced diet.

3. Fruits Fruits are also a good choice, especially those high in Vitamin C, such as cherries, strawberries, kiwis, oranges, etc.

   • Cherries are famously known as a "gout nemesis"; their anthocyanins have anti-inflammatory and uric acid-lowering effects, and both fresh and frozen varieties are beneficial.
   • However, it's important to note that excessive fructose from fruits is not good either, so it's best to eat whole fruits directly rather than drinking large amounts of juice. Aim for 2-3 servings per day.

4. Whole Grains For staple foods, it's better to replace some white rice, white steamed buns, and white noodles with oats, brown rice, millet, and whole-wheat bread. These whole grains are not only more nutritious but also beneficial for weight and blood sugar control.

Besides the above, here are a few particularly important tips:

• Drink plenty of water! Drink plenty of water! Drink plenty of water! This is the most important and simplest effective strategy. Ensure you drink over 2000 ml of water daily (approximately 4 bottles of mineral water). Plain water, soda water, or light tea are all acceptable. Adequate hydration leads to increased urination, allowing uric acid to be "flushed out" with the urine.
• Eggs and Plant-Based Protein: Eggs are very low in purines and an excellent source of protein. Furthermore, current research suggests that soy products like tofu and soy milk have little impact on gout and can be consumed in moderation as a substitute for meat.
• Avoid "Minefields": The other half of controlling your diet is knowing what not to eat. Organ meats (liver, kidney, brain), rich meat broths, hot pot soup, certain seafood (sardines, anchovies, shellfish), and any alcoholic beverages (especially beer) are all "purine powerhouses," and it's best to avoid them if possible.