Good foods for gout include these tasty berriesSo you now know why berries are among the good foods for gout. To summarise it quickly, berries' antioxidants come from their flavonoid anthocyanidins, and these anthocyanidins are among the strongest antioxidants. Hence berries are at, or towards, the top of the ORAC tables for the antioxidant capacity of fruit and vegetables. Berries have a generally similar flavonoid profile to cherries and some have more anthocyanidins than cherries. Cherries are better known as gout fighters but it’s reasonable to suppose berries are also one of the foods that help deal with gout. For example strawberries and elderberries have been known as foods for gout for centuries. And strawberries are high in Vitamin C, which studies have shown, can reduce uric acid levels. Even if they do not reduce the inflammation of a gout attack, or uric acid levels – and there are some testimonials that some berries do – berries lead to a healthier body, because of their antioxidants. All gout sufferers need to be otherwise as healthy as possible to widen their gout treatment options. What may they do? They can reduce pain and inflammation (i.e. they are COX inhibitors just like NSAIDs drug medications and cherries) and maintain collagen which some say helps in gout prevention. But most importantly, and to repeat, they are great sources of antioxidants which gout sufferers need. But they are not a complete natural remedy for gout. They are good foods for gout. BLACKBERRIES One variety of blackberry was once known as a gout berry, which suggests that it was considered in folk lore to be helpful with gout attacks. But let's move on to modern science... Blackberries are very high in the flavonoid anthocyanidin cyanidin, in fact higher than cherries for this anthocyanidin. The fruit of the bramble bush, they can easily be picked wild in many countries in the autumn (fall). This is probably the very best blackberry to eat, since wild fruits almost invariably score higher for antioxidants than other kinds. Don't pick them close by busy roads. Blackberry juice is good too for cyanidin, but the berries are better. BLACKCURRANTS Blackcurrant juice contains useful amounts of two anthocyanidins, cyanidin and delphinidin. BILBERRIES Bilberries are often described as the European version of the American blueberry, but actually they are smaller than blueberries and for flavonoid anthocyanidin scores they are certainly different. Bilberries and blueberries both contain five of the six anthocyanidins discussed on this site, but raw bilberries have a total anthocyanidin score higher than blueberries, in the USDA database. If these scores are all that matter, bilberries are better than blueberries as far as anthocyanidin antioxidants are concerned. (But raw blueberries have more of other flavonoid antioxidants). Bilberries are made into jam, juices and fruit wines but these products are not easy to find and get into your foods for gout. But bilberry extract is sold as a dietary supplement. BLUEBERRIES Blueberries, like bilberries, are best known for protecting and sharpening vision, especially at night. And they are definitely one of the foods for gout too. Their advantage over bilberries is that they are much more widely available and so easier to include in a gout diet. Their antioxidants are found mainly in the skin, so the usual rule with all berries applies – the darker the skin, the more antioxidants they contain. Wild ones score higher than farm grown ones in the USDA database. Blueberries’ anthocyanidins are said to build collagen in the joints which is part of some gout natural gout treatments. CRANBERRIES Cranberries have significant amounts of cyanidin, delphinidin and peonidin. But they are acidic and are probably not a food to eat for gout, especially if your body is too acidic.
Click here to read why you should probably NOT drink cranberry juice.
If you can take delivery in the United States, we recommended these bilberry and blueberry extracts and juices from Swanson Vitamins. Standard shipping within the U.S.is $4.95 on any size of order. More details about Swanson shipping rates, including international: "click $4.95 shipping" - top right corner of the swansonvitamins.com home page. Note: Pterostilbene (pronounced "taro-still-bean"),added to the blueberry products here, is a new-to-the-market phytonutrient. It acts similarly to the better known resveratrol. Resveratrol is found in red wine. Clicking on the buy button does not commit you. It takes you to the product page at the supplier's website
If you live in Great Britain, the bilberry products below can be purchased online from Healthy Direct. Click on the product image to visit the relevant page at Healthy Direct's website.
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