The Danger Of Uric Acid, And How To Protect Yourself

Photo credit: bigstock.com

Improve Your Diet to Lower Your Risk

It should be obvious by this point that acidic food consumption should be limited. The goal here is to add more alkaline-rich foods to the diet, which reducing the amount of acidic ones.

Foods to Avoid or Reduce:

It’s important to understand that not all acidic foods are equally dangerous. Of particular concern are certain foods which are rich in purine acid, a compound that converts to uric acid during the process of oxidation. These foods include certain breeds of fish like anchovies, herrings and mackerel, as well organ meats like liver.

Following this are protein-rich foods like red meats, poultry, eggs, butter, tuna fish, lobster, shrimp and other sea foods. You don’t have to eliminate these entirely, but try to reduce your consumption to 4-6 ounces per day. The general rule is the more protein-based a diet is, the more acidic it becomes.

Vegetarians might think they are in the clear here, but believe it or not, some vegetables and fruits can actually contribute to high levels of uric acid. Veggies and legumes like peas, lentils, beans, and mushrooms are guilty here. Fruit-wise people at high risk should avoid bananas, avocados, pineapples, and kiwis.

High fructose corn syrup might be the most unhealthy food ingredient ever devised, and sure enough, it has a spot on this list as well. Fructose converts into uric acid, so avoid foods with high-fructose corn syrup. Lastly, saturated fat can inhibit the body’s ability to process uric acid properly, so try not to eat high amounts of it.

One more things- sorry beer lovers. Beer has been shown to exacerbate high uric acid levels. You may need to cut back on your consumption, and if you have gout or another illness cause by uric acid, you should eliminate it entirely during treatment.

Continue to Page 3

PrevPage: 2 of 3Next

View all