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Please note: this is an old discussion about strawberries being good or bad for gout. You can read about cherries, strawberries, and gout below and follow links for more information. If you still have questions about the effect of strawberries on gout, please start a new topic. You can also see related discussions in What are uric acid foods?
Diet is important to gout sufferers, but it should be generally healthy first. Most healthy diets are also gout friendly, but if not, you can change some foods for better choices. Fruit is generally healthy for gout, and in my Gout Foods Table for Fruit and Juices, strawberries come top of the list.
Strawberries and Gout
Is it true that eating cherries and strawberries will balance out the uric acid?
I have seen in books where they say to eat cherries and then the low purine gout food list says no cherries or strawberries so what do ya believe
Strawberries are good for Gout Many claim that cherries help their gout, and I have reported some scientific evidence that supports this on my cherries and gout page. It has to be said that this research is not particularly thorough and not particularly inclusive of gout sufferers.
The research I have found on strawberries is inconclusive – one claiming an increase in uric acid, the other a decrease. Again these are very small studies and not aimed at gout sufferers.
Uric acid metabolism is extremely complicated. The kidneys, when functioning normally, make compensation for changes in uric acid in the blood stream.
It is almost impossible to say how different foods will affect different people, and is largely pointless for most gout patients.
Why do I say pointless?
Because, if you have a uric acid level fluctuating between, for example, 10 and 13 mg/dL, then the small reduction of 1 to 2 mg/dL that you might achieve through changing foods is meaningless. You will never lower your uric acid through eating a few more cherries.
That is not to say that diet is not important, but you have to put it into context of how severe your gout is and how long you have had it. And you have to consider everything you eat, not just one or two fruit snacks.
If you are going to tackle gout properly, you must have:
- Regular uric acid checks
- An assessment of whether you are a uric acid over-producer or under-excreter
- A diary of your food intake, including fluids
- A diary of your weight changes
- A diary of your gout attacks
And ignore any diet that says no to this, or yes to that, without a proper explanation. Most so-called gout diets that I have seen are complete and utter nonsense. See the gout diet section for best explanations.
The Agricultural Research Service of the USDA and Michigan State University have both done studies on tart cherries and found that they help fight inflammation. Also, there are substances that block the absorption of iron which promotes inflammation.
Keith, first off hello, i'm a neubie in here and to gout.? I had my first attack nov 09 but even though i was told gout i put it off on a foot injury due to over exertion on a treadmill.? Now that i've had a definite 2nd attack about 4 weeks back now, i'm quite on edge and am re-educating myself on the subject.? I must say there is a lot and i'm sure you know it.. but a lot of useless and conflicting information out there, that makes one think that you almost have to find your own way and take all information with consideration.? Seems Sushi was my trigger, trying to eat healthy to lose some weight and kaboom?.. attack#2.? Anyways, with respect to your comment about getting “Regular uric acid checks”,? i'm seriously considering the purchase of a meter to show my uric acid level.? I figure i would use it a couple of times of week and at least once as a minimum.? I'm very much freaked out about this and accepting the fact that i have this is difficult, but i'm going to just man up and start making some very serious changes.. Up to now i've drank beer like water, so am currently looking for a new drink…. trying the smoothie path.. but , when you want something fast it's a pain.? Water has become a huge part of my daily drink now.. up to at least 8 8oz's a day now minimum, so one step at a time.? Part of the reason i'm considering a meter also is that i don't want to go on the meds, but want to be able to have a good idea of exactly where i'm at and to be able to modify my diet as required.? Hot wings and Beer no more.. well not every day, and maybe only once every two weeks untill i figure out if i can get away with it.? I found your comment about cherries interesting, as i've taken to drinking about 4 oz's of tart cherry juice in the morning an evening now to try to help neutralize acid in my system.? I also read somewhere that i could use lemon in water to achieve this any comments.? I know i should no use the store bought lemon bulbs which have a preservative in them that not's supposed to be healthy, so i gues i have to squeeze lemons.. any other suggestions on this would be apprciated.? ok so back to the meter question,? i was thinking of getting one that will do uric acid , blood glucose and cholesteral, i'm 47 now and figure if i'm going to stab myself i may as well get as much info out of it as possible.? Any comments, suggestions and or recommendations for a quality meter, (i'm the guy who buys good tools so they last – i don't want to buy something based on price alone, cheap usually means less accuracy and longevity in such equipment)? But i have no idea which unit to get or who the manufacturers are in this area.? Please help.? Thanks for any an all comments in advance
2010 was my worst gout year.An attack started after the SUA spike on March 16 which lasted up to May 25, it involved both knees and index finger. ?First I tried blueberries and then cherries, the graph shows there was a lowering effect in both cases but the SUA raised again after some days, still I had the SUA too high. On June 16 I had a knee surgery, the graph shows a high spike after it.The same day of surgery I started with Alo. 300 and two days later the level was under 7. The last 10 days I also started taking Losartan.[
Please note: original images lost – please see Will Cherry Juice Gout Treatment Work For You?.]Great data [though not what you went through]- Interesting how the old dietary?standbys show effectiveness, though earlier similar?drops are unaccounted for.
A pity you didn't try??the famous Black Bean Broth for comparison- though it doesn't help?in all cases?!
Also, the lower?flat line during an that long attack is typical -and shows how the body manages the attack. Note how it takes two weeks to almost halve SUA before a rebound after urate has been?salted away…
Proof that, whatever else happens SUA must be lowered to less than the dreaded threshold, come what may!
Here's hoping you don't get flares at the lower SUA?level after all that?
I have experience to share with blueberries.?? When I had my first “attack” 9 months ago, I learned a lot from GoutPal and went on 300 mg. Allopurinol? (100 mg didn't help).? I continued to have moderate twinges and occasional?moderate pain in my toe for months – took?indomethacin numerous times.? All this time I was putting 2 tablespoons of blueberries on my breakfast cereal every morning.? I then read about the study linking fructose and/or fruit juice etc. with gout so I decided to stop the blueberries.?? My pain seemed to subside. It was very good for the next 6 months or so.? I then decided to try blueberries again at breakfast.? Within a week my toe pain started to elevate.?? I stopped the blueberries, and the pain is gone.? Since I could “turn it on and turn it off” I believe I proved root cause.? Strange how some of these things can appear to be both a cure and a cause?!?
ESABOGAL,
Great DATA KEEPING?those two charts say it ALL! I am so impressed, words would not do it justice.
They should be reprinted in the LANCET.
Any goutie who doesn’t see them BEFORE all the bullshit about cherries, strawberries, blueberries, elderberries, witchcraft, prayer, and Lourdes is being paid a disservice.
It really IS so SIMPLE:
For most people with gout 300 mg./day allopurinol “til death do us part” will end all ramifications of this disease.
So, SO simple.
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