The problems derived from hyperuricemia can make life difficult for those who suffer from them, but fortunately there are treatments to control and solve them. To alleviate these conditions, you must reduce the level of uric acid in your blood. To do so, in addition to taking any treatment prescribed by the doctor, it is vital to take care of your diet. The doctors also indicate a series of foods that can be taken and others that should be avoided, but there are those that remain in doubt or their effect on this condition is still being studied.
This is the case of coffee, a consumer food that is widespread throughout the world and that many people drink every day. Because of this, many people who are diagnosed with this problem ask themselves: “Is coffee bad for uric acid?” In FoodHealths we want to help you to dispel this doubt, as well as explain the best and the worst foods to treat this condition.
What is uric acid
When the body breaks down purines, a substance found in various foods common in our diet, uric acid is formed. This is defined as a solid product, in the form of white flakes, which is produced by the decomposition of purines and which, when accumulated, produces problems such as kidney stones and gout.
The largest amount of this substance that is generated throughout the day dissolves properly in the blood and is eliminated mainly through the urine. Thus, this substance in itself is not a problem, it is only worrying when there is an accumulation of this in the body.
When the imbalance in uric acid levels begins to occur, symptoms are not usually perceived, so it is normal that you do not perceive that something happens until a blood test is done for other reasons or a simple revision or until the symptoms appear. Derived diseases.
Symptoms of high uric acid
The most serious problems due to a mismatch of the levels of this substance are when it is higher than normal because, for example, gout and kidney stones occur. Of course, there are cases in which uric acid levels are low, although it is less frequent. Thus, the most common symptoms of hyperuricemia are:
- Pain in the big toe
- Pain in the knees
- Severe pain and swelling in the joints
- Kidney stones
- Difficulty urinating
- Fever and chills
- Tachycardia
- Fatigue
- Hard lumps in the joints or tophi
Once the doctors diagnose a maladjustment problem in this substance derived from purines, they prescribe a treatment which usually includes some changes in the diet, so they will give us a list of what to eat with high uric acid and what foods to avoid. However, it is not possible to include all the foods in the lists and, sometimes, doubts remain. One of the most common currently is whether coffee is bad for uric acid or not and, therefore, we will clarify it below.
Is coffee bad for uric acid?
Many people suffering from hyperuricemia wonder if coffee affects uric acid or not, since there has been a lot of talk about its negative effect but also the opposite. So doubts have also arisen as if decaffeinated coffee and uric acid are compatible or should not be taken, thinking about the negative comments about its effects. But what is true and what is not?
According to various studies carried out in recent years by entities such as the American College of Rheumatology, the British Columbia University of Vancouver and the American Nutrition Society, coffee is classified within foods that contain a very low level of purines. This means that it is a food that contains this type of nutrient, which must be avoided or reduced in cases of high uric acid, but the amount is so minimal that, really, coffee taken in moderation is not harmful to the acid uric; the most beneficial thing is to drink 1 or 2 cups a day at the most. In fact, it is true that drinking lots of coffee is bad for your health in various aspects.
In fact, according to the most recent studies commented, coffee is good to prevent hyperuricemia and gout. This is because in its composition there is a high level of caffeine that causes the blood flow and metabolism to accelerate, producing a greater elimination of toxins, and also of antioxidants that help to counteract the effects of hyperuricemia, besides that this food contributes very little purines, helping in the end to prevent this problem and those that are derived and even to reduce it if it already suffers.
Anyway, it is the doctor who diagnoses the problem and offers the best treatment and diet to solve it. Therefore, if we can take coffee or not in our case must say the doctor who takes our case.
Prohibited foods for high uric acid
However, there are several foods that increase uric acid and that if you have this problem or one of those that end up being caused by it, such as kidney stones or gout, you have to eliminate or reduce your consumption. The foods prohibited for hyperuricemia are those that contain high purine snows, among which the following stand out:
- Seafood
- Blue fish
- Viscera
- Red meat
- Sausage
- Butter
- Cream
- Cauliflower
- Radishes
- Leeks
- Spinach
- Asparagus
- Mushrooms
- Vegetables
- Industrial bakery
- Dehydrated Foods
- Gaseous sodas
- Alcohol
Good food for uric acid
In addition to keeping in mind what we should not eat if we have high levels of this type of acid in blood, we must also think about those that are foods to lower uric acid such as the following:
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Blueberries
- Apples
- Lemon
- Grapefruit
- Orange
- Coffee in moderation
- Celery
- pumpkin
- Onion
- Artichoke
- Carrot
- White and lean meats
- Drink a lot of water
If you are looking for food to lower uric acid fast you will be interested to know that it is not possible to feed on anything that makes this level fall in a few days, but rather to reduce it as soon as possible you have to take the medication indicated by the doctor and eliminate foods that do increase these levels.