10 food ways to cut uric acid to size and boost gut health
A common factor in the blood reports of people who come to me for weight loss guidance is their high uric acid count, even if they are vegetarian. Clearly, many of us are doing something wrong, somewhere. The high level of uric acid is a problem and if left uncontrolled, it can lead to gout, stone formation in the kidneys and even damage them in the long run.
So what exactly is uric acid?
It is a chemical that our body produces when it breaks down foods that contain organic compounds called purines, a kind of amino acid found in certain foods.
Most uric acid dissolves in the blood, then it is filtered through the kidneys, and expelled in the urine. Sometimes, the body produces too much uric acid or doesn't filter out enough of it. Strong family history of its presence, physical inactivity and high non-vegetarian food intake are the factors that make a person's body prone to high uric acid.
Food ways that work
Keep a check on your weight. There is a strong association with obesity as fatty tissue enhances the production of uric acid.
Limit purine intake. Limit meat, poultry and fish - animal proteins are high in purine and this will result in high uric acid levels in the body. Those who are prone should keep a check on the mushrooms, lentils, and spinach consumption too.
Beware of too much sugar, particularly hidden sugar. Beverages and other sweetened food items often contain fructose as a sweetening element because it is more palatable than sucrose or glucose. Fructose, when taken in excess, has been linked to high uric acid. In fact research links high consumption of sugary drinks with a very high chance of developing gout.
Alcohol interferes with the elimination of uric acid from the body. Drinking beer in particular has been linked to gout attacks.
If you still believe that more is better when it comes to protein in the diet, stop now. Having higher levels is not necessarily better; as the problem with eating excessive protein is that the body can't store it. Excess in a meal (more than what your body can use) either gets converted into fat and carbs and gets stored in the body or has to be excreted.
And what is worse is that the by-product your body creates after it has digested protein is ammonia, which gets converted by the liver into a less toxic substance - uric acid causing them to work over time and thus taxes our liver too. So cut off excess protein from diet; people who go on only protein diets to lose weight or take protein supplements to build muscle are most vulnerable. The ideal consumption is about 1 gram of protein per kg body weight for an average person and slightly higher if a person exercises a lot.
Processed foods are a cause of concern. First, because these are usually high in salt (sodium), and high salt intake leads to higher calcium excretion (increased amount of sodium passing into the urine can also pull calcium along with it) which can mess up the mineral balance in the body. Secondly, they tend to be a rich in saturated fats and trans fats, another rick factor that messes uric acid content up. Thirdly, these tend to be low in fibre, which again creates havoc with our uric acid levels. That is why adding foods high in dietary fibre helps lower uric acid levels in the blood. It works by helping absorb uric acid into the bloodstream, allowing it to be eliminated from the body through your kidneys. So consciously add more veggies, fats and whole grains to your diet.
Vitamin E is an important nutrient for keeping a lid on uric acid as its deficiency can cause problems. Good sources include wheat germ, liver, eggs, chicken, turkey, salmon, mackerel, nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts); sunflower seeds, cold-pressed vegetable oils, including olive, corn, safflower, soybean, cottonseed, and canola; apples, apricots, peaches, dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli, other veggies like beet, turnip, sweet potatoes and yams and sprouts.
So is vitamin C, as it helps disintegrate uric acid and flushes it out of the body. Best sources of which are guava, amla, oranges, bell peppers, kiwi, lime and lemon. One other remedy that's been very beneficial in treating gout is magnesium. Magnesium is an alkaline mineral - this, too, can decrease uric acid formation in the body.
Certain foods help in a big way too. Cherries contain anti-inflammatory substance referred to as anthocyanin that helps neutralise uric acid. They also prevent uric acid from crystallising and getting deposited in the joints and help the body eliminate this acid as waste. Similarly, it helps to add apples to your diet. As they are enriched with malic acid, they neutralise uric acid in the blood stream.
Finally, here is another reason to have adequate water throughout the day. It helps flush out toxins from the body, including excess uric acid. So target a minimum of eight glasses of water every day.
Also read: Foods smokers must eat if they can't kick the habit