One of the important principles when building a diet for gout patients is to control the amount of purines from food.
When purines are metabolized, the body produces uric acid; prolonged increase in urate levels in the blood can lead to the formation of monosodium urate crystals and cause gout arthritis attacks.
However, not all protein-rich foods contain the same amount of purines. Chicken eggs belong to the group of foods with low purine content and are often considered a more suitable source of protein than viscera, red meat or some seafood.
Patients also need to adjust their diet and lifestyle, especially limiting alcohol, red meat, organs, some types of seafood and drinks high in fructose.
This means that gout patients do not necessarily have to abstain from chicken eggs just because of concerns about uric acid.
The advantage of eggs lies in providing high-quality protein with low purine content. For gout patients, this creates an alternative to some protein sources with higher purine content.
Instead of a meal with a lot of red meat, viscera or seafood, patients can use eggs combined with green vegetables, whole grains and other suitable foods to create a balanced diet.
Especially, if the goal is to control weight, boiled or steamed eggs are usually more suitable than fried eggs with a lot of oil, egg sausages or egg dishes combined with processed meat.
Boiled eggs are the simplest choice. You can eat them with green vegetables, tomatoes, cucumbers or a portion of whole grain starch to create a balanced meal.
Steamed eggs with vegetables are also a suitable choice. This cooking method limits grease and does not significantly increase the energy of the dish.
Conversely, you should limit dishes such as deep-fried eggs, stir-fried eggs with fatty meat, or eggs served with processed meat. The problem here is not in the egg but in the entire ingredients of the dish.
Patients should also limit sauces and dipping sauces that are too salty. Gout is often accompanied by high blood pressure, kidney disease and metabolic problems, so the diet needs to be directed towards overall health instead of just focusing on uric acid.
Therefore, if eggs are included in the menu, patients should focus more on reducing beer, alcohol, organs, red meat, some types of seafood, sugary drinks and weight control.
