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.
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood. This excessive uric acid leads to the formation of crystals in the joints, resulting in sudden and severe attacks of pain swelling and tenderness. One of the most effective ways to manage gout is through diet by limiting foods high in purines – compounds that raise uric acid levels. So is turkey bacon among the forbidden foods for gout sufferers? Let’s find out.
As a fellow gout sufferer, I understand how restrictive the diet can be. Most meats are high in purines and off the table, which is a shame for meat lovers like myself. I was thrilled when I learned turkey was one the safer poultry options, alongside chicken and duck But recently I’ve been hearing mixed opinions about whether turkey bacon specifically should be avoided
To settle this debate, I decided to dig into the research on purines in turkey bacon versus other meats. Here’s a breakdown of what I learned:
Purine Levels in Turkey Bacon
Turkey meat in general contains moderate levels of purines. Values can range quite a bit depending on the cut. For example, a 3 oz serving of roasted turkey breast contains about 108 mg of purines. Meanwhile, the same amount of turkey thigh has 182 mg.
Turkey bacon is made from turkey breast meat, which falls on the lower end of the spectrum. A 3 oz serving of turkey bacon has about 108-146 mg of purines.
To put this in perspective, here are the purine levels for other common meats:
- Beef: 175-271 mg (for 3 oz serving)
- Pork: 83-151 mg
- Chicken breast: 109-133 mg
- Tuna: 117-175 mg
- Salmon: 108-181 mg
So turkey bacon is fairly comparable to chicken, and lower than beef, pork or fish. Of course, it’s still significantly higher than plant sources of protein.
Is Turkey Bacon Safe for Gout?
Based on its moderate purine content, turkey bacon is not strictly forbidden on a gout diet, but it’s also not without risks. I would advise gout sufferers to eat turkey bacon sparingly, and take these precautions:
- Limit portion size to 2-3 slices, once or twice a week.
- Avoid eating other high purine foods on days you eat turkey bacon.
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water daily.
- Avoid excessive alcohol consumption which interferes with uric acid excretion.
- Take any prescribed uric acid medications regularly.
Consuming small amounts of turkey bacon as part of an overall low purine diet is unlikely to trigger a gout attack on its own. However, combining it with other high purine foods and drinks regularly may be problematic. Moderation and variety is key.
Healthier Bacon Alternatives
If you love the taste of bacon but want to further lower your purine intake, there are a few healthier alternatives to try:
- Canadian bacon made from lean pork loin.
- Beef or turkey bacon made from grass-fed, organic meats.
- Tempeh bacon – made from fermented soybeans.
- Coconut bacon – made from coconut flakes.
- Eggplant or mushroom bacon – made from thin slices of the vegetables.
While not completely purine-free, these options are lower in purines than regular bacon and turkey bacon. Coconut and vegetable “bacon” is the lowest purine choice if you want to avoid meat altogether.
The Bottom Line
If you want to enjoy an occasional turkey bacon treat without rocking the boat too much, follow the precautions I outlined. And consider swapping in a vegetarian bacon alternative once in awhile. By sticking to a balanced gout diet full of low purine foods overall, an occasional medium purine food like turkey bacon can likely be tolerated just fine.
Stay committed to managing gout through diet and medication, while still allowing yourself to enjoy bacon in moderation. With smart dietary choices, you can keep gout symptoms under control and still enjoy a tasty slice of turkey bacon!
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)
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
Is turkey bacon healthier than the regular stuff?
FAQ
Is turkey meat high in purines?
What is the safest meat to eat with gout?
Can I eat bacon with the gout?
What is the number one food that causes gout?
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.
Is Turkey Turkey good for gout?
Turkey Turkey is pretty much everywhere in the world of sandwiches and deli meats, so it can be hard to avoid the temptation if you’re a fan. But unfortunately it comes with a enough purines to make it off limits for gout sufferers. It has a bit fewer purines than chicken, but they are still both higher than average.
What foods should I avoid if I have gout?
If you have gout, you should avoid foods high in purines like red meat, alcohol, and certain types of fish and shellfish. These foods can raise your uric acid levels, causing a painful buildup of uric acid in your joints. If you have gout you should eat low-purine foods like whole grains and vegetables, low-fat dairy, and foods rich in vitamin C.
Is beef good for gout?
While not as purine-packed as organ meats or sardines, beef still ranks relatively high, and if eaten in large enough quantities can cause a problem for those prone to gout flare ups. Talk with your doctor to see if beef is OK for you. Serving Size (100 grams), Purines (110-133 milligrams) [hr] 18. Turkey