Yes, fried chicken is bad for gout. Although fried chicken is a healthy protein and may help your weight loss diet, it does have purines, which is bad for someone with gout.
Chicken and other poultry are a source of purines, which are broken down into uric acid in your body. Fried chicken has large amounts of fats, which hinders the kidney from breaking down the uric acid. You should try eating just boiled chicken.
If you eat too many purine-rich foods, it causes excess uric acid to remain in your kidney, this builds up uric acid crystal in your joints. This may lead to an increase in the frequency and severity of your gout symptoms or attacks.
In this article, I will discuss gout, if fried chicken is good for gout, what makes gout worst, how to fight gout attacks naturally, and what kind of chicken is best for gout patients.
What is gout?
A gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis caused by excess uric acid in the body. It is characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness, and tenderness in one or more joints, most often in the big toe.
When the kidney does not remove the uric acid, it causes uric crystals to form around the joints, specifically your big toe, which can be very painful. This pain is called a gout attack.
A gout attack may occur at any sudden moment. For most people, it appears in the middle of the night, with the sensation that your big toe is on fire.
How does chicken affect gout?
Chicken has purine; when it is taken into the body, it is converted into uric acid. The kidney processes this uric acid, and it is terminated through urine.
The kidney cannot process the uric acid fast enough when purine is consumed in excess, and this exposes your kidney to excess uric acid and can spring up a gout attack.
Is fried chicken bad for gout?
Yes, fried chicken is a specifically unhealthy diet for gout patients. The cooking process aids gout flares, and it is advisable to cook the chicken differently.
The oil used in frying the chicken increases the chicken’s fat, which holds uric acid in the kidney. It is ideal for gout patients to avoid fat-filled foods.
The oils, marinades, and sauces you use to season and cook your chicken play an important role in gout. Go for high-quality plant oils with anti-inflammatory properties such as, extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil.
Boiled chicken is one of the safest kinds of chicken for gout patients. But ensure you remove the skin and always remember to consume in moderate quantity.
SEE: How to Make Chicken Softer
Which food or drinks are bad for gout?
Food and beverages that are full of purine contents should be specifically avoided. Some of them are;
- Beer and grain liquors (like vodka and whiskey)
- Sugary drinks
- Red meat, lamb, and pork.
- Organ meats, such as liver, kidneys, and glandular meats like the thymus or pancreas.
- Seafood, especially shellfish like shrimp, lobster, mussels, anchovies, and sardines.
SEE: Is Chicken Good For Fatty Liver?
Which food is best for a gout diet?
Food that is specifically low on purine contents should be your top option. Such as;
- Nuts, peanut butter, and grains
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Low-fat and non-dairy fat products, such as yogurt and skim milk
- Potatoes, rice, bread, and pasta
- Eggs (in moderation)
- Meats like fish, chicken breast, and red meat are fine in moderation.
- Vegetables
How can you fight gout flares?
Your lifestyle and diet are the two best weapons in your arsenal. The best kind of lifestyle changes to help reduce gout flares are;
- Limit purine-rich foods
- Eat more low-purine foods
- Avoid drugs that raise uric acid levels
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Avoid alcohol and sugary drinks
- Drink coffee
- Try a vitamin C supplement
- Eat cherries.
SEE: If Eating Chicken Everyday is Bad
How often should a gout patient eat chicken?
Try limiting your chicken meat consumption to once or twice per week. More than that is not great and may cause a series of gout flares or other health issues.
On the other hand, if you are a meat lover, it is better to mix it up. Try fish or vegetables rather than base the entire diet on meat only.
Regarding the parts of the chicken that should be consumed the most, I must add that chicken breast is the best. They have one of the highest value of proteins, and the amount of purine content is relatively low. In addition, you should always remember to remove the skin from the meat.
See some gout-friendly cooking tips for your chicken
You can reduce the purine content in your chicken meal by following a few gout-friendly cooking tips;
1. Rinsing
Since the skin contains additional purines and unhealthy fats, rinse with water. Research suggests rinsing the chicken in water can help reduce the purine content.
2. Boiling or broiling
Cooking, whether by boiling or broiling (dry heat), has been found to have similar effects on the purine content. It also increases adenine and guanine and decreases hypoxanthine.
Cooking your chicken reduces the purine content partly because they are released into the water used in cooking. After boiling, ensure you discard the water.
The water used in cooking the chicken contains purine released during the cooking water. This is why gravy or stew and chicken soup are labeled purine-rich and should be avoided by gout patients.
SEE: How Long Raw Chicken Last in the Fridge Before It Goes Bad
3. Seasoning
Seasoning with anti-inflammatory quality should be used, such as:
- Chile peppers
- Tomatoes
- Turmeric
FAQs
What part of chicken is best for gout patients?
Chicken breast is the best. It has more proteins and the lowest amount of purine contents.
Which drink is best for gout patients?
The best liquid is water, but you can also drink yogurt.
Can water help flush uric acid?
Yes, it can. Water helps clear the uric acid from your system, and you should drink lots of it.
Conclusion
Chicken can be eaten by gout patients without any complications. But, remember that chicken breast is the best part of a chicken to consume for gout patients.
Furthermore, you must avoid fried chicken. Bake, roast, or grill it, and you will get the highest benefits. All gout patients must know that it is advisable to remove the chicken skin from the meat before consumption. It is the least healthiest part of a chicken, so you should remove it.
If you enjoyed this article, you should also see if chicken and rice are weight loss friendly.
Thank you for reading.
