You may have heard of gout, but wasn’t exactly sure what it was. Well, gout is a common form of arthritis that usually afflicts men between the ages of 40 to 50. Excess uric acid accumulates in the joint areas which then become inflamed and extremely painful. Although it sounds fairly serious, with a strict diet and understanding of which foods to avoid, someone with gout can easily decrease the amount of uric acid in their bloodstream and can drastically reduce the incidence of gout attacks.

Avoiding anything containing high levels of purine is the most important part of your new diet. While you don’t need to know that purines are organic compounds comprised of a pyrimidine ring connected to an imidazole ring, you do need to understand which foods have too much of it.

It is best to discuss a diet for gout with your primary physician, but most will advise a vegetarian diet high in fiber. Some foods your doctor will most likely mention to avoid are:

*Coffee, tea, cocoa, alcohol
*Chocolate
*Kidney, seafood, red meat, gravy
*Spinach, lentils, dried beans and peas

No doubt you are looking at this list and wondering what else there is to eat? No coffee in the morning? Chocolate on holidays? Aren’t spinach and peas considered healthy? It may be a little overwhelming when someone is first diagnosed with gout, learning what are considered gout-friendly foods versus those that will easily cause a flareup. They might even test out their personal limits of consumption to see what will cause the onset of gout, but this is a dangerous game to play. Even the tiniest amount of tea or red meat can cause agonizing pain.

Don’t be discouraged by the long list of foods to avoid, though. There are still many options that are safe for people suffering from gout and countless delicious ways to prepare them. Here are the top ten items to buy that will not cause a flareup: cereal, cheese, cherries, nuts, raw fruits, rice, seeds, strawberries, green leafy vegetables and white bread.

As you take a sigh of relief, realize that being diagnosed with gout doesn’t have to be something that will change your life completely. Watching your daily food intake might pose a challenge at first, but it will soon become rote as your body becomes accustomed to its new regimen. And as with any other diet, drinking plenty of water and exercising regularly are key components to keeping your gout at bay. Copious amounts of water (8-12 glasses a day) help to flush out excess uric acid that may have accumulated in your joints throughout the day.

Regular gout sufferers have found that consuming cherries is beneficial to their health. Studies as far back as the 1950s have shown that consuming 8 ounces of cherries a day can prevent a gout attack; a large amount, no question, but done once a week can still work to reduce a future flareup. Others have found that peanuts eaten in their natural form or in peanut butter is a delicious way to keep purine levels low in the body.

With a better understanding of the gout-friendly diet you can start to plan meals that will benefit your overall health. If you are not sure where to start, join an online community whose members also suffer from gout or seek out a local dietitian who will be able to help start you on the right path. Don’t despair that the list of “food to avoid” seems longer that the “gout-friendly food” list. With a little bit of imagination and a resolve to keep your gout at bay you will soon be whipping up delicious meals that even your friends will want to try.