Whenever we have a problem or a disorder, we immediately start seeking our doctors and searching the internet, for the answer to the question; What should we eat to control or eliminate the disease, which is all well and good. But in the long run, the million dollar question is, “What should we not eat?”. Well here are some foods that cause an increased level of uric acid, so you will know which foods to avoid, bringing down your increased uric acid levels.
Foods that Increase Uric Acid Levels
Uric acid levels mainly increases due to one of these three reasons-
- Increased intake of purines
- Increased production of uric acid by the body
- Decreased excretion of uric acids in urine
It is evident, that foods play an important role in increased level of uric acid. Basically, foods rich in proteins cause an increased production of uric acid by increasing the formation of purines. Uric acid is a by-product of purine breakdown, which in turn, increases uric acid level in blood.
Some of the Foods That Cause an Increase in the Uric Acid Level are Given Below:-
Meat and Poultry- As the meat and poultry are highly rich in proteins; they also increase uric acid levels in the blood exponentially. So, these should surely be avoided.
- Even meat extracts such as meat stock, meat stew and soups made from meat cause an increase in the level of uric acid.
- Organ meats such as kidney, liver and brain are especially rich in purines and hence, cause most increase in the level of uric acid.
- Game meats such as geese, turkey, venison, partridge and duck etc. also cause much increase in uric acid levels.
Seafood- Seafood is also very rich in proteins and hence, causes an elevation in the level of uric acid. Anchovies, mussels, shrimp, scallops, mackerel and herring etc. are some of the sea foods that cause increased level of uric acid in the body.
Baked Foods- Sorry to say this to cake lovers everywhere, but usually baked goods also cause an increase in uric acid levels in blood as they not only contain a lot of fat but also yeast which increases the level of uric acid in the body. Besides that, they are also usually made up of cereals, which are rich in proteins, hence can cause uric acid levels to increase as well.
Alcohol- Alcohol especially packs a punch (and not the alcoholic kind), as far as increased uric acid levels are concerned, as ethanol not only causes an increased production of lactic acid which, in turn, causes an increased production of uric acid but it also reduces excretion of uric acid by causing dehydration. And voila, it causes an epic increase in uric acid levels.
- Beer, being made up of grains and fermented by yeast, is especially rich in purines and hence can cause rapid increase in the level of uric acid.
Soft Drinks- Fruity beverages and sweetened soft drinks can also increase the uric acid level in blood as it contains fructose. A product of fructose metabolism interferes with purine metabolism causing an increase in the formation of uric acid. It also competes with uric acid for excretion, causing decreased excretion of uric acid which further increases uric acid levels in blood.
High Fat Diet- A decreased amount of foods that are high in fats are required, if you don’t want to further increase your uric acid levels. Fats are believed to interfere with the proper working of kidneys in removing excess uric acid from blood. This includes foods such as cream, fried foods, oil rich gravy, cream cheese, whole milk etc.
Certain Vegetables- Not only meats, but there are certain vegetables which can also cause an increased amount of uric acid in our body. These vegetables are very rich in purines. Some of them are cauliflower, mushrooms, lentils, corns, spinach, peas, asparagus, legumes and dried beans etc.
So, now you know what not to eat, to keep your uric acid level in check.
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