When we think about healthy diets, fruits usually appear quite high up the pecking order. After all, fruits are often an excellent source of many vital vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre and antioxidants. But, as many gout sufferers can attest to: not all diets are created equal.
So, with this in mind, are peaches good for gout? And if not, why not?
Gout and Your Diet
Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that affects around 2.5% of people in the UK (that’s around 160,000 people!). It is caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood which, over time, can lead to the formation of tiny, sharp crystals in certain joints. People with gout typically find that the joints in their feet, particularly the big toes, are most affected.
Unfortunately, the symptoms of gout (which include swelling and severe pain) can be debilitating during a flare-up. But what causes these increased uric acid levels and what role can your diet play in preventing or exacerbating gout?
Well, high uric acid levels can be linked to a number of things, including dehydration, kidney dysfunction, and even simple genetics. However, some ingredients in our food can also make matters worse - purines being a primary culprit.
What are Purines?
Purines are natural compounds that are found in most living things on the planet. In fact, they are one of two chemical compounds that cells use to make the building blocks of DNA and RNA. As such, they are found in the nuclei of most plant and animal cells - including in our own bodies!
Purines are broken down in the body to form - you guessed it! - uric acid. The abundance of purines makes it impossible to avoid them in our diets, but thankfully, some foods contain less purines than others. Some examples of high-purine foods include:
- Red and processed meats
- Some shellfish and other seafood
- Organ meats
- Dairy products
- Processed foods
- Some fruits and vegetables
That’s right, even the healthiest fruits and vegetables can contain high levels of purines which could worsen gout symptoms! But what about peaches?
Peaches and Gout
Peaches have become a favourite summer fruit in many parts of the world thanks to their juiciness and sweet flavour. What’s more, peaches also have a lot of nutrition credentials to boast about.
For example, one raw peach contains roughly 2 grams of fibre and 1 gram of protein as well as 6% of your daily vitamin A and 15% of your daily vitamin C requirements. Peaches also contain vitamins E and K, niacin, folate, iron, potassium, magnesium, choline, phosphorous, manganese, zinc, and copper! On top of that, peaches are a low-calorie snack with no saturated fats and they contain an abundance of health-promoting compounds, including antioxidants.
However, they are also relatively high in purines. Unfortunately, this means that if eaten in excess, peaches may contribute to increased blood uric acid levels. They are also high in fructose (sometimes called “fruit sugar”) which may make gout symptoms more severe.
Conclusions
Peaches are usually considered a healthy snack which can contribute significantly to your daily recommended vitamin intake; however, people with gout should consume peaches and other high-fructose fruits and fruit juices sparingly.
Having said that, enjoying the odd juicy peach every now and then as part of your gout-friendly diet is unlikely to do much harm - just be sure not to over indulge! Furthermore, staying hydrated and taking regular supplements can help to reduce uric acid levels in your body and prevent painful gout attacks.
