I used to believe that avoiding foods high in uric acid was the most important thing to do when you have gout.
I first published my list of foods high in uric acid on July 22nd, 2007. Putting together this list of purines took a lot of work, and thousands of websites around the world have copied it. At the time, after 2+ years working on this site, I knew more about gout than most people. A fraction of what I know now.
I soon learned that purine control was not as important as many people suggested. You should never ignore purines from animal flesh. But there are other factors in diet that are more important. I’ve created a better Purine Rich Foods list that focuses on foods that really matter. You can still read my original high purine foods list below.
Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood. This uric acid can form painful crystals in the joints, especially the big toe. Managing gout often comes down to controlling uric acid levels through medication and making dietary changes
For those with gout, certain high-purine foods like organ meats and shellfish are widely known triggers to avoid. But what about convenient canned foods like Vienna sausage? Do these little cocktail wieners need to be banished when you have gout?
In this article, we’ll analyze the purine content of Vienna sausages and whether they are likely to exacerbate gout symptoms and attacks. We’ll also look at some healthier alternatives to get your protein without provoking painful gout flares.
What are Vienna Sausages?
Vienna sausage refers to a type of precooked canned sausage made with a blend of pork and beef. Other ingredients like chicken turkey, spices, corn syrup and sodium nitrite are often added as well during processing.
These tiny sausages are smoked and cooked inside the cans. The small 2-3 inch size makes them perfect for snacking or adding to other recipes. Vienna sausages are sold under various brand names like Armour, Hormel and Libby’s.
Their convenience makes Vienna sausages a popular choice for quick protein when you’re in a rush. But are they a good option if you need to watch your purine intake for gout? Let’s find out.
Do Vienna Sausages Contain Purines?
Purines are natural compounds found in some foods that can raise uric acid levels when broken down in the body. Foods particularly high in purines include:
- Organ meats like liver, kidney and sweetbreads
- Seafood like anchovies, shellfish, sardines and tuna
- Game meats like venison, boar and rabbit
- Yeasts and gravies
- Alcohol, especially beer and hard liquors
So do Vienna sausages belong on the high-purine list? The answer is yes. Processed meat products like sausages, cold cuts and bacon contain moderate amounts of purines.
This is because Vienna sausages are made from a blend of pork and beef, both of which contain purines. Add in processing methods like curing and smoking, and the purine content increases further.
So while Vienna sausages are not as high in purines as organ meats, they do contain much more than plant-based protein sources like beans or lentils.
Can Vienna Sausages Trigger Gout Attacks?
For those prone to gout, foods that raise uric acid can precipitate painful gout attacks. Urate crystals form in joints, tendons and other tissues when uric acid levels get too high.
These needle-sharp crystals cause inflammation, redness, swelling and intense pain, classically in the big toe joint. But gout can strike the ankles, knees, hands and wrists too.
By containing moderate amounts of purines, Vienna sausages can contribute to gout flares in those with hyperuricemia and established gout. Consuming higher-purine foods is widely considered one of the primary dietary causes of recurrent gout attacks.
Research also shows that frequent intake of processed meats like sausages is associated with higher gout risk. One study found that men who ate the most processed meat had a 41% higher risk of developing gout compared to those who ate the least.
So while an occasional Vienna sausage may be fine, regular consumption is likely to worsen gout over time. Those with gout should limit intake to no more than 1-2 servings per week at most.
Healthier Low-Purine Alternatives to Vienna Sausages
If Vienna sausages are off the table, what other quick protein options can you eat without provoking gout? Here are some much lower-purine alternatives:
- Eggs
- Greek yogurt
- Milk
- Cheeses like mozzarella or swiss
- Tofu
- Beans, lentils, chickpeas
- Nuts like almonds, walnuts or peanuts
- Seeds like sunflower or pumpkin
- Nut butters like almond or peanut butter
- Whole grain crackers or rice cakes
- Fruits like bananas, oranges, strawberries
- Vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers
These plant-based proteins and dairy products give you plenty of ways to get protein into snacks and meals without excessive purines.
Combine these ingredients into quick snacks like yogurt parfaits, cottage cheese and fruit, nut butter toast or hummus with veggie sticks. Or add them into lunch bowls, salads, sandwiches, omelets and more.
With some easy substitutions, you can still eat well while managing gout and its painful flares.
Tips for Reducing Gout Flare-ups
In addition to limiting high-purine foods like Vienna sausage, here are some other diet and lifestyle tips to help reduce gout attacks:
- Stay well hydrated with water and herbal teas
- Limit alcohol intake, especially beer and liquor
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Exercise regularly to lower uric acid levels
- Consider taking vitamin C supplements to help excrete uric acid
- Work with your doctor to control uric acid with medication if needed
- Avoid crash dieting or fasting which can trigger flares
Making smart dietary choices is key, but medication and natural remedies can also help prevent painful gout episodes.
Vienna sausages may seem like an easy protein option, but their moderate purine content can be problematic for those prone to gout. As a processed meat, regular consumption is linked to higher gout risk and more frequent attacks.
Limiting intake to an occasional 1-2 servings per week is advised. Opt for low-purine plant and dairy proteins instead as your go-to choices to prevent gout pain and inflammation. With some simple diet tweaks and gout-smart food swaps, you can keep painful flares at bay.
Foods High in Uric Acid Surprises
The first surprise about high uric acid foods is: vegetable purines are not important!
Yes, that’s right! Vegetable purines do not increase uric acid in our bodies, and they can be ignored. Foods high in animal purines may need extra care, but there is no proof that foods high in vegetable purines will make your uric acid level rise.
I added my Purine Rich Foods chart to the foods high in uric acid table so that it only shows animal purines that cause gout. You can still see the original foods high in uric acid chart below.
The second surprise is that eating animal purines can make your uric acid level go up, but it doesn’t stop gout attacks right away. Yes, meals high in purines do not cause gout attacks. But, they can make them more likely over time. The latest science shows that it is a different food component that triggers gout flares. Cutting back on purines won’t help your gout symptoms right away, and the only way to tell if the changes you make are working is to get your blood tested for uric acid.
Foods High In Uric Acid Chart
You should keep track of all the foods that are high in uric acid if you think it’s important. To find out how much uric acid you ate, multiply the food’s weight in grams by the following number, then divide that number by 100. From the list of high-uric acid foods, you can figure out how much you’ve eaten at each meal. You can see how food affects your uric acid levels by comparing the amount of purines you eat to the results of a blood test.
You can see that my purines table shows actual numbers. If you are unsure about purines and foods high in uric acid, please read How Purines Affect Gout.
I include purine data in my nutrition summary for gout food. To see your favorite food high in uric acid, ask me to add it to the gout list.
I took the data in this table from Food Composition and Nutrition Tables by Souci, Fachmann, Kraut. Their notes for the purine data states:
This article doesn’t go into detail on how to figure this out, but the table makes it easy to see the relative purine count. Remember that the table of uric acid-rich foods shows how many milligrams are in 100 grams, so how much you eat will depend on how much you eat.
Highly Processed Meat Danger? It’s not what you think…
FAQ
Can I eat Vienna sausage with gout?
Can you eat sausages if you have gout?
What is the safest meat to eat with gout?
Is ground beef bad for gout?
What is a Vienna sausage?
A smoked sausage made with pork and beef, usually eaten hot. A Vienna sausage is a thin parboiled sausage traditionally made of pork and beef in a casing of sheep’s intestine, then given a low temperature smoking. A sausage made from ground pork and finely chopped beef and, much like salami, is cured and cold smoked or air-dried.
Can eating pork sausage cause gout?
Yes. Pork, like other sausages, is rich in purines, which when broken down by the body are transformed into uric acid, which can accumulate in the joints, causing inflammation and intense pain, which is gout.
Are processed meats bad for gout?
Some of the most common processed meats are bacon, ham, hotdogs, sausages, and beef jerky. They’re all a typical part of a meat eaters’ diet, however, what most people don’t know is that processed meats can be bad for your health, especially for gout sufferers. Meat itself is naturally high in purines but its processed versions are much worse.
Do purine-rich foods reduce gout risk?
When purines we eat are broken down and metabolised by the body, uric acid is formed as a by-product of this process. It’s normal and healthy for uric acid to be formed, but excessive amounts are problematic. Therefore, consuming less purine-rich foods should lower uric acid levels in your blood, lowering gout risk. At least, in theory.