Cranberries and Gout
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Cranberries can be helpful for gout indirectly.
A Few Words on Gout
Without going into too much detail, I’ll describe gout as a condition where your body has too much uric acid crystals in it which can come together and combine in the joints, usually the big toe, and because arthritis-type pain.
Uric acid comes from broken down purines which are substances that are naturally occurring in your body.
There are certain foods and drinks that people are told to stay away from if they have gout. Usually it’s alcoholic beverages, sugary drinks, seafood and meat etc.
There are medications that can be prescribed, but one of the most recommended home treatments is to choose a healthier lifestyle and lose weight.
Are Cranberries Bad for Gout?
So we know that we want to stay away from foods that are high in sugar and foods that are acidic.
Cranberries (raw) have some sugar and are also considered an acidic food, which is why they are sour.
But …
… cranberries are low in purines, which if you remember is the type of acid that gout sufferers want to stay away from. So no need to worry about the acidity from cranberries.
As for sugar, a serving of cranberries (1 cup) contains only 4.5 grams (13 grams of overall carbs) and lots of fiber too. This naturally occurring fruit sugar doesn’t act on your insulin levels the way table sugar does and so doesn’t cause the same kind of health problems.
So it would seem that raw cranberries are a safe enough food to eat if you have gout or if you want to prevent it. Dried cranberries are not recommended because they generally contain lots of added sugar.
IMPORTANT! Your doctor’s advice should be sought out and always be taken above all other information concerning your gout, including the information on this blog post.
Home Treatment
According to most of the top medical sites on the Internet, the best home remedy for gout would be to change your lifestyle.
A cleaner diet with lots of exercise is usually what’s called for.
The best way to clean up your diet in general is to eat lots and lots of fruit and vegetables, high-quality protein and make water your main drink.
And if you’re just starting out on a new exercise program, you’re going to want to do some cardiovascular work combined with some resistance exercise, like walking up hills or doing some weight training.
Hope this helps
– Cranby
