Purpose

A little history

Gout has been associated for centuries with overindulgence in meats, seafood and alcohol. The condition was, in fact, considered a disease of the wealthiest people — those who could afford such eating habits. And long before the cause of gout was understood, doctors had observed some benefit of a restricted diet on gout management.

For many years, treatment for gout focused on eliminating all foods that had moderate to high amounts of purine. The list of foods to avoid was long, which made the diet difficult to follow.

Current understanding

More recent research on gout has created a clearer picture of the role of diet in disease management. Some foods should be avoided, but not all foods with purines should be eliminated. And some foods should be included in your diet to control uric acid levels.

The purpose of a gout diet today is to address all factors related to disease risk and management. Above all, the goals are a healthy weight and healthy eating — a message that applies to lowering the risk of many diseases.