Alkaline Diet for Gout

The best diet to knock out gout is an alkaline diet, because persistent gout is partly the result of an overly acidic internal body chemistry.

Body pH and uric acid levels are primarily regulated by the kidneys. But if the kidneys are busy processing excess acidity resulting from your diet, they will have less capacity to properly manage uric acid levels.

A Quick Chemistry Review

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  • Alkaline is the opposite of acidic.
  • On the pH scale, neutral is 7.0 — acidic is below 7.0 – alkaline is above 7.0.
  • Our bodies function best with a slightly alkaline internal chemistry.
  • Many factors in our modern lifestyle contribute to an acidic body state — from unavoidable toxic exposures, to stressful life circumstances, to the acidic foods and drinks we consume.
  • Eating an alkaline diet can help restore the pH balance of our body chemistry and minimize gout attacks.

However, we still need some acidic foods in our diet. An effective gout treatment diet consists of 80% alkaline foods and 20% acidic foods.

Acidic Foods to Avoid

Acidic foods which should be avoided, or consumed only in moderation, include:

  • Reverse osmosis water and most bottled waters.
  • Alcoholic beverages and soda.
  • All forms of sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
  • Most grains are acidic, including wheat, rice, corn, barley, oats, and rye.
  • Most meats, beans, and legumes.

Alkaline Gout Foods to Enjoy

Examples of Alkaline foods to be consumed include:

  • Water, which can be made alkaline if run through an alkalizing kitchen water filter.
  • Almost all vegetables, especially dark leafy greens.
  • Some grains are alkaline, including amaranth, quinoa, millet, and kasha.
  • Whole, real salts – like Celtic, Himalayan, and Real Sea Salt.
  • Some fruits – like lemons, limes and sour cherries.
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Food Considerations Beyond pH

Some foods have other gout-related considerations beyond just their alkaline or acidic state:

  1. Dairy products (e.g., milk, cheese, yogurt) are slightly acidic. However, if they are raw and come from grass-fed cows, they contain other important gout-fighting constituents and should be included liberally in your diet.
  2. Most fresh fruits are slightly acidic, but have other important nutritional benefits. Do not eliminate them from your diet — just be moderate in your consumption of them.
  3. Citric fruits are acidic outside the body, but once consumed, they convert to an alkaline state. Therefore, they are considered to be alkaline foods.
  4. Coffee is acidic, but when consumed regularly it can help you avoid gout attacks.

   Bottom-line: An alkaline diet will minimize your chances of having another gout attack! For a complete list of gout-fighting alkaline foods, check out my eBook “What to Eat for Gout.”