Pork is a red meat, but it’s often called “the other white meat.” This is because it’s a source of lean protein, like poultry. Pork has moderately high amounts ofpurines, however. Purines are compounds that produceuric acidwhen digested. Uric acid can build up in your joints and cause gout.
Eating a lot of pork and other kinds of red meat, including organ meats like liver and kidney, increases your risk of recurrentgoutattacks.
If you have gout, it is important to maintain a low-purine diet. To do this, it’s helpful to know the difference between cuts of pork and cooking methods. You should also know how much pork is recommended daily for people who have gout.
Pork can be part of a healthy gout diet if you follow some general guidelines on how much to eat and how to cook it.
This article looks at the nutritional value of pork and how it might affect you if you have gout. It also offers some cooking tips and tips for choosing the best cuts if you have gout.
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What Causes Gout?
When your body breaks down purines, uric acid is produced as a waste product. Excess uric acid can form needle-like crystals between joints and result in joint pain.
Nutritional Value of Pork
Pork is an excellent source of nutrients like:
It also contains zinc and potassium. The following cuts are good sources of lean protein:
These cuts can be part of a healthy gout diet. Lean protein is also a good choice if you’re trying to lose or maintain weight for gout-related health reasons.
Foods to Eat and Avoid With Gout
Pork can also be a significant source of unhealthy saturated fats and cholesterol. This is particularly true of fattier and highly processed cuts like:
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating no more than 13 g of saturated fat a day.If you eat these cuts it’s easy to go beyond that. Keep in mind, too, that processed meats like sausage are known humancarcinogens. This means they have been linked to an elevated risk of cancer.
Pork has a lot of calories, too, so it can be hard to maintain a healthy weight if you don’t practice good portion control. People who are overweight orobeseare at higher risk for gout and gout attacks.
Pork: Nutrition FactsAccording to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a 1 ounce (28.35 g) serving of pork contains the following:Calories:86Protein:4.26 gFat:7.25 gCarbohydrates:0 gSugar:0 gFiber:0 gCalcium:89.3 mgIron:1.2 mgMagnesium:4.54 mgPhosphorous:56.7 mgPotassium:84.5 mgSodium:14.2 mgKeep in mind that commercially packaged pork usually comes in 6- to 8-ounce cuts.
Pork: Nutrition Facts
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a 1 ounce (28.35 g) serving of pork contains the following:Calories:86Protein:4.26 gFat:7.25 gCarbohydrates:0 gSugar:0 gFiber:0 gCalcium:89.3 mgIron:1.2 mgMagnesium:4.54 mgPhosphorous:56.7 mgPotassium:84.5 mgSodium:14.2 mgKeep in mind that commercially packaged pork usually comes in 6- to 8-ounce cuts.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a 1 ounce (28.35 g) serving of pork contains the following:
Keep in mind that commercially packaged pork usually comes in 6- to 8-ounce cuts.
What Are the Best Cuts of Pork if You Have Gout?
Different cuts of meat have different nutrition, calories, and purine amounts. Avoid pig organ meats, which are all high in purines. These include:
The AHA recommends limiting servings of pork to 3 ounces. This is about the size of a deck of cards.
If you have gout, avoid high-purine cuts of pork and high-purine pork products. Choose cuts and pork products that have less purine and eat them in moderation. Remember that cooking method also matters. Consider the other foods you eat, too, to get a accurate picture of your total purine intake.
Cooking Tips For Lowering Purines
Cooking method changes the total fat and purine content of pork. Research has shown that rinsing foods with water before cooking can reduce total purines. This includes pork products like bacon.
Use gout-friendly moist or dry heat cooking methods, including:
Avoid deep frying. Watch how you marinate, season, and prepare your pork too. Experts say high-fat dairy and rich breading batters are high in purines. If you have gout, these should be avoided.
Avoid highly processed sugars, too. These are often found in store-bought marinades and sauces. Use these products very sparingly.
Purines release into meat juices when cooked. For this reason, you should avoid stewing pork or using one-pot recipes. It’s best to cook your pork alone and then add it to your meal.
RecapHow you cook your pork matters. Choose dry or moist heat methods like roasting or baking and avoid deep frying. Don’t use marinades or batters that contain a lot of processed sugar or fat.
Recap
How you cook your pork matters. Choose dry or moist heat methods like roasting or baking and avoid deep frying. Don’t use marinades or batters that contain a lot of processed sugar or fat.
Summary
If you have gout, you can still eat pork. Limit your consumption to lean cuts like sirloin and eat small portions. Avoid organ meats and processed pork products. Choose cuts that are low in purines.
Frequently Asked QuestionsBy itself, pork does not cause gout. However, a high-purine diet can increase the risk of developing gout.Gout occurs when the body creates more uric acid than it can remove. This results in crystals that form in the joints and tissues.Bacon contains a moderate amount of purine. Most people with gout should avoid eating it. However, this does not mean it is always bad for gout. Everyone’s body works differently. Some people may be able to handle higher amounts of purine. Others will need to be more selective with their food choices to avoid a gout attack. Every person with gout should monitor their purine intake to understand their body’s limitations.
Frequently Asked Questions
By itself, pork does not cause gout. However, a high-purine diet can increase the risk of developing gout.Gout occurs when the body creates more uric acid than it can remove. This results in crystals that form in the joints and tissues.
Bacon contains a moderate amount of purine. Most people with gout should avoid eating it. However, this does not mean it is always bad for gout. Everyone’s body works differently. Some people may be able to handle higher amounts of purine. Others will need to be more selective with their food choices to avoid a gout attack. Every person with gout should monitor their purine intake to understand their body’s limitations.
Chicken and Gout: How Much to Eat and Cooking Tips
6 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.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.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
Pork.Pork nutrition.
American Heart Association.Saturated fat.
Arthritis Foundation.Gout.
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