Gout is usually caused by having too much uric acid in the body, also known as hyperuricemia. To lower or avoid hyperuricemia, you should limit or avoid foods that are high in purines, which are chemicals that can raise uric acid levels.
Bacon is a popular processed meat that many people enjoy as part of a hearty breakfast or in sandwiches and salads. However, if you have gout, you may be wondering if you should avoid bacon due to its purine content.
Purines are natural compounds found in some foods that can raise uric acid levels in the body. High uric acid levels can lead to gout a form of inflammatory arthritis caused by uric acid crystal buildup in the joints. Therefore people with gout are often advised to follow a low-purine diet.
So, is bacon high in purines? Let’s take a closer look at the purine content of bacon and other factors to consider if you have gout.
Purine Content of Bacon
Bacon contains a moderate amount of purines. A 3-ounce serving of cooked bacon contains about 62 mg of purines.
For comparison, organ meats like liver and kidneys contain very high levels exceeding 300 mg per serving. Other high purine meats include game meats like venison.
While bacon is not as high in purines as organ meats and wild game, it’s still considered a moderate purine food. Experts advise limiting moderate purine foods to 4-6 ounces per day as part of a gout diet.
According to the American College of Rheumatology, people with gout should aim for no more than 100-150 mg of purines per day from all dietary sources This means just a few slices of bacon could approach your daily limit pretty quickly.
Other Factors that Can Trigger Gout
While purine content is important, other factors related to bacon consumption can also trigger gout attacks:
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High Fat Content: The saturated fat in bacon may increase inflammation and contribute to gout flares.
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Nitrates Bacon contains sodium nitrates which can interfere with proper kidney function and lead to a buildup of uric acid.
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Weight Gain: Bacon is high in calories, which can contribute to weight gain. Being overweight is a risk factor for gout.
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Sodium: Bacon contains a lot of sodium, which can also impair kidney function and exacerbate gout.
So in addition to the purines in bacon, all of these other factors are important considerations for people with gout. Even just occasional bacon consumption can be problematic if you’re prone to gout attacks.
Healthier Alternatives to Bacon
If you have gout, there are several healthier alternatives you can use in place of bacon, including:
- Turkey bacon or soy-based bacon alternatives
- Canadian bacon/back bacon
- Prosciutto or thinly sliced ham
- Chicken or turkey breakfast sausage
- Vegetarian sausage patties
Some of these alternatives still contain purines, but choosing unprocessed and nitrate-free options can reduce the risk of triggering gout flares. Portion control is also key.
The Bottom Line
While not as high in purines as some other meat sources, the moderate purine content, fat, and sodium in bacon can be problematic for people prone to gout attacks. Limiting bacon intake and choosing healthier alternatives is recommended if you need to follow a gout diet.
As with any diet change for a health condition, it’s best to work with your doctor or dietitian to develop an appropriate low-purine meal plan for your individual needs. This can help ensure bacon and other high-purine foods are limited while still providing balanced nutrition. With the right dietary changes, most people with gout can still enjoy tasty and nutritious meals.
What Are Symptoms of Gout?
Symptoms of gout can start quickly, over a few hours, and can last about three to 10 days.
When symptoms of gout worsen it is called a gout attack or flare. Symptoms of gout attacks (flares) include:
- Joint pain that comes on quickly and is accompanied by redness, swelling, tenderness, and heat is common. It usually affects a single joint, but inflammation can happen in more than one at the same time. It most often happens in the big toe, lesser toe joints, ankles, and knees. Flares happen more often at night and early in the morning than during the day, but attacks can happen at any time. Pain and inflammation reach their worst within 12 to 24 hours and usually go away completely within a few days to a few weeks, even if not treated.
- May be accompanied by fever
After flare-ups, patients often have remissions, which can last weeks, months, or even years and are symptom-free.
Gout is usually caused by too much uric acid in the body (hyperuricemia). When there is too much uric acid in the body, monosodium urate crystals build up in the joints, fluids, and tissues. Hyperuricemia does not always cause gout, and hyperuricemia without symptoms of gout does not require treatment.
Risk factors for developing gout include:
- Having chronic kidney disease or poor kidney function, congestive heart failure, diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), insulin resistance, or metabolic syndrome
- Obesity
- Overeating or prolonged fasting
- Some medicines, like diuretics (water pills), can change the amount of urate in the blood.
- A lot of purines in the food, which the body turns into uric acid
- Consuming large amounts of meat or seafood
- Having drinks that contain high fructose corn syrup, like regular sodas
- Regularly and too much drinking alcohol, especially beer, vodka, gin, whiskey, or rum
- Being male
What Is the Treatment for Gout?
The goal of treatment for gout flares is to reduce pain and inflammation. Treatment is usually short-term and limited to the duration of the flare.
Anti-inflammatory medications used to treat gout flares include:
- Medicines that reduce swelling and pain without using steroids (NSAIDs): Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), Naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox), Celecoxib (Celebrex), and Indomethacin (Indocin)
- Colchicine (Colcrys)
- Corticosteroids
- Prednisone
- Prednisolone
- Methylprednisolone
People who get tophi (clumps of uric acid crystals around a joint) and kidney stones should be given medicines like
- Allopurinol (Zyloprim)
- Febuxostat (Uloric, Adenuric)
- Pegloticase (Krystexxa)
15 High Uric Acid Foods To Avoid For Gout | VisitJoy
FAQ
Can you eat bacon if you have gout?
How much purine is in bacon?
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Name
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Bacon, fat
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Purine (mg/100g)
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50
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Uric acid (mg/100g)
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120
|
|
Purine (mg)/Portion
|
15
|
|
Uric acid (mg)/Portion
|
36
|
What’s the worst meat for gout?
What foods are high in purines?
Certain seafood, including herring, scallops, mussels, codfish, tuna, trout and haddock. Red meats, including beef, lamb, pork and bacon. Turkey. This leaner meat is, nonetheless, high in purines. Especially avoid processed deli turkey. Gravy and meat sauces. Yeast and yeast extract.
Are foods high in purine bad for the kidneys?
Foods high in purines can cause uric acid to build up in the body, and excess uric acid can crystallize in the kidneys and harden, resulting in kidney stones. Severe cases of kidney stones can be quite painful and may even require surgical intervention to completely eliminate them.
Is Bacon bad for gout?
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.
What foods are low in purines?
The following foods are low in purines: You may want to consider regularly eating fruits like oranges and cherries, which are reported to reduce inflammation caused by uric acid. Purines are chemical compounds that form uric acid when metabolized.