When purines, an organic compound, break downs, uric acid is created. Excess uric acid in your body can cause diseases such as diabetes, gout, and also cardiovascular disease. It is therefore important that you avoid foods that are high in purines or reduce the consumption of food high in purines. Here are some general guidelines that you need to follow as part of your uric acid diet.
- Cut down your intake of poultry/fish/meat
- Avoid processed foods and alcohol
- If you are overweight, make sure you lose some weight
- Exercise on a regular basis
- Increase your intake of water (8 to 10 glasses per day)
- Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits
Also, make sure that you restrict your consumption of foods with high purine levels. These include foods such as organ meats (heart, kidney, liver), selected shellfish, and fish, stock cubes and meat soups, and yeast and meat extracts.It is recommended that you eat foods such as fresh blueberries, strawberries, and cherries, bananas, celery, parsley, cabbage, tomatoes, foods such as pineapples that have high levels of bromelain, foods that are high in vitamin C such as tangerines, red bell peppers, oranges, mandarins, and potatoes, dairy products (low fat), complex carbohydrates (cereals, bread), tea, coffee, cocoa and chocolate.
You need to understand that different purine-source foods react differently in the body. For instance, the purines found in vegetables cause a lesser amount of uric acid buildup in your body as compared to meat sources. In fact, it is found that fresh vegetables and fruit reduce the levels of acid in the body. It is best that you consume such non-processed and fresh fruits so as to increase the alkaline levels in the blood. Before you begin any specific diet, consult a good dietician and with his/her help chalk out a diet that best suits you and your needs.
answered by G R