Coffee in a Gout Diet

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. It might even be more popular than water. In fact, it’s so popular that there’s a culture dedicated to it. Coffee lovers know there’s a variety of ways to prepare and serve this drink. You can use a French press, coffee drip. AeroPress, or even one of those coffee machines that use a specialty coffee pod.

Don’t even get us started on sourcing the beans. There are numerous places to get coffee beans and the flavors vary depending on how they were cultivated. This means your coffee can taste nutty, fruity, herby, and even spicy. This makes for a whole new world that you can explore as deep as you want.

It all sounds so exciting, but here’s a question you’re probably asking: Can you as a gout sufferer, include coffee in your diet?

The answer is yes.

In fact, coffee might even be beneficial for your condition. In one study published in the Arthritis and Rheumatology medical journal, it was found that men over the age of 40 who drank coffee regularly had reduced their risk for developing gout.

The study followed 45,869 men for a span of 12 years. All of them had no history of gout, and in that number, only 757 men developed gout after 12 years. The more coffee they consumed, the lower their risk was for a gout attack.

Those who drank as many as 5 cups of coffee a day had the lowest risk. Compared to other participants, those who drank this much lowered their risk by 40%. Those who had 6 or more cups had a 59% lower risk.

This could be because of the strong antioxidant found in coffee called phenol chlorogenic acid. Aside from that, it could also be the milk that accompanies the coffee drink. Most people add milk to their coffee, and milk is known to have a uricosuric effect on the body. This is why milk is also one of the recommended foods for gout patients. The proteins in dairy are able to lower uric acid.

Other Benefits of Coffee

Coffee is not just good for gout but for a host of other health conditions as well. The obvious one is that it helps with alertness and energy levels. A cup of coffee in the morning is often enough to get you through half of the day. Aside from that, coffee can also:

● Help burn fat by boosting your metabolism. However, this only applies to those who just started drinking coffee.

● Improves physical performance by using fat as fuel.

● Lower your risk for Type 2 diabetes. A study found that coffee drinkers had significantly less risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.

● Protect against Alzheimer’s and dementia. Several studies have already shown that those who drink coffee regularly are 65% at lower risk for developing Alzheimer’s which is a precursor to dementia.

● Lowers your risk for Parkinson’s disease. This is another neurodegenerative disease that can be prevented with the help of coffee. Be sure it’s caffeinated coffee as it can help lower your risk by as much as 60%.

● Protects against liver cirrhosis. This is especially true for individuals who drink 4 or more cups of coffee per day.

● Lower risk for liver cancer and colorectal cancer. These are some of the top leading causes of cancer death in the world, and it can be prevented by drinking coffee everyday.

● Lower risk for stroke. Yes, coffee is known to increase blood pressure but only if you’re not a regular coffee drinker. For the aficionados, coffee can actually help lower your risk for a stroke.

● Help lengthen your lifespan. Isn’t that every health nut’s goal? To live for as long as possible? Thankfully, your favorite drink can help you do that. In one study, they found that drinking coffee helped lower the risk of death in both men and women by as much as 26%.

How to Drink Coffee for Gout

In the study mentioned above, it sounds like you need to drink a lot of coffee to benefit from gout. For coffee lovers, this is great. The more coffee, the better! But if you only drink one or two a day, that is fine as well.

Remember that coffee is still a stimulant and it may cause unwanted side effects such as a fast heartbeat, insomnia, muscle tremors, and nervousness. The key here is to drink the right kind of coffee. And yes, you may drink decaf as well. It’s been found to be just as beneficial as regular coffee.

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease, you want to be careful with drinking coffee as it can also have side effects. Talk to your doctor first if you wish to increase your caffeine consumption.

Instant coffee that already has cream and sugar is a big no-no. This variety of coffee is highly processed and does not really offer any benefits for gout. If anything, it might even make your symptoms worse. The artificial sugar in instant 3-in-1 coffee can raise your uric acid and the cream has zero traces of real milk. You are better off just using plain black instant coffee and then add your own milk and natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup.

If you want to take it a step further, you can buy whole coffee beans at your grocery store or local coffee shop. There’s also plenty of choices online. You can then just grind it using a coffee grinder, or even a plain old blender will do. Fresh ground coffee beans taste richer and they’re also more beneficial for you.

If you’re getting your coffee at the coffee shop, you want to avoid the frappes and shakes as those are often very high in sugar. Stick to black coffee and add the milk and sugar yourself. This is better since you get to control how much you put in your drink.

Are you a coffee drinker or not? How has it impacted your gout condition? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Want to learn more about gout?

Visit our site at www.goutandyou.com

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional for any health concerns.