About 3% of Americans have gout, an inflammatory form of arthritis that makes one or more joints hurt, stiff, and swell. Gout is different from osteoarthritis because it is caused by uric acid crystals building up inside your joint and stopping it from working normally.
Uric acid is a natural acid that forms when common chemical compounds called purines break down. Purines are found in lots of foods in varying amounts. Usually, excess uric acid is eliminated in your urine and feces. But sometimes, it builds up — and that’s when gout happens.
At his practice in Houston, Texas, Joshua D. Harris, MD, helps people with painful gout get rid of their symptoms by combining medical treatments with changes to their lifestyle, such as making big changes to their diet. He talks about some common foods that people with gout or who are at risk of getting it should stay away from in this post.
Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis caused by excess uric acid in the body Eating foods high in purines, which increase uric acid production, can trigger painful gout attacks. Pork sausage is one processed meat that contains a moderate amount of purines While not all sausage is strictly off-limits when you have gout, there are healthier meat choices, cooking methods, and even vegetarian alternatives to consider.
An Overview of Gout
Gout results from hyperuricemia, or high levels of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is produced when purines are broken down in the body. Purines occur naturally in some foods, especially certain meats and seafood.
If too much uric acid accumulates, needle-like crystals can form in the joints and soft tissues This causes sudden, severe joint pain and swelling – the hallmark symptoms of a gout attack Obesity, genetics, and certain medications also increase gout risk.
To prevent gout flares, doctors recommend maintaining a diet low in purines. Limiting intake of high-purine foods like organ meats, shellfish, and processed meats is key.
Pork Sausage: Nutrition Facts and Purine Content
Pork sausage is made from ground pork seasoned with salt, spices and sometimes other ingredients like sugar preservatives, and fillers. Commercial, mass-produced sausage tends to be highly processed.
A 2-ounce serving of breakfast pork sausage contains approximately:
- Calories: 180
- Fat: 16g
- Carbs: 1g
- Protein: 8g
- Purines: 61.8 mg (moderate)
So while pork sausage provides some protein, it’s very high in saturated fat and contains a fairly significant amount of purines. Processed pork products like sausage, bacon, and deli meats are not recommended for people with gout.
Healthier Meat Choices for Gout
If you have gout, you don’t necessarily have to fully eliminate meat from your diet. The key is moderating your intake and choosing leaner cuts and cooking methods to reduce purines.
Here are some smarter ways to incorporate meat if you need to lower purines and uric acid:
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Focus on lean beef cuts like round, chuck, and loin. Select extra lean ground beef (at least 90% lean).
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Choose lean poultry like chicken and turkey breast. Avoid organ meats like liver and gizzards.
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Opt for lean pork cuts like tenderloin and center loin chops. Avoid processed pork products.
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Limit serving sizes to 2-3 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards. Spread out your meat intake throughout the week.
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Prepare meat by baking, broiling, grilling, or roasting. Avoid frying or breading meats.
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Skip rich sauces and gravies made with high fat dairy, broths, and flour-based thickeners.
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Rinse meats before cooking to reduce purine content.
Try Vegetarian “Meat” Alternatives
Going meat-free a few days a week can help lower dietary purine intake if you have gout. Some good vegetarian options include:
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Tofu: Available in soft, firm, and extra firm textures. Use it in stir-fries or scrambled as a breakfast protein.
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Tempeh: Made from fermented soybeans, tempeh has a nutty flavor. It can be marinated and grilled or baked in strips.
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Seitan: With a meaty texture, seitan is made from wheat gluten. Try it sautéed with veggies.
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Beans and legumes: Kidney beans, chickpeas, and lentils are plant-based protein sources. Pair them with rice or use in vegetarian dishes.
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Soy or pea protein crumbles: Use these meatless grounds as a filling for tacos, pasta sauce, chili, and more.
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Soy burgers or sausages: Choose low-sodium options and avoid those made with added cheese or other high fat ingredients.
Should You Avoid Pork Sausage with Gout?
While fresh, unprocessed cuts of pork can be part of a gout diet in moderation, it’s generally best to avoid processed pork like sausage, bacon, and deli meats if you frequently experience gout attacks.
Highly processed meats almost always contain chemical preservatives called nitrates. These are converted to compounds called nitrosamines in the body, which may increase cancer risk.
If you don’t want to fully cut out pork sausage, having it only on rare occasions is better than eating it frequently. Always combine it with lower purine foods and sides. A veggie omelet with a small amount of sausage is better than a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit sandwich.
When shopping, read labels and choose low-sodium natural sausage without a long list of sketchy-sounding ingredients. Opt for uncured sausage made without nitrates or nitrites when possible.
While fresh cuts of lean pork can be part of a healthy gout diet, processed pork products like sausage are higher in purines, fat, and sodium. Limiting intake and choosing unprocessed whole food options is best for gout management.
If giving up your morning sausage proves challenging, having it occasionally rather than daily is a good compromise. Pair it with lower purine foods and go meatless for some meals. With a careful approach, you don’t necessarily have to say goodbye to pork sausage forever.
Don’t ignore gout symptoms
Gout often accompanies other medical problems, like obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and kidney disease. These associations are so common, gout is often viewed as a “sentinel” disease, a medical condition that serves as a sort of early-warning system for other medical problems. Having joint pain or swelling evaluated early is critical for determining if you have gout and if you might be at risk for one of these other medical problems.
If you have gout symptoms, don’t ignore them. Instead, call 713-441-8393 or book an appointment online with Dr. Joshua Harris today and learn how he can help.
Red meats and organ meats
Beef and lamb both contain high levels of purine, so it’s crucial to avoid or limit these foods. Although not strictly “red” meat, you should also lower your consumption of pork and pork products.
Liver, kidneys, and other organ meats tend to have higher concentrations of purines. That also includes foods made from these organs, like liverwurst or kidney pie. You should also avoid glandular meats, like sweetbreads (pancreas) and game meats.
Some people say that seafood like lobster, sardines, shrimp, anchovies, scallops, and herring is better for you than other types of protein. Seafood can be good for you, but it’s also full of purines. Limiting these foods or eliminating them from your diet entirely can help reduce your symptoms.
Until recently, doctors recommended avoiding grain-based liquors, like beer and whiskeys. But more recently, research suggests that if you have gout, you’re better off avoiding alcohol — even wine. That’s because symptoms tend to be triggered by the ethanol in alcohol, not by the products used in fermentation.
Many sugary foods, especially those with corn syrup or other types of fructose (a sugar found in plants), raise uric acid levels. That includes beverages like sodas, energy drinks, and plenty of fruit juices. Many foods, even bread and ketchup, have a lot of fructose and other sugars, so read the labels carefully when you go grocery shopping.
Brewer’s yeast, nutritional yeast, and premade yeast supplements can increase uric acid levels and trigger gout symptoms. Avoid these products to help prevent flare-ups.
Processed foods are rampant in American diets and Western diets in general. Cookies, crackers, packaged baked goods, and processed foods like bacon and sausage increase the risks of lots of health problems, including gout. Avoiding these foods is a good idea whether you have gout or not.
Any list of “forbidden” foods can leave you feeling like there’s nothing “good” left to eat. Of course, that’s not true. There are plenty of delicious foods that are perfectly fine for people with gout, including:
- Low-fat dairy
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Potatoes
- Rice
- Breads
- Pasta
- Peanut butter and other nuts
The internet is an excellent resource for shopping lists and recipes that rely on low-purine foods. Just be sure any recipes or lists you use come from reputable sources.
Best & Worst Foods to Eat with Gout | Reduce Risk of Gout Attacks and Hyperuricemia
FAQ
Can I eat sausage if I have gout?
Can I eat pork if I have high uric acid?
What is the safest meat to eat with gout?
What is the best breakfast for gout?
Can you eat pork if you have gout?
If you have gout, you can still eat pork. Limit your consumption to lean cuts like sirloin and eat small portions. Avoid organ meats and processed pork products. Choose cuts that are low in purines. You can lower the purine content of the pork you eat by baking or roasting and avoiding marinades and batters high in sugar or fat.
Does eating frozen meats cause gout?
Consuming frozen meats per se does not raise your chances of getting gout attacks. It is the type of meat that plays a more important role. Organ meats, game meats, and red meats, including beef, lamb, and pork, are more likely to cause an acute attack of gouty pain.
Is pork better than beef for gout?
Pork is better than beef for controlling gout. Pork is often considered a type of white meat since it’s a source of lean protein like poultry but has moderate amounts of purine, unlike beef, which has high levels that can worsen gout.
What foods are bad for gout?
High-fructose corn syrup, found in diet drinks, bakery goods, breakfast cereals, fast foods and more. Be sure to check labels. Seafood. Shellfish, anchovies and and tuna used to be off limits for people with gout. Now the health benefits of moderate amounts of fish are thought to outweigh potential harm.