Can you eat eel with gout

In this brief guide, we will address the query, “can you eat eel with gout?” We will also discuss what implications come with suffering from gout and how it is recommended to modify your diet if you happen to have this disease.

Can you eat eel with gout?

The answer to this question is yes, you can keep consuming eel, specifically Japanese eel due to its low purine levels, which makes it an excellent gout-friendly ingredient. This means suffering from gout does not mean having to say goodbye to delicious -and nutritious- meals.

In the next paragraphs, you will find more information about this subject, so we encourage you to keep reading!

What is gout?

Gout is a form of arthritis that implies very painful inflammations that tend to affect joints by causing uric acid crystals in the blood that accumulate around them. People with gout may keep a diet low in purines.

Purines can be found naturally in our bodies and can also be consumed in several foods. Purine metabolism leads to the production of uric acid, which then is excreted in the form of urine. When people suffer from gout, this elimination does not occur properly and therefore there is an accumulation of uric acid.

What are the signs and symptoms of gout?

Gout bursts can happen suddenly and last for a couple of days, or even weeks! And it may take some time for the next flare to happen. These bursts occur one joint at a time, and a common target is the big toe, as well as the ankle, and the knee.

When these gout flares occur, the following symptoms may be present in the joint affected:

  • Usually severe pain 
  • Redness
  • Heat
  • Swelling

What causes gout?

Purines, whether they are found in food, or are already in your body, will eventually be metabolized, which means they will break down. Purines’ breakdown will generate uric acid, also known as urate.

Normally, urate is excreted in the form of urine, but when you have gout only little urate is removed, which causes an accumulation of urate in your blood. As urate is in the form of pointy crystals, this will cause inflammation accompanied by pain and swelling.

What are purines and what are their functions?

Purines are also known as one of the two building blocks of our DNA, therefore they are present in our entire bodies! Their main functions are:

  • Providing energy
  • Synthesize RNA
  • Control cell growth
  • Help the sugar transport in our system.

If you want to read more about purines and their functions, please click here.

What can you eat if you have gout?

To prevent gout flares, you should stick to a special diet. These kinds of diets will help you avoid an uncontrolled amount of purines, and therefore avoid uric acid build-up. A special diet will help you achieve a healthy lifestyle.

A gout-friendly diet should contain:

  • Water – it is essential you keep hydrated at all times.
  • Proteins – avoid saturated fats from red meat, instead consume lean meat and poultry.
  • Complex carbohydrates – Prioritize fruits and vegetable consumption, and try to stay away from the high-fructose syrup.

Also, keeping a healthy weight will help to reduce uric acid levels and therefore lower gout flares. Besides that, losing weight will also help de-stress your joints.

Yes, you can still consume fish with gout, some fish that are okay to consume because of their low purine levels, are:

  • Japanese eel
  • Sablefish
  • Monkfish

What foods should you avoid if you have gout?

When suffering from gout, the best is to keep your purine levels as low as possible, then you should stay away from the following foods:

  • Beer
  • Vodka
  • Whiskey
  • Red meat
  • Organ meats – like liver, kidneys, or pancreas
  • Seafood
  • High-fructose products – you better say goodbye to sodas, cereals, ice cream, and candy

Where can Japanese eel be found?

Japanese eel can be found in East Asia, where it is cultivated in aquaculture facilities in most countries in that region. The Japanese word for this freshwater eel is Unagi. It is a catadromous species.

What makes Japanese eel gout-friendly

When suffering from goats it is better to keep your purine intake low, around 400 mg to prevent gout flares. To maintain us above these levels, the best is to reduce our purine consumption, that is why we need to find low purine sources, such as:

  • Caviar
  • Eggs of salmon
  • Herring
  • Squid organs

Other FAQs about Fish that you may be interested in.

Can you cook fish air fryer?

Can you eat pike fish

Can you eat fish when you’re vegetarian?

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we have addressed the query, “can you eat eel with gout?” We have also discussed other queries related to the subject at hand.

Hope you found this blog useful. If you have any questions, please let us know.

Citations

https://www.verywellhealth.com/fish-and-gout-5093098#:~:text=Fish%20and%20seafood%20that%20are,%2C%20monkfish%20meat%2C%20and%20sablefish.

https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/gout.html#treat

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.621461/full

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/gout-diet/art-20048524

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