Can I Eat Eggs If I Have Gout?

Gout is a painful form of inflammatory arthritis that affects the joints. It’s caused by an excess of uric acid that stems from either increased production or decreased elimination of this compound.

What is uric acid?

Your body makes uric acid to break down purines, which are naturally occurring chemicals found in your body and in the food you eat.

How does uric acid cause gout?

When there is too much uric acid in your body, either because you’re producing more or are unable to eliminate enough of it, it can form crystals that may build up in the joints. The result is gout.

What can I do about gout?

Following diagnosis, a doctor can prescribe medication to treat gout. You can also eat a diet low in purines to manage the level of uric acid in your body.

Certain foods, such as red meat, are rich in purines. You should avoid such foods if you have gout or are at a high risk for it.

This means you need to choose sources of protein that are low in purines. Eggs are a good option.

Talk with your doctor about specific foods you should avoid, but generally a diet to lower uric acid will include:

• cherries
• coffee, tea, and green tea
• low-fat dairy products
• plant oils, such as canola, olive, sunflower
• vegetables
• legumes
• nuts and seeds
• eggs
• whole-grain products

Generally, you should avoid these foods if you’re following a diet to lower uric acid:

• organ and glandular meat, such as liver and sweetbreads
• processed foods
• red meat, such as beef, lamb, and pork
• refined carbohydrates, such as sugar, white bread, pasta, and white rice
• shellfish
• sugary beverages and foods

Also, talk to your doctor about drinking alcoholic beverages. As part of a diet to lower uric acid, men should drink no more than two alcoholic beverages and women no more than one every 24 hours.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a gout diet isn’t likely to lower the uric acid concentration in your blood sufficiently without medication. However, it may play a role in reducing the number of attacks and limiting their severity.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, an extra large egg has the following nutrients:

• 7.03 grams of protein
• 5.33 grams of fat
• .40 grams of carbohydrate
• .21 grams of total sugars

Eggs also have minerals and vitamins, including:

• potassium
• phosphorus
• calcium
• vitamin A
• vitamin D
• folate

Salmonella is a type of bacteria that is a common cause of food poisoning in the United States.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires the packaging of eggs that haven’t been treated to destroy salmonella to carry this safe handling statement:

“To prevent illness from bacteria: Keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly.”

Eggs that have undergone in-shell pasteurization to destroy salmonella aren’t required by the FDA to include safe handling instructions, but the labeling will typically indicate that they have been treated.

Eggs are a good protein source for people with gout, because eggs are naturally low in purines.

Although eating foods with lower purine levels may help reduce the number and severity of gout attacks, you will most likely need medication to lower the uric acid concentration in your blood to properly manage this condition.

Talk with your doctor about the various ways you can ease gout discomfort, including adopting a diet to lower uric acid.