Avocado is an oval-shaped, nutritious fruit.
They contain many beneficial nutrients and offer numerous health benefits. [1]
But can you eat avocado in gout? 🤔
Is it safe?
Let’s discuss.
But before that, let me quickly tell you about gout and avocado. 🧐
Video Version
Don’t have time to read? Watch the video. 🙂
Table of Contents
- Video Version
- Overview of Gout
- Overview of Avocado
- Avocado in Gout
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Final Word
- References
Overview of Gout
Gout is a common but a complex form of arthritis that can affect anyone. 😲
It’s characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness and tenderness in one or more joints, most often in the big toe. [2]
Your body makes uric acid when it breaks down purines, which are found in your body and the foods you eat.
Certain conditions, like blood and metabolism disorders or dehydration, make your body produce too much uric acid.
Most uric acid dissolves in the blood, passes through the kidneys and leaves the body with urine.
However, a kidney or thyroid problem, or an inherited disorder, can make it harder for your kidney to remove excess uric acid. These excess uric acid then starts to build up in joints in the form of sharp crystals. 🦶
These crystals starts causing swelling and pain in joints, which is called gout.[2]
Unfortunately, there is no cure for gout. 😔
But you can effectively treat and manage the condition with medication and self-management strategies like diet and lifestyle modifications. [3]
If you don’t treat gout, it can become chronic.
Hard lumps called tophi can eventually develop in your joints and the skin and soft tissue surrounding them.
These deposits can permanently damage your joints. 😲
Overview of Avocado
Avocado is rich, creamy, and single-seeded fruit with a mild nutty flavor. 😋
You can find dozens of varieties of avocados, ranging in size, color, and texture.
Avocado contains several beneficial nutrients: fat, protein, carbs, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese. [1]
As you can see avocados are an excellent nutritious fruit and offer many health benefits. [4]
Some of them are
- Improve gut health
- Reduce heart disease risk
- Reduce inflammation
- Strengthen bones
- Protect your eyes
- Help you lose weight
- Boost your mood
- Fight cancer
- May help to lower cholesterol
- May help to regulate appetite
- Regulates blood pressure
- Keeps your skin shiny
- Prevents osteoporosis
You can eat avocado in many ways: raw, in salads, in soups, in scrambled eggs, in smoothies or as a topping. 🥗
Avocado in Gout
Avocados are completely safe to eat in gout disease. 😃
Let me explain the reason.
First of all, if you’re diagnosed with gout, you need to avoid foods with high purine content.
For example,
- Organ meats (liver, kidneys),
- Seafoods (like shrimp, lobster, sardine),
- Sugary beverages (soda, ice-cream, candy),
- Refined carbs (like white bread, cakes, cookies),
- Yeast, and
- Grain liquors (like vodka and whiskey)
And avocado is a low purine food. [5]
Furthermore, avocado contain vitamin E, which plays a key role in anti-inflammatory processes and promotes the repair of cartilage around the joints. [5]
It means, avocado is a good food for a gout diet. 😃
Moreover, there is no scientific evidence that suggests moderate avocado consumption is bad for gout patients.
However, anything in excess is bad.
If you eat excess avocado in one sitting, it may cause bloating, gas, or an upset stomach up to 48 hours after eating it.
Because avocado contain polyols that can have a laxative-like effect when consumed in large quantities. 😮
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions related to this topic.
Can I eat avocado in gout?
Yes. You can eat avocado with gout. Because it is low in purines and may help repair the cartilage around the joints.
Are there any side effects of eating avocado with gout?
No. You can safely eat avocado in gout. But yes, don’t over eat it. Because they are relatively high in fat.
The Final Word
Gout is painful. Its symptoms are sometimes intolerable. 😩
Choose your foods carefully while you’re suffering from gout disorder to help the healing process. And yes, you can eat avocado in gout.
Share this post with your friends or family who may need it.
References
This article is written by a certified nutritionist and verified by scientific evidence.
Following are the references of this article.
- USDA FoodData Central: Avocados, raw, all commercial varieties. Accessed 16 May 2022[↩][↩]
- Mayo Clinic: Gout – Symptoms and causes. Accessed 16 May 2022[↩][↩]
- Medical News Today: Home remedies and natural treatments for gout. Accessed 16 May 2022[↩]
- CNN: Benefits of avocados: 4 ways they are good for your health. Accessed 16 May 2022[↩]
- Healthline: Is Avocado Good for Gout? Accessed 16 May 2022[↩][↩]
