what to eat
Build my planGet Alma on AndroidGet the app

What to eat

A gout diet with fewer purines

Less red meat, organ meat and alcohol, more plants and water: what to eat with gout.

Build my planGet Alma on AndroidGet the app
Clay art of a bowl of cherries, a glass of water, a cup of yogurt and rice with roasted vegetables.

What is a gout diet?

A gout diet, per NIAMS, means less alcohol, no sugary drinks, less red and organ meat and some seafood, and the DASH eating plan. ACR notes that food changes move urate only a little, so diet sits beside any medicine your clinician prescribes.1

Built from NIAMS, ACR and NHS advice. Reviewed November 13, 2026.

Eat more

Eat more of these

  • Cherries

    Fresh cherries, about a half cup a serving.

    35% lowerattack risk, 1 study of 633 people7

  • Vegetables and fruit

    Fresh, frozen or canned, at lunch and dinner.

    5 a dayportions, 80 g each, NHS4

  • Water

    Sip through the day, more in warm weather.

    13 cupsfluid a day for men, women 9, Harvard6

Ease off

Ease off these

  • Sugary drinks

    Soda, sweet tea and fruit juice.

    85% highergout risk in men, 2+ a day, 1 study8

  • Alcohol

    Beer, wine and spirits. NIAMS lists nonalcoholic beer too.

    14 unitsa week at most, NHS (UK units)2

  • Red meat

    NIAMS advice for gout is to avoid red meats.

    70 ga day red meat cap, NHS general advice3

  • Organ meats

    Liver, kidney, tongue and sweetbreads.

    4 organ meatsnamed by NIAMS to avoid1

  • Some seafood

    NIAMS names shrimp, lobster, sardines and anchovies.

    4 seafoodsnamed by NIAMS to avoid1

Alma turns these foods into meals that fit your numbers.

Build my planGet Alma on AndroidGet the app

A sample day

One day on a plate

  1. BreakfastOatmeal with yogurt and cherriesOats, plain low fat yogurt, a handful of cherries.
  2. LunchRice bowl with vegetablesBrown rice, roasted peppers, spinach and an egg.
  3. SnackYogurt with bananaPlain yogurt with sliced banana and cinnamon.
  4. DinnerBaked fish and greensBaked white fish, broccoli and potatoes.

Uric acid levels5

Target on medicine
Under 6 mg/dLACR 2020 target
Asymptomatic high
6.8 mg/dL or aboveno flares yet, ACR

Serum urate. Your clinician sets your own target.

What people ask

Which foods should you avoid with gout?

Organ meats, shellfish such as shrimp and lobster, red meat, beer and sugary drinks are the main ones. The NIH advises avoiding red and organ meats and certain seafood, and cutting back on alcohol. Sugary drinks are worth swapping for water.

Do cherries help gout?

In one study of 633 people with gout, cherry intake over two days was linked to a 35% lower risk of an attack than no cherries. It is a link, not proof, and cherries do not replace medicine.

How do you lower uric acid with food?

NIAMS advice is to drink less alcohol, skip sugary drinks, red and organ meat, and some seafood, and follow the DASH plan. ACR notes diet changes move urate only a little. Your clinician can check urate with a blood test.

What is a good diet for high uric acid?

NIAMS points to the DASH plan: vegetables, fruit, whole grains, low-fat dairy and less saturated fat and added sugar. It says the plan may help lower blood urate. Keep alcohol low and swap sugary drinks for water.

How much water should you drink with gout?

NHS advice is to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, and not to have lots of sugary drinks. Harvard cites about 13 cups a day as an adequate intake for healthy men and 9 for women. Needs vary.

Should you take vitamin C for gout?

NHS advice is to ask a GP about vitamin C supplements rather than starting them alone. Any supplement is a conversation for your clinician.

Sources (8)
  1. NIAMS, Gout: diagnosis, treatment and steps to take
  2. NHS, Gout: symptoms and treatment
  3. NHS, Meat in your diet
  4. NHS, Why 5 A Day
  5. ACR, 2020 guideline for the management of gout
  6. Harvard Nutrition Source, How much water do you need
  7. Arthritis and Rheumatology, Cherry consumption and recurrent gout
  8. BMJ, Soft drinks, fructose and the risk of gout in men

Editorial standards

This guide is general education. Talk with your clinician before changing your diet or medicines.

Meals built around your numbers.

Build my planGet Alma on AndroidGet the app