How to reduce uric acid in winter? Foods you should avoid to mitigate the risk

Uric acid is usually produced when our body metabolises a substance called purine. Purine is a naturally occurring substance in our body but is also found in variety of foods. Normally, uric acid is excreted out of the body via urine, but when our kidneys are unable to push the uric acid out, it leads to the rise of a condition called Gout.

Read on to know how you can reduce uric acid. First, let’s understand how uric acid leads to gout.

Understanding the link between uric acid and gout

Gout is a condition when high levels of uric acid get accumulated around a joint. It is often also called as a painful form of arthritis because these high levels of uric acid often form crystals that lead to a lot of stiffness and immobility around the joints. It can further be dangerous for other organs such as heart and kidneys as well.

Most individuals with high levels of uric acid experience their symptoms such that of pain, stiffness etc. to aggravate especially during the winter season. While it occurs more during the spring season, it can also get worse during winter in some cases. Regardless of the season, there are some foods that aggravate the problem and you need to steer clear of those. By avoiding certain foods from the diet can help alleviate these symptoms and provide some relief during this time.

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Foods to avoid during winter to reduce uric acid

Here is a list of foods you must either restrict or have in smaller quantities during this time.

Sweetened beverages

Excess consumption of fructose via sweetened beverages especially with high fructose corn syrup has been studied to be a risk factor for gout. Hence, stay away from all the sugar drinks. Most fruits as well contain ample amount of fructose, however having them in moderation will ensure that you get the micronutrient benefits from the fruits as well as limit the overall fructose intake.

Alcohol

Alcohol is a classic source of purines and if you consume alcohol too often, uric acid is sure to increase and so will the accompanying symptoms. Hence, try and limit alcohol as much as possible.

Certain type of meat and sea food

Most red meat, organ meat, sea food such as sardines, anchovies, mackerel are high on purines as its best to limit them to once a week.

Veggies such as asparagus, spinach, cauliflower, mushrooms, green peas: These veggies are although not having as high purine content as the meat, do have purine content enough to act as triggers for your gout pain.

Things to keep in mind if you can’t control yourself

There will be occasions where in, avoiding these foods will become impossible and that’s when ensuring you are amply hydrated, possibly with an additional 50 per cent fluid than your usual intake may help keep the symptoms at bay especially in winters, when we all rarely feel thirsty, but most often are dehydrated without even realising the same!

Caution: Make sure you talk to your doctor before making any changes in your lifestyle!