Therapeutic diet used as an adjunctive therapy to medication for the treatment and control of gout. Foods highest in purines are limited and total protein intake is moderate.
A diet that limits purine and fats and encourages fluid intake; used to control the excessive levels of uric acid caused by gout. High purine foods include sweetbreads, anchovies, sardines, liver, beef kidneys, brains, and herring. Historically, gout was thought of as a disease of the wealthy, because only wealthy individuals could afford to eat such foods. It is now much more widespread, and its causes are known to be more diverse.