What Is Purine?

Purine is a compound found primarily in foods of animal origin. It is especially high in organ meats, anchovies, mackerel, and sardines.

Why Should I Follow a Low Purine Diet?

A low-purine diet is usually recommended if you have gout . It may also be recommended if you have kidney stones or have had an organ transplant.

The body metabolizes purine into uric acid. A buildup of uric acid can worsen symptoms of gout. If you have gout, eating a low-purine diet can help minimize uric acid production and thereby improve symptoms.

Eating Guide for a Low-purine Diet

Food CategoryFoods RecommendedFoods to Consume in ModerationFoods to Limit or Avoid
Grains
  • Enriched breads, cereals, rice, noodles, pasta, and potatoes
  • Whole-grain breads and cereals, wheat germ, bran, and oatmeal
  • High fat foods (eg, biscuits, muffins, and waffles)
Vegetables
  • All except those on the “consume in moderation” list
  • Mushrooms, dried peas and beans, spinach, asparagus, cauliflower
  • Vegetables prepared with high fat sauces or creams, fried vegetables
Fruits
  • All fruit and juices
—
  • Avocadoes
Dairy
  • Nonfat or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese
  • Eggs
—
  • Whole milk and whole milk products (eg, cheese, cream, and sour cream)
Meat and Beans
  • Peanut butter and nuts
  • Red meat (eg, beef lamb, pork, and veal), poultry, fish, and shellfish
  • Dried peas, beans, and lentils
  • Sweetbreads, sardines, anchovies, liver, kidneys, brains, meat extracts, herring, mackerel, scallops, gravies, goose, heart, mincemeat, and mussels
Oils—
  • Vegetable oils (eg, canola, olive, sunflower, soy, and peanut)
  • Margarine
  • Mayonnaise
—
Beverages
  • Carbonated beverages, coffee, tea, cocoa
  • Wine
  • Beer and hard liquor
Other
  • Low-fat milk-based or vegetable stock-based soups
  • Low-fat desserts (eg, gelatin, ice milk, vanilla wafers, angel food cake, low-fat frozen yogurt)
  • Salt, herbs, spices, and condiments
  • Butter
  • Baker’s and brewer’s yeast
  • Stock-based soups (eg, bouillon- and broth-based)
  • High-fat desserts (eg, ice cream, cookies, cakes, pies, doughnuts, and chocolate)

Suggestions

In addition to following a low-purine diet, here are some other suggestions for decreasing uric acid production:

  • Avoid or limit your intake of alcohol, especially beer. While alcohol itself does not contain purines, it increases your production of purine.
  • Be sure to drink 8-12 cups of fluid every day. This will help dilute your urinary uric acid, which can help prevent kidney stones from forming.
  • Consume low-fat or nonfat dairy products, such as milk and yogurt, on a regular basis. Research shows that these foods may help prevent gout from occurring.
  • Limit your intake of fat to 30% of your calories.
  • Don’t follow low carbohydrate diets.
  • Avoid rapid weight loss, as this can increase your uric acid levels. If you need to lose weight, do so gradually.
  • Finally, consider meeting with a registered dietitian to come up with a personalized eating plan that meets all your dietary needs.