Gout and Sugar: How To Consume Fructose in a Gout Diet
Sugar is one of the worst triggers for gout and yet it’s the one thing that’s very difficult to avoid. Why? Because sugar is everywhere. It’s in your cereal, ketchup, barbecue sauce, fruit juice, coffee — even in food that is supposed to be healthy like yogurt, protein bar, and smoothie.
As a gout sufferer, what are you to do? Just avoid everything and not eat anything? Of course not! There are some ways to go about your diet while still avoiding sugar. But before we get to that, let’s first talk about why certain sugars are bad for you.
Why Sugar is Bad for Gout
Sugar, particularly the artificial kind is bad for gout because it raises uric acid levels. When your serum uric acid levels are elevated, it can cause a gout attack which can be very painful. One of the top reasons why most people experience a gout attack is because of high sugar consumption. This ingredient is so ubiquitous that you wouldn’t know you’ve actually over consumed it.
Gout patients aren’t the only ones affected by high sugar consumption. This ingredient is the culprit to many of today’s most deadly diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. It’s not surprising to know that these conditions are associated with gout too!
There’s plenty of studies to prove the dangers of sugar on gout patients. One research found that individuals who drank more soft drinks had more risk for having a gout attack. And the more soft drinks one consumed, the higher their chance was of developing gout compared to those who consumed less.
So if you don’t have gout yet, it’s best to take precaution now and limit your sugar intake. Even if you are certain you’ll develop gout eventually because it’s in your family history, it’s better to still avoid sugar since this means you’ll have less frequent attacks. You don’t want to know the pain of a gout attack and wish you’d have avoided sugar sooner.
How to Consume Fructose in a Gout Diet
1. Keep an eye on foods with hidden sugar
As mentioned above, artificial sugar can hide in many of today’s grocery items. Just because something isn’t sweet it doesn’t mean there’s no sugar in it. You have to be aware of what these items are so you can avoid them as much as possible. This is the list of foods that are surprisingly high in sugar content.
● Yogurt, particularly ones that are marketed as low fat
● Ketchup
● Barbecue sauce
● Chips and junk food
● Spaghetti sauce
● Granola bars
● Cereals
● Canned fruit
● Canned baked beans
● Sports drinks and energy drinks
● Fruit juice
● Iced tea
● Premade smoothies
● Protein bars
● Chocolate milk
● Flavored coffees
● Premade soup
2. Don’t be tricked by fruit juice
As mentioned above, fruit juice is one of those food items that can trick you into thinking it’s healthy but it might be not due to its high sugar content. If anything, it has way more fructose than the actual fruit itself. You don’t need that much. If you really want to get the benefits of fruit, just eat the real thing. These are better because they still have the vitamins and antioxidants your body needs without the super high sugar content.
3. Learn to read labels
Anything that comes with a packaging, you always have to read the label. This will tell you what’s actually in the food you’re getting. Don’t just rely on the marketing copy on the front of the package. Flip the item and read what’s on the ingredient list. They are listed from highest amount to lowest amount. So for instance, if you’re buying a protein bar and the second ingredient is high fructose corn syrup, then that is the ingredient with the second highest content in the protein bar.
4. Skip the creamer
Coffee is the one part of your daily regimen that could be contributing to your gout attack. This drink is beneficial for gout sufferers but it loses its goodness once you add sugar and creamer to it. You’re probably using white sugar to sweeten your drink and the creamer actually contains some corn syrup which is also sugar! No wonder it keeps you awake!
You can still have coffee but it’s best to avoid sugar and creamer all together. If you can’t stand drinking black coffee, you can add a natural sweetener like honey and then milk. Honey does not increase your uric acid and milk is known to have a uricosuric effect on the body. Make it a routine to only use these ingredients on your morning drink and you should be keeping gout attacks at bay.
5. Know the other names of sugar
As consumers are getting smarter, food manufacturers are also getting sneakier with their labels. Just because the ingredient list doesn’t have high fructose corn syrup in it, it doesn’t mean there’s no sugar in it. In fact, there probably is, it’s just under a different name. You’ll be surprised to know that there’s more than 50 other names for sugar. Here is a complete list:
● Dextrose
● Fructose
● Galactose
● Glucose
● Lactose
● Maltose
● Sucrose
● Beet sugar
● Brown sugar
● Cane juice crystals
● Cane sugar
● Castor sugar
● Coconut sugar
● Confectioner’s sugar (aka, powdered sugar)
● Corn syrup solids
● Crystalline fructose
● Date sugar
● Demerara sugar
● Dextrin
● Diastatic malt
● Ethyl maltol
● Florida crystals
● Golden sugar
● Glucose syrup solids
● Grape sugar
● Icing sugar
● Maltodextrin
● Muscovado sugar
● Panela sugar
● Raw sugar
● Sugar (granulated or table)
● Sucanat
● Turbinado sugar
● Yellow sugar
● Agave Nectar/Syrup
● Barley malt
● Blackstrap molasses
● Brown rice syrup
● Buttered sugar/buttercream
● Caramel
● Carob syrup
● Corn syrup
● Evaporated cane juice
● Fruit juice
● Fruit juice concentrate
● Golden syrup
● High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
● Honey
● Invert sugar
● Malt syrup
● Maple syrup
● Molasses
● Rice syrup
● Refiner’s syrup
● Sorghum syrup
● Treacle
Quite a long list isn’t it? Now we don’t expect you to memorize all 50 names. But make it a habit to read the ingredient list of processed foods since they are most likely to contain these ingredients. The more you practice, the more familiar you’ll become with these ingredients and learn to avoid them.
6. Watch your fructose per calories
Surely a can of soft drink won’t give you a gout attack? Wrong! It still could. We’re not looking at size here but the amount of fructose there are per calories. For instance, a soda has 29,760mg of fructose per 200 calories compared to an apple which only has 25,125mg of fructose per calories. You’d have to eat 3 apples to really experience the negative side effects of fructose. But even then, you probably won’t since it contains vitamins and minerals that can help counteract its effects.
7. Use healthier sugars
As we mentioned above, you can still use a natural sweetener like honey. There are also other healthier sugars aside from that and that includes stevia, dates, and maple syrup. These are plant-based meaning, they won’t have as bad of a side effect as other sugars will.
8. Say goodbye to chips
Chips may not be sweet but they too contain a high amount of corn syrup in them. If you have a habit of opening a bag of chips while watching a movie, you’re on your way to becoming overweight and possibly a gout attack. It’s best to avoid chips and junk food altogether. This will not just help with weight loss, it’ll also help you avoid diseases associated with it such as high blood pressure and kidney disease.
9. Go for natural fructose
You can still consume sugar even if you have gout, but not just any kind of sugar. We’re talking natural sugar that comes from fruit — nature’s candy! Why go through all that trouble of reading labels and dodging isles when you can just pick up a fruit at the produce section? They’re nutritious and delicious!
The best fruit for gout are cherries since they are high in vitamin C. But you will also find this powerful nutrient in other fruits like oranges, lemons, grapefruit, cantaloupe, and kiwi.
Pineapple is also another fruit that is sure to satisfy that sweet craving. Aside from being naturally sweet, it also possesses a powerful enzyme called bromelain which can help with gout. This is because bromelain reduces inflammation and pain. So the next time you have a gout attack and you want something sweet, just reach for a half a cup of pineapple a day and it should help to subside the pain.
10. Watch out for high fructose fruits and vegetables
Yes, fruits and vegetables are good for gout but consuming too much of a specific kind can have unwanted effects. Some high fructose fruits include apples, grapes, and watermelon. You’ll want to opt for low fructose ones instead such as blueberries, strawberries, and bananas. As for vegetables, asparagus, peas, and zucchini are known to have high fructose. Meanwhile, carrots, green beans, and lettuce are low in them.
Certain gout patients will react differently to these produce items. You’ll find that you can get away with eating two apples a day with no problem while a friend who also has gout cannot or else he’ll have an attack. Keep note of what you can and cannot tolerate. What may be okay for someone might actually be a huge trigger for you.
11. Keep track of what you’re eating
Speaking of keeping track, you’ll want to keep a record of what you’re eating. It’s so easy to munch on various kinds of foods throughout the day. You might not notice that you’re actually consuming more sugar than you should.
Start keeping a food diary so you know exactly what you’re eating. It’s tedious at first and checking the sugar content for each food item can be a hassle but once you get used to it, you’ll be more mindful of what you’re eating. You also probably won’t be looking up for sugar content as much since you’re already familiar with the sugar content of everything.
12. Drink lots of water
If you notice yourself getting thirsty, it’s probably because you’ve had too much sugar. In this case, make sure to hydrate yourself by drinking a glass of water. This will not only help you avoid dehydration (which is another gout trigger) it also dilutes the uric acid in your body. You’ll also be urinating frequently which means you are eliminating that excess uric acid which can cause a gout attack.
13. Have healthy fructose nearby
We live in a busy world and sometimes, that means grabbing the most convenient snack there is whether it’s a bag of chips or a tub of ice cream. These food items are delicious but they are absolutely terrible for gout since they contain so much high fructose corn syrup. To prevent this from happening, you always want to have healthy fructose nearby. Get a bowl and fill it with low fructose fruits that you can snack on in case a sweet craving comes.
14. Make your own
You don’t have to quit eating granola or yogurt for the sake of avoiding fructose. You still can, but the guaranteed way you are getting only the best is if you make your own! Figure out the foods you are most likely to consume and make it yourself. Juice? Get a juicer and make your own! Iced tea? Skip the ready made bottle and make it from scratch using tea leaves. By doing this, you’re able to dodge the unhealthy ingredients in most packaged foods and use ingredients that are actually healthy.
Sure, it can be intimidating making your own food in the beginning but once you’re able to learn how to make them, you never have to depend on the selection at the market ever again.
What has your experience been like consuming sugar while having gout? What are your worst triggers? And what are high fructose foods that surprisingly don’t have an effect on you? Share your stories in the comments below.
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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.
