Can people with high uric acid eat eggs?

Eggs are a familiar and popular food, however many people are concerned: when having increased uric acid, can you eat eggs?

Nutritionist Le Thao Nguyen (South Saigon International General Hospital) said that hyperuricemia is a condition in which the uric acid index in the blood is abnormally high. This condition occurs when the body breaks down excessive purines (compounds that break down and metabolize into uric acid) or cannot excrete uric acid from the body, causing excess uric acid.

Increased uric acid occurs due to a diet high in purine-containing foods such as animal organs, red meat, seafood, the habit of consuming a lot of alcohol, beer, genetic diseases that cause a deficiency of purine-metabolizing enzymes. In addition, it can be due to diseases or health problems such as kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, use of diuretics, corticosteroids, aspirin, tuberculosis drugs, etc.

According to the medical journal Medical News Today , Dr. Nguyen said that the normal uric acid concentration in the human body ranges from 1.5 - 7 mg/dl. A person's uric acid concentration is considered high when that person has a uric acid concentration higher than 7 mg/dl (for men), or higher than 6 mg/dl (for women). Increased uric acid causes health problems such as damage to muscles, bones, joints (commonly gout), kidney failure and kidney stones; high blood pressure...

Eggs are a food that is high in protein and low in purines.

Can people with high uric acid eat eggs?

Eggs are a food that contains high protein and low purine content. On average, 100g of eggs contain less than 50 mg/purine. Meanwhile, the safe amount of purine intake for an adult is less than 400 mg/day.

Average weight of eggs commonly found in Vietnamese meals:

- Quail eggs: 5 - 7 g/egg (with shell)

- Chicken eggs: 40 g/egg (including shell)

- Industrial chicken eggs: 50 - 60 g/egg (including shell)

- Duck eggs: 70 g/egg (including shell)

- Goose eggs: 300 g/egg (with shell)

"Eggs are a safe food to replace foods high in purines such as red meat and seafood for people with high uric acid. However, eggs are also a food with high cholesterol content. 100g of eggs contain 470mg of cholesterol. While the recommended amount of cholesterol for adults is less than 300mg/day. Therefore, people with problems with blood fat (dyslipidemia), heart disease, and blood pressure need to pay special attention to the amount of eggs consumed each day," said Dr. Nguyen.

Quail eggs usually weigh an average of 5 - 7 g/egg (including shell).

What foods should and should not gout patients eat?

According to specialist 2 Hoang Van Duc, Deputy Head of the Department of Internal Medicine Cardiology - Geriatrics - Kidney - Joints, Hospital 199, gout is a type of arthritis that causes sudden swelling, pain and inflammation in the joints. Gout symptoms occur when there is too much uric acid in the blood. Therefore, you should avoid eating foods rich in purines and foods high in fructose.

Here are some foods you should avoid: animal organs such as liver, kidney, brain, heart...; meat (pheasant, veal and venison...); fish (herring, salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, anchovies, cod...), seafood (scallops, crab, shrimp); sugary drinks (fruit juice and soft drinks); foods high in fructose (honey, fructose syrup); yeast (nutritional yeast, brewer's yeast and other yeast supplements).

You should also avoid refined flour foods such as white bread, cakes, and cookies. Although these foods are not high in purines or fructose, they are low in nutrients and can increase uric acid levels.

People with gout should choose to use foods with low purine content and foods that support uric acid excretion. Foods to eat include fruits, white meat such as river fish, chicken breast, olive oil, vegetable oil, eggs, vegetables, whole grains, dairy and soy products, green tea, drink enough water, use a moderate amount of black coffee...

"Eggs contain very little purine and provide a lot of calcium for bones, so patients can use them as a substitute in meals while still ensuring the necessary amount of nutrients because they have limited meat consumption," said Dr. Duc.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguoi-bi-tang-axit-uric-co-duoc-an-trung-khong-185241030102214662.htm