by KeithTaylor Comment Closed

Gout and antioxidants are closely related. Uric acid is an antioxidant that we produce to help protect our bodies from free oxygen (free radicals) that can harm our bodies. Though we need this antioxidant for life, too much of this particular good thing can lead to gout.

Gout research into tomatoes tells us that food high in antioxidants can help reduce uric acid. My logic tells me that it makes sense for our bodies to produce less of our own antioxidant, uric acid, when we can absorb what we need from our food. One pillar of my gout diet plan is that food rich in antioxidants will help lower uric acid.

Up to now, I have simply advised you to increase antioxidant rich foods. Many of you want more than this, and so I will shortly be publishing a series of free gout recipes that will help you plan your own gout diet. In my next newsletter, I will also introduce a more detailed gout diet planning service for those who want to be told what to eat. As gout affects everyone differently, I will also show you how you can see for yourself, which foods raise or lower your own uric acid.

Antioxidant measuring is a new part of nutrition. Better measurement techniques and new research studies are adding to our knowledge daily. I focus on a simple list of foods that have been generally accepted as being high in antioxidants.

TABLE 4 The 50 foods with the highest antioxidant contents per serving size1

Product Antioxidant content
mmol/serving
Blackberries 5.746
Walnuts 3.721
Strawberries 3.584
Artichokes, prepared 3.559
Cranberries 3.125
Coffee 2.959
Raspberries 2.870
Pecans 2.741
Blueberries 2.680
Cloves, ground 2.637
Grape juice 2.557
Chocolate, baking, unsweetened 2.516
Cranberry juice 2.474
Cherries, sour 2.205
Wine, red 2.199
Power Bar, chocolate flavor2 1.875
Pineapple juice 1.859
Latino beverages, guava nectar 1.858
Juice drinks, 10% juice, blueberry or strawberry flavor, vitamin C enriched 1.821
Cranapple juice 1.790
Prunes 1.715
Chocolates, dark, sugar-free 1.675
Cabbage, red cooked 1.614
Orange juice 1.510
Apple juice, with added vitamin C 1.462
Latino beverages, mango nectar 1.281
Pineapple 1.276
Oranges 1.261
Bran Flakes, breakfast cereals3 1.244
Plums, black 1.205
Pinto beans, dried 1.137
Canned chili with meat and beans 1.049
Spinach, frozen 1.045
Canned chili with meat, no beans 1.040
Whole Grain Total, breakfast cereal4 1.024
Chocolate, sugar-free 1.001
Kiwi fruit 0.987
Molasses, dark 0.980
Potatoes, red, cooked 0.956
Cheese lasagna, frozen and cooked 0.942
Potatoes, white, cooked 0.918
Sweet potatoes, baked 0.900
Iced tea, brewed, unsweetened 0.881
Potatoes, russet, cooked 0.862
Baked beans, pork and beans in brown sugar sauce 0.852
Condensed tomato soup, one brand 0.826
Broccoli raab, cooked 0.823
Peppers, red, cooked 0.820
Broccoli, cooked 0.780
Latino beverages, tamarind nectar 0.761

1 The antioxidant content per serving size was calculated as indicated in Table 6. Mean values are provided for products for which different brands are comparable.

2 POWERBAR Co, Berkeley, CA.

3 Ralston Foods, Battle Creek, MI.

4 General Mills, Inc, Milwaukee, WI.

Remember, antioxidant content varies widely with many factors including season, method of cooking, and variety. Do not get bogged down in the numbers, just use the list to try and improve what you are eating now.

There are several methods of measuring antioxidant values, and many different studies. These foods are only a selection, and do not cover all high-antioxidant foods. Another good list is the table of best sources of antioxidants in foods.

If you like a high antioxidant food that is not listed here, but you think it might help your gout, then add a comment, or, even better, discuss it in the gout forum.

Understand Gout and Antioxidants better with the Gout Diet guidelines

10 Comments

  • Donna

    Hi, Antioxidants are scavengers, gobbling up the sometimes deadly free radical particles. With juicing one can consume many more enzymes and natural antioxidants than a person normally would in a “good diet”.

  • I’ve let the last comment through, in the interests of free speech, but I do not agree with it.

    No single food, or small group of foods, is as important as your total diet.

  • joan may mallillin

    i think prepared artichokes, dried pinto beans, canned chili with meat and beans, spinach, Baked beans, pork and beans in brown sugar sauce are NOT GOOD FOR PEOPLE WITH GOUTS….

  • Deb Rush

    I have started taking “Jus”, a new beverage you take each day as a supplement. It has the highest ORAC score I have ever seen. After one month of daily use I have noticed a huge improvement in my arthritis. It just gobbles up the free radicals that bunch up in my joints and cause pain. With less pain I move better. I am a nurse and I am researching what other things this product might be useful for as I work in preventive health. Just thought I would share. Hope this helps. web site is

  • If you really are a nurse, you should know better than to pollute my site with money making scams.

    My golden rule is to respect peoples privacy, otherwise I would publish your email address – though it’s probably a false one.

    To discourage anyone else who might be considering this type of behavior, please note the response that I have sent to the owners of the product being promoted:

    I have just had my blog spammed by one of your agents, who posted a comment directing traffic to [offending affiliate link]

    I have now edited the comment to remove these references, otherwise the comment is at [see previous comment]

    The email address, which you cannot see on that page was given as [not published – yet]

    I have not made any attempt to contact that email address, and I include it for information purposes.

    I require appropriate compensation.

    Whatever amount you deem appropriate should be sent to a recognized, reputable arthritis charity and proof of payment sent to me.

    On receipt of such proof, or your acceptable alternative, I will let the matter rest. Otherwise I will be forced to consider further action.

    If anyone wants to promote products on my websites, I advise them to check with me first

  • Eddy Kamont

    I have just been diagnosed with gout [ big toe] I APPRECIATE your list of high antioxidant foods and beverages. Thanks for trying to help people out without reaching into their pockets. Any information you might feel would be helpful to me in treating the gout please feel free to email me
    Thanks
    Eddy K…

  • Nick

    I think that i was having gout attacks before.. But on 30st december 2008, i suffered my first diagnosed gout attack in my knees, after a blood test. I was prescribed medication and was advised to follow a strict diet and start exercising. Well I then grabbed lots of info on foods i can eat etc, and set myself on my gout diet.

    On 29th of April 2009 i got another gout attack, now in my right foot (top of the foot and ankle area)– cannot walk for 3/4 days.

    I was now told antioxidants juice will help, … Now i am really confused, what went wrong, what should i do and how can i fix it?

    Please advise.
    Thank you.

Comments are closed.