Uric acid

Can tomatoes trigger gout attacks?

Many sufferers of gout name tomatoes as a possible cause of a gout attack, even though tomatoes contain very low levels of purine. So, if you struggle with gout, should you avoid eating them?

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Asparagus and gout – what do we know?

Visit a supermarket around mid-April and you are likely to find asparagus on the shelves. Asparagus officinalis, to give it its scientific name, is an extremely versatile vegetable, but it is also rich in purine. Here we consider whether people that suffer from gout should avoid it.

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Turkey and gout: how much purine is in your Christmas dinner?

It’s that time of year again. Christmas is just around the corner and thoughts will be turning to spending quality time with the family and eating and drinking to hearty excess. But what might not be on your mind is the purine content of all that goes into your body over the festive period. Luckily, our OxiPur app’s purine calculator can work this out for you. We have taken a typical Christmas dinner and estimated how much purine you are likely to consume, also including a few helpful tips on what to look out for if you suffer from gout.

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Grilling and Gout: Keep your purine levels low all summer long

There are few things more pleasant than spending a summer evening enjoying a steak, chicken breast, a few beers and some good company. Grilling outdoors is one of life’s pleasures, and if you have been on a diet, the temptation to treat yourself to some hearty food and drink can be particularly strong. If you suffer from gout, however, the consequences of over-eating and drinking can be very serious indeed.

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Are cherries really the miracle cure for gout?

It has long been said that eating cherries has a positive effect on gout, and you can find countless online forums and blogs in which cherries are advertised as a real miracle cure against the disease. But what is the real truth?

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The role of fructose in the development of gout

Uric acid and its salts, known as urates, are an end-product of the metabolism that is excreted with the urine. Unfortunately, urates are poorly soluble in water. In contrast to other mammals, humans don't have enzymes to convert them into more soluble compounds. Therefore, the human uric acid level is very high in comparison – it is just below the physical solubility limit.

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