Sea bass is a mild, flaky white fish enjoyed around the world. But if you have gout, you may wonder if sea bass is a smart choice or something better avoided. The purine content of foods can significantly impact gout, so it’s important to make informed decisions.
This article will break down the purine levels in sea bass and offer guidance on enjoying this fish safely with gout You’ll also learn
- How purines affect gout
- The benefits of sea bass
- Tips for choosing, preparing and serving sea bass
- How to balance sea bass in an overall gout-friendly diet
How Purines Impact Gout
First, a quick primer on how purines relate to gout. Purines are natural compounds found in some foods. When purines break down in the body, they form uric acid. Too much uric acid causes gout symptoms like painful swelling, redness, and tenderness in the joints. Foods high in purines can trigger painful gout attacks.
People with gout need to watch their intake of purine-rich foods like organ meats, game meats, some seafood, yeast, asparagus and dried beans Moderating purine consumption from foods can help manage gout
The Purine Content of Sea Bass
So what about sea bass? Is it a high or low purine fish?
Sea bass contains a moderate level of purines. A 3-ounce serving of sea bass has about 110 mg of purines. To compare, salmon contains around 170 mg in a 3-ounce serving, while sardines have 345 mg.
Sea bass falls into the “moderate” purine category of 100-200 mg purines per 100 gram serving. Other fish in this range include cod, tuna, halibut, haddock and snapper.
While sea bass isn’t super low in purines, it’s also not extremely high like some shellfish and oily fish. Enjoying sea bass a couple times a week is likely fine for most people managing gout through diet. However, it’s smart to keep portion sizes modest.
Benefits of Sea Bass for Gout
Here are some key reasons sea bass can be part of a gout-friendly diet:
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High-quality protein. Sea bass provides about 20 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving. Protein doesn’t raise uric acid and can help reduce gout risk.
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Low fat. With just 2 grams of total fat per serving, sea bass won’t significantly impact cholesterol or weight. Obesity raises gout risk.
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Rich in nutrients. Sea bass supplies niacin, selenium, potassium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Nutrient density makes it a healthy choice.
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Omega-3 fatty acids. Sea bass contains anti-inflammatory omega-3s, though less than fatty fish like salmon. Omega-3s may benefit joint health.
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Satisfying and versatile. The mild flavor and flaky texture of sea bass make it delicious broiled, baked, grilled or blackened. It’s easy to work into a gout diet.
So while sea bass isn’t the absolute lowest in purines, it provides meaningful nutrition and health benefits.
Tips for Choosing and Preparing Sea Bass
If you want to enjoy sea bass as part of your gout management plan, here are some tips:
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Pick a sustainable source. Opt for wild-caught or sustainably farmed sea bass when possible. Limit intake of fried fast food sea bass.
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Watch portions. Stick to a 3-4 ounce serving. Avoid large, thick fillets or all-you-can-eat seafood buffets.
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Bake, broil or grill. These dry heat methods allow purines to drain away rather than being trapped in frying oil.
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Avoid heavy breading and butter. Breaded, fried preparation or topping with butter adds calories, fat and purines.
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Season simply. Lemon, herbs, garlic and other spices make flavorful seasoning without extra purines.
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Eat the meat, not skin or bones. The highest purine content is found in the skin and bones rather than the fillet.
Following these best practices allows you to incorporate sea bass as part of your gout diet.
Balancing Sea Bass Within a Gout Diet
While sea bass can be enjoyed in moderation, it’s important not to overdo high and moderate purine foods. Follow these diet tips to balance sea bass:
- Focus on low purine foods like plants, dairy, eggs, nuts and low purine grains
- Limit meat and seafood serving sizes to 3-4 ounces
- Avoid organ meats and game meats high in purines
- Drink plenty of water to help flush uric acid
- Limit alcohol intake, especially beer, which raises gout risk
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Take any prescribed uric acid-lowering medication
Making smart food choices and watching portions allows you to work nutrient-dense sea bass into your gout management plan. Sea bass provides protein, healthy fats and minerals with fewer purines than many shellfish. Combined with other low purine foods and good hydration, sea bass can be part of an overall gout-friendly diet.
Sea Bass Takeaways
Sea bass contains a moderate level of purines, so people with gout need to be mindful of portions. But it can be safely enjoyed as part of a balanced gout diet focused on plant foods, dairy, eggs and low purine grains. Prepare sea bass through healthy cooking methods and limit intake of organ meats, game meat and alcohol to manage gout. With smart dietary habits, sea bass can provide nutrition without flaring gout symptoms.
Purine in Fresh and Processed Fish
Table 1: Total purines and uric acid content in fresh and processed fish.
| Fish type | Total Purines (mg/100g) | Total Uric acid (mg/100g) | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh fish | |||
| Bastard halibut | 133.4 | 163.1 | moderate |
| Bonito | 211.4 | 258.9 | high |
| Carp | 103.2 | 126.1 | moderate |
| Chub mackerel | 122.1 | 149.6 | moderate |
| Fat greenling | 129.1 | 158.0 | moderate |
| Flying fish | 154.6 | 188.3 | moderate |
| Gnome fish, meat | 150.8 | 184.4 | moderate |
| Gnome fish, skin | 382.3 | 435.5 | very high |
| Herring | 139.6 | 169.8 | moderate |
| Jack mackerel | 165.3 | 198.4 | moderate |
| Japanese amberjack | 120.8 | 147.9 | moderate |
| Japanese eel | 92.1 | 110.9 | low |
| Japanese seabass | 119.5 | 146.2 | moderate |
| Mebaru | 124.2 | 151.3 | moderate |
| Monkfish, meat | 70.0 | 84.2 | low |
| Monkfish, liver, raw | 104.3 | 121.8 | moderate |
| Monkfish, liver, steamed | 399.2 | 468.2 | very high |
| Pacific saury | 154.9 | 184.9 | moderate |
| Raibow trout | 180.9 | 216.8 | moderate |
| Red seabream | 128.9 | 158.0 | moderate |
| Sablefish, meat | 123.3 | 151.1 | moderate |
| Sablefish, skin | 66.9 | 80.8 | low |
| Sailfin sandfish | 98.5 | 117.7 | low |
| Salmon | 119.3 | 146.2 | moderate |
| Sardine | 210.4 | 247.1 | high |
| Silllaginidae | 143.9 | 176.5 | moderate |
| Spanish mackerel | 139.3 | 171.5 | moderate |
| Striped pigfish | 149.3 | 183.2 | moderate |
| Tilefish | 119.4 | 146.2 | moderate |
| Tuna | 157.4 | 193.3 | moderate |
| Dried fish, canned fish, processed fish | |||
| Jack mackerel, half-dried | 245.8 | 289.1 | high |
| Pacific saury, half-dried | 208.8 | 245.4 | high |
| Sardine, half-dried | 305.7 | 358.1 | very high |
| Anchovy, dried | 1108.6 | 1314.2 | very high |
| Bonito, dried (katsuaobushi) | 493.3 | 600.1 | very high |
| Baby sardines, dried | 746.1 | 879.2 | very high |
| Whitebait, dried | 471.5 | 554.0 | very high |
| Salmon, canned | 132.9 | 159.7 | moderate |
| Tuna, canned | 116.9 | 142.9 | moderate |
| Fish ball | 67.6 | 80.7 | low |
| Fish sausage | 22.6 | 26.9 | very low |
Gout and diet related:
References: Kaneko K, Aoyagi Y, Fukuuchi T, Inazawa K, and Yamaoka N. Total Purine and Purine Base Content of Common Foodstuffs for Facilitating Nutritional Therapy for Gout and Hyperuricemia. Biol. Pharm. Bull 37(5), 709 – 721 (2014). Advertisement
Gout and Fish: Purine Content in Fish and Seafoods
Purine content in fish varies depending on the type and processing. Japanese researchers measured purine content in fish and seafood common in their diet. They put them into six groups based on the amount of purines in 100 grams of food that could be eaten and the risk of getting gout.
- Very low purine sources, less than 50 mg: salmon and herring eggs are in this group.
- Low purine sources, 50–100 mg: Japanese eel, monkfish, red king crab, botan shrimp, squid organs, and caviar are all fish with this low purine level.
- Moderate purine sources, 100 to 200 mg: salmon, tuna, mackerel, rainbouw trout, seabass, spiny lobster, herring, kuruma shrimp, octupus, and oysters are all common seafood in this group.
- High purine sources, 200 to 300 mg: Sardines are a common fish that has a lot of purines. Other examples are oriental shrimp, krill, half-dried mackerel.
- Very high purine sources, >300 mg: Fish and seafood have this much purine because they are dried, which makes the purines more concentrated. People should stay away from these kinds of products or use less of them. Examples are dried sardine, anchovies, and sakura shrimp.
An extended list of fish and seafood, including organs, with their purine content is presented below. The amount of purines in food matches the amount of uric acid the body would make from them.
5 of The Healthiest Fish to Eat and 5 to Avoid
FAQ
Is seabass ok for gout?
Is sea fish bad for uric acid?
Is tilapia high in purines?
What shellfish are high in purines?
What fish are high in purine?
Some of the most popular types of fish are, unfortunately, high in purines. They include crab, lobster, trout, and tuna. Other fish with high purine levels include herring, ocean perch, mackerel, sardines, scallops, and trout. They all can trigger what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls a “gout flare.” 2 Purine Content per 100g.
How much potassium is present in sea bass?
A 100 g sea bass fillet has 370 mg of potassium according to the Tucunduva Food Composition Table. This makes sea bass a good source of potassium.
How much purine is in fish & seafood?
Japanese researchers measured purine content in fish and seafood common in their diet. Depending on the purine level in 100g of edible portion of the food, and risk of gout, they classified them into six classes. Very low purine sources, <50mg: In this class are roes (eggs) of salmon and herring.
What fish has a low purine level?
Very low purine sources, <50mg: In this class are roes (eggs) of salmon and herring. Low purine sources, 50 - 100mg: Fish with this low purine level include Japanese eel, monkfish, red king crab, botan shrimp, squid organs and caviar.