Diet for gout: what to eat to avoid exacerbations

Gout is a disease associated with impaired purine metabolism. Leads to the deposition of uric acid salts in the joints and internal organs.

The main symptoms are recurrent attacks of acute arthritis, the formation of tofu (foci of compaction) on the legs and earlobes. The therapy in the active period is drug, using anti-inflammatory drugs.

In order to accelerate the onset of remission and increase its duration, the patient is advised to adhere to certain principles of nutritional therapy. Properly selected diet for gout can significantly improve the quality of life of the patient, reduce the number of attacks of the disease and reduce the risk of irreversible damage to the kidneys, central nervous system and musculoskeletal system.

Goals and principles of diet correction

The main goal of dietary nutrition in patients with gout is to reduce the concentration of uric acid complexes in the blood plasma. The products that the patient consumes should be selected so that none of them contains more than 150 mg of purines per 100 g of weight. The patient is shown Table 6.

The diet is most effective if the following principles are followed:

1. Strictly follow the rules until irreversible changes occur. It is impossible to remove already formed conglomerates in the joints and kidneys using gastronomic restrictions. The selected menu has a preventive purpose, helps prevent salt deposition.
2. The dietary approach, taking into account the frequency of crises, the level of uric acid, the severity of the process. Outside of exacerbation, the diet should contain a reduced amount of protein, fat, sodium salts. Alcohol must be completely eliminated. Strict restrictions are shown during the active period: the food is sparing, mostly liquid.
3. Weight correction. For obese people, the products are selected so that the total calorie content is below the level of energy consumption by 300-500 kcal per day. The patient's lifestyle and level of daily physical activity should be considered.
4. No more than 200 mg of purine bases per day. This figure is critical for the patient. A large amount of uric acid compounds does not allow to maintain their level in the body within acceptable limits.

In addition to the above, compliance with the drinking regime is required. If there are no contraindications from the cardiovascular system, the patient should consume about 2-2, 5 liters of fluid per day. Hydrocarbonate mineral waters are recommended. This promotes alkalization of the internal environment, reducing acidity.

Nutrition during exacerbation

At the stage of increased uric acid content in the blood and recurrence of the pathology, dietary restrictions are most significant. The total daily amount of protein should be maintained within 70 g, fat - 80 g, carbohydrates - 240 g. The caloric content of the diet is 1950-2000 kcal. Diet - four times a day, between them you should drink fluids. The temperature of the food is normal, 55–60 ° C for hot dishes and 15 ° C for cold ones. There is no need for purposeful heat saving. It is better that the consistency of the food is liquid or mushy.

The following foods are recommended:

• milk;
• lactic acid beverages;
• vegetable juices;
citrus-based juices;
• liquid cereals;
• grated fruit;
• fish caviar;
• tomato sauce.

In the presence of clinical manifestations of the disease, one should not eat foods that are acceptable in remission. It is necessary to give up hard dishes, pastries, meat and fish in any form, eggs, pastries, spices, oils. The animal protein requirement is met exclusively by dairy substances. Restrictions must be observed throughout the attack. On average, this takes 5-7 days. Once the inflammatory process in the legs subsides, they gradually return to their usual diet. The transition takes 2-3 days.

Eating in remission

Adherence to a gout diet is necessary even in the absence of severe symptoms. The restrictions in this case are not as severe as during exacerbations. However, they must be strictly observed. The main requirement is the complete removal of meat from young animals, which contains the maximum amount of purines. Their concentration can reach 1000 mg per 100 g, which is many times higher than the permissible values. Also, extracts of meat, mackerel, sardines, the inside of cattle (liver, kidneys, brains), alcoholic beverages are strongly contraindicated.

Table number 6 assumes the consumption of 100 g of protein and fat, 450 g of carbohydrates per day. The total nutritional value of the daily menu is 3200 kcal. The volume of the liquid is 1, 5–2 liters, if this does not contradict the treatment of other diseases that a person has.

The list of things a patient can do includes:

• kefir;
• fresh cabbage soup;
• buckwheat porridge;
• omelet;
• rye bread;
• fruit jam;
• vegetable oil;
• lemon or orange;
• mashed potatoes;
• fish souffle;
• cereals;
• eggs;
• cheese;
• dietary meat in an amount not exceeding 120 g per day.

The level of purine bases is lowest in products such as cereals, vegetables, honey, nuts and tomatoes. They can be eaten practically without restrictions. Lard, beans, spinach, sorrel, mushrooms contain from 50 to 150 mg of the substance that must be taken into account when compiling the menu.

For weight loss

Weight loss is recommended for patients with hypertensive and normosthenic physique. The calorie content of the diet should be reduced to 30 calories per kilogram of body weight. It is important to lose weight gradually, no more than one kilogram per month. This will provide an acceptable level of ketone body formation. In the absence of nutritional value of the products, their synthesis exceeds the permissible limits. The low-calorie diet excludes or significantly limits the consumption of baked goods.

Prohibited foods: bread, pies, pizza, pastries, cheesecakes, pastries, sugar, candy, jam, canned food, etc.

The table must be based on the components:

• low-fat cottage cheese;
• kefir;
• vegetables;
• fruit.

Weight management is not limited to low-calorie meals. The patient must lead an active lifestyle, play sports according to an individually developed program. Otherwise, dietary restrictions will be too strict, which will reduce a person's adherence to therapy.

Sample menu for one week

Gout patients need to know exactly what is not and what is acceptable to eat. It is better to clearly describe your diet for a relatively long period of time. Meals are usually developed in a week. The existing scheme can be used for several months, after which a set of dishes is changed completely or stirred every day. With an elevated uric acid level, the weekly diet may look like this.

Monday

• Breakfast №1: casserole, coffee with milk.
• Breakfast №2: baked apple.
• Lunch: vegetable soup, bread, rosehip broth.
• Afternoon snack: fruit jelly.
• Dinner: cabbage rolls, kefir.

Tuesday

• Breakfast №1: cheese, tea, bread.
• Breakfast №2: orange.
• Lunch: lean cabbage soup, bread, herbs.
• Afternoon snack: buckwheat porridge.
• Dinner: kefir, carrot puree.

Wednesday

• Appetizer # 1: Egg, fruit juice.
• Breakfast №2: jam, mineral water.
• Lunch: vegetable borsch, rye bread, tea.
• Afternoon snack: milk jelly.
• Dinner: dried fruit, jam.

Thursday

• Breakfast # 1: salad of cucumbers, rose hips.
• Breakfast №2: orange pies.
• Lunch: potato soup, fruit drink.
• Afternoon snack: pear.
• Dinner: scrambled eggs, dried apricots, tea with lemon.

Friday

• Breakfast №1: boiled beets, blueberry juice.
• Breakfast №2: kefir.
• Lunch: barley soup, tea.
• Afternoon snack: milk, bread.
• Dinner: carrot cutlets.

Saturday

• Breakfast # 1: rice porridge, coffee.
• Breakfast №2: watermelon.
• Lunch: soup, milk jelly.
• Afternoon snack: fresh cucumber.
• Dinner: kefir, bread.

Sunday

• Breakfast №1: boiled egg with sour cream and tea.
• Breakfast №2: grapes.
• Lunch: cabbage cutlets, barley soup, juice.
• Afternoon snack: casserole.
• Dinner: pancakes, yogurt.

This diet is not complete. Any components from the patient authorization list can be added to it.

Care must be taken to ensure that the total caloric content of meals and the content of purine bases in them do not exceed the established limits.

Cooking methods

Meals can be steamed or baked. This approach allows you to ensure optimal taste of the product, while maintaining its useful properties. Food processed in this way adopts a sparing regimen for patients with concomitant diagnoses of gastrointestinal profile. Cooking is acceptable, but if the meat or fish is cooked this way, the broth is drained. The fact is that during processing about 50% of the purines contained in animal muscle fibers are transferred to it.

Proper nutrition is one of the main components of the treatment of gout in the legs. A person who does not follow the necessary conditions for compiling a diet is much more likely to suffer from relapses of the disease, even with adequately selected pharmacological therapy. Refusal to eat properly during an exacerbation contributes to an increase in symptoms and an increase in the time required for recovery. The patient receives detailed information on what not to eat and what to eat from their doctor. Therefore, at the first signs of pathology, you should seek help from a specialist who will competently choose a diet and prescribe treatment.