Low-Purine Diet
Best Bets
- Beverages (carbonated)
- Butter
- Cereals and cereal products
- Cheese (all kinds)
- Cocoa (however, caffeine is prohibited in Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome)
- Corn
- Cornbread
- Eggs
- Fruit juices
- Fruits
- Gelatin
- Ice cream
- Milk
- Noodles
- Nuts
- Refined wheat flour
- Tapioca
- Vegetables (except those noted above)
- White bread and crackers (but not whole wheat, which is moderately high in purines)
- White rice
Foods to Avoid
To avoid purines ask about ingredients at restaurants and others’ homes, and read food labels. The following list is not complete. Consult with a healthcare professional before making any significant changes to your diet.
The following foods have very high purine levels, and should be avoided completely:
- Anchovies
- Bouillon
- Brains
- Broth
- Consommé
- Dried legumes
- Goose
- Gravy
- Heart
- Herring
- Kidneys
- Liver
- Mackerel
- Meat extracts
- Mincement
- Mussels
- Partridge
- Roe
- Sardines
- Scallops
- Shrimp
- Sweetbreads
- Yeast (baker’s and brewer’s)
- Yeast extracts (for example, Marmite, Vegemite)
These foods have high purine levels
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Poultry
- Meat (except those with very high purine content, noted above, or those with moderately high purine levels, noted below)
These foods have moderately high purine levels
Nonfood Factors
It is important to drink plenty of fluids to help excrete uric acid from the system. Avoiding alcohol consumption and losing weight (if needed) may also help. Exercise as you normally would.
Is This Diet Vegetarian-Friendly?
Yes. Many of the high-purine foods that must be avoided are meat products. Eggs and dairy are allowed on a low-purine diet, but other vegetarian protein sources such as soy products and legumes should be eaten less frequently or avoided altogether. Be sure you are substituting appropriately, and consult a healthcare professional to ensure you are getting adequate nutrition.
Eating Out
Call ahead to find out what the restaurant offers. Make sure that you are getting complete answers to your questions about ingredients. Ask what you can have, instead of what you can’t. Good choices include:
- Milk or fruit juice
- White rolls or cornbread instead of whole-grain rolls
- Ice cream or gelatin for dessert
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