Oatmeal is a high-fiber cereal grain packed with antioxidants. However, if you havegout(also known as gouty arthritis) you should limit your intake to reduce the risk of a flare-up (gout attack).Oatmealcan make gout worse because of its purine content (50-150 mg purine per 100 g).
For people who are susceptible, high purine intake can cause elevated blood levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia) and result in a gout attack due to uric acid crystal accumulation in the joints. That’s why people with gout should avoid purine-containing foods or consume them in moderation.
Foods to Eat and Avoid With Gout
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Health Benefits and Nutrition Facts
Oatmeal can help if you are trying to lose weight and maintain weight loss, thanks to its high water and soluble fiber content.Maintaining a healthy weight is also one of the most importantlifestyle factorsfor gout treatment.
Oatmeal: Nutrition FactsAccording to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, raw oats contain the following nutrition information per 100g or 3.5 ounces:Calories: 379Protein: 13.15 gCarbs: 67.7 gSugar: 0 gFiber: 10.1 gFat: 6.5 gCalcium: 52 mgIron:4.25 mgMagnesium:138 mgPotassium: 362 mgSodium: 6 mg
Oatmeal: Nutrition Facts
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, raw oats contain the following nutrition information per 100g or 3.5 ounces:Calories: 379Protein: 13.15 gCarbs: 67.7 gSugar: 0 gFiber: 10.1 gFat: 6.5 gCalcium: 52 mgIron:4.25 mgMagnesium:138 mgPotassium: 362 mgSodium: 6 mg
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, raw oats contain the following nutrition information per 100g or 3.5 ounces:
Oatmeal and Gout
Oatmeal is not as high in purines as other foods likeseafood, organ meats, and alcohol, but experts say it’s within the moderate purine range and recommend that people who have gout eat no more than two servings per week.A single serving of cooked oats is half a cup or 4 ounces (125 ml).
Moderating and reducing the purines you consume can help maintain healthy uric acid levels and prevent gout attacks if you have gout or kidney disease. The recommended daily intake of dietary purines in Japan is less than 400 mg to prevent gout and hyperuricemia.
One study included oatmeal in their purine-rich vegetable group and found no association between a moderate intake of purine-rich vegetables and increased risk of gout.This finding is consistent with the categorization of oatmeal as a moderate purine food.
A Better Oatmeal
Because of its many health benefits, it’s a good idea to keep oatmeal in your diet. But if you have gout, you may need to make some modifications to how much you eat (and how you eat it) to prevent a gout attack:
Other Foods to Eat to Manage GoutInstead of oatmeal, you can try:Fresh fruit smoothies made with plant-based milkHomemade oat and cherry muffinsA Mediterranean breakfastA Mediterranean diet involves choosing fruit, nuts and seeds, whole grains and cereals, potatoes, herbs and spices, and extra-virgin olive oil. It has consistently been associated with disease reduction. One study linked the diet to a reduced risk of gout attacks.
Other Foods to Eat to Manage Gout
Instead of oatmeal, you can try:Fresh fruit smoothies made with plant-based milkHomemade oat and cherry muffinsA Mediterranean breakfastA Mediterranean diet involves choosing fruit, nuts and seeds, whole grains and cereals, potatoes, herbs and spices, and extra-virgin olive oil. It has consistently been associated with disease reduction. One study linked the diet to a reduced risk of gout attacks.
Instead of oatmeal, you can try:
A Mediterranean diet involves choosing fruit, nuts and seeds, whole grains and cereals, potatoes, herbs and spices, and extra-virgin olive oil. It has consistently been associated with disease reduction. One study linked the diet to a reduced risk of gout attacks.
A Word From Verywell
Maintaining a gout diet means taking into account the total purine content of your typical daily and weekly menu and making some modifications. Eating a gout-appropriate diet is the easiest way to avoid a gout attack, and it’s something that is within your control. Oatmeal is packed with nutrients that can benefit your heart health. While you don’t need to avoid oatmeal, you should consider how the purine content adds up with the rest of what you’re eating. If you’re unsure about what to eat to manage gout, talk to your healthcare provider or dietician.
Frequently Asked QuestionsPurines are a naturally-occurring chemical compound that help our bodies create uric acid. Too much uric acid can lead to a gout attack, but the body needs a steady amount of it to protect blood vessels. This is why people with gout may wish to limit their consumption of purine-rich foods like red meat, certain fish, and sugary foods.Oatmeal contains a moderate amount of purines, but its consumption should still be limited to twice a week to prevent a gout attack.Gout is one type of arthritis, but there are multiple types of arthritis that can affect different areas of the body.When an excessive number of uric acid crystals form in the joints, it can cause pain and swelling, leading to gout. It usually starts in the big toe, but gout can move on to affect thebursae, joints, kidneys, andtendon sheathes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Purines are a naturally-occurring chemical compound that help our bodies create uric acid. Too much uric acid can lead to a gout attack, but the body needs a steady amount of it to protect blood vessels. This is why people with gout may wish to limit their consumption of purine-rich foods like red meat, certain fish, and sugary foods.Oatmeal contains a moderate amount of purines, but its consumption should still be limited to twice a week to prevent a gout attack.
Gout is one type of arthritis, but there are multiple types of arthritis that can affect different areas of the body.When an excessive number of uric acid crystals form in the joints, it can cause pain and swelling, leading to gout. It usually starts in the big toe, but gout can move on to affect thebursae, joints, kidneys, andtendon sheathes.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Elevate Health AZ.Purine Table.The Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health.Oats.USDA Food Data Central.Oats, raw.UPMC Department of Urology.A low-purine diet for kidney stones and gout.Kaneko K, Aoyagi Y, Fukuuchi T, Inazawa K, Yamaoka N.Total purine and purine base content of common foodstuffs for facilitating nutritional therapy for gout and hyperuricemia.Biol Pharm Bull.2014;37(5):709-721. doi:10.1248/bpb.b13-00967.xChoi H, Atkinson K, Karlson E, Willett W, Curhan G.Purine-rich foods, dairy and protein intake, and the risk of gout in men.New England Journal of Medicine. 2004;350(11):1093-1103. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa035700Stamostergiou J, Theodoridis X, Ganochoriti V, Bogdanos D, Sakkas L.The role of the Mediterranean diet in hyperuricemia and gout.Mediterr J Rheumatol.2018;29(1):21-5. doi:10.31138/mjr.29.1.21.xNational Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Elevate Health AZ.Purine Table.The Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health.Oats.USDA Food Data Central.Oats, raw.UPMC Department of Urology.A low-purine diet for kidney stones and gout.Kaneko K, Aoyagi Y, Fukuuchi T, Inazawa K, Yamaoka N.Total purine and purine base content of common foodstuffs for facilitating nutritional therapy for gout and hyperuricemia.Biol Pharm Bull.2014;37(5):709-721. doi:10.1248/bpb.b13-00967.xChoi H, Atkinson K, Karlson E, Willett W, Curhan G.Purine-rich foods, dairy and protein intake, and the risk of gout in men.New England Journal of Medicine. 2004;350(11):1093-1103. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa035700Stamostergiou J, Theodoridis X, Ganochoriti V, Bogdanos D, Sakkas L.The role of the Mediterranean diet in hyperuricemia and gout.Mediterr J Rheumatol.2018;29(1):21-5. doi:10.31138/mjr.29.1.21.xNational Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Elevate Health AZ.Purine Table.The Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health.Oats.USDA Food Data Central.Oats, raw.UPMC Department of Urology.A low-purine diet for kidney stones and gout.Kaneko K, Aoyagi Y, Fukuuchi T, Inazawa K, Yamaoka N.Total purine and purine base content of common foodstuffs for facilitating nutritional therapy for gout and hyperuricemia.Biol Pharm Bull.2014;37(5):709-721. doi:10.1248/bpb.b13-00967.xChoi H, Atkinson K, Karlson E, Willett W, Curhan G.Purine-rich foods, dairy and protein intake, and the risk of gout in men.New England Journal of Medicine. 2004;350(11):1093-1103. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa035700Stamostergiou J, Theodoridis X, Ganochoriti V, Bogdanos D, Sakkas L.The role of the Mediterranean diet in hyperuricemia and gout.Mediterr J Rheumatol.2018;29(1):21-5. doi:10.31138/mjr.29.1.21.xNational Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout.
Elevate Health AZ.Purine Table.
The Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health.Oats.
USDA Food Data Central.Oats, raw.
UPMC Department of Urology.A low-purine diet for kidney stones and gout.
Kaneko K, Aoyagi Y, Fukuuchi T, Inazawa K, Yamaoka N.Total purine and purine base content of common foodstuffs for facilitating nutritional therapy for gout and hyperuricemia.Biol Pharm Bull.2014;37(5):709-721. doi:10.1248/bpb.b13-00967.x
Choi H, Atkinson K, Karlson E, Willett W, Curhan G.Purine-rich foods, dairy and protein intake, and the risk of gout in men.New England Journal of Medicine. 2004;350(11):1093-1103. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa035700
Stamostergiou J, Theodoridis X, Ganochoriti V, Bogdanos D, Sakkas L.The role of the Mediterranean diet in hyperuricemia and gout.Mediterr J Rheumatol.2018;29(1):21-5. doi:10.31138/mjr.29.1.21.x
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout.
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