Are you eating a gout-friendly diet? If you want to avoid nasty flare-ups of gout, you need to know the five foods to avoid, and the five foods to swap them for.

What is gout?

Gout is a form of arthritis caused by high levels of uric acid in your bloodstream. Too much uric acid can cause painful flare-ups of gout.

These attacks take place when your body can’t get rid of the uric acid in the bloodstream, so it instead settles around your joints.

Gout flare-ups normally come on suddenly at night and can last anywhere from three to 10 days.

Certain foods can cause high levels of uric acid and therefore bring on attacks of gout.

Read on to find out the foods to avoid, and the foods to include in a gout-friendly diet.

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Eat plenty of these five foods to avoid gout attacks:

Fruits and vegetables: Any healthy diet includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, and a gout-friendly diet is no exception. Cherries in particular can help lower uric acid levels and prevent inflammation.

Legumes: Legumes is the food group that contains beans, peas, tofu and lentils. These foods are low in fat and are a great plant-based source of protein.

Nuts: If you’re reaching for a snack, try having a handful of nuts: a natural source of fats, protein and fibre.

Wholegrains: Oats, brown rice and barley are nutritious and filling accompaniments to a meal.

Eggs: It’s advised to limit your meat and fish intake to alleviate the symptoms of gout, and eggs are a great substitute for protein in a meal.