Which Drinks Should You Avoid to Ward Off the Threat of Gout?

Alcoholic Beverages

Alcoholic beverages such as beer and spirits provide purines, organic compounds that make the body produce more uric acid or lose the ability to excrete the acid. As a result, uric acid may accumulate in your bloodstream, leading to hyperuricemia. It is this condition that increases your risk of gout. If you must take alcohol, cut back on your consumption.

Orange Juice

Surprisingly, orange juice is one of the drinks that make you more susceptible to gout. I am saying surprisingly because we don’t expect anything to go wrong with fruits. Orange juice is high in natural sugars that can cause a spike in uric acid in your blood, increasing the likelihood of a gout attack. Does this mean you should get eliminate OJ from your diet? Orange juice might not pose any health risks if consumed in moderation.

Coffee

Coffee might be another surprising culprit. According to one study, coffee increases the production of uric acid when it enters your system. Other studies show coffee intake can actually lower the production of uric acid and reduce the risk of gout. Because of these conflicting studies, how coffee intake influences uric acid levels is not clear. This means there is a need for further research to help us understand whether coffee is harmful.

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Anastasia Filipenko is a health and wellness psychologist, dermatolist and a freelance writer. She frequently covers beauty and skincare, food trends and nutrition, health and fitness and relationships. When she's not trying out new skincare products, you'll find her taking a cycling class, doing yoga, reading in the park, or trying a new recipe.

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Ieva Kubiliute is a psychologist and a sex and relationships advisor and a freelance writer. She's also a consultant to several health and wellness brands. While Ieva specialises in covering wellness topics ranging from fitness and nutrition, to mental wellbeing, sex and relationships and health conditions, she has written across a diverse range of lifestyle topics, including beauty and travel. Career highlights so far include: luxury spa-hopping in Spain and joining an £18k-a-year London gym. Someone’s got to do it! When she’s not typing away at her desk—or interviewing experts and case studies, Ieva winds down with yoga, a good movie and great skincare (affordable of course, there’s little she doesn’t know about budget beauty). Things that bring her endless joy: digital detoxes, oat milk lattes and long country walks (and sometimes jogs).

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