Purine Foods

Before going to the segment of purine foods, it would be viable if I brief you on what are purines. These are nucleotide bases which are naturally present in the cells of animals and plants. Their different properties make them essential constituents of life. When these substances are broken down by the body, they give rise to the formation of uric acid. But when too much of these substance undergo the breakdown process, uric acid levels in the blood rise. This in turn leads to the development of a complex form of arthritis known as gout, and other health problems. When there is too much production of uric acid in the body or the kidneys excrete too little of it, the acid starts building up. This build up can take the form of needle-like uric crystals in a joint or surrounding tissues, causing pain, swelling and inflammation. Many studies showed increase incidences of gout in people who were on a high purine diet. This is the reason why purine rich foods and gout are interrelated. This however, is not in the case of foods low in purine. The below will take you further in knowing about the different kinds of foods with purine.

Foods With Purine

Let's begin this segment with some commonly known foods that are high in purine. According to reports, foods having a measure of 400 mg of purine content (per 100 g) and above are considered to be high in purine. A measure of 100 - 400 mg comes in the moderate list, and low purine foods are those which have a purine content of 100 mg and lower. Here are the lists of all these kinds.

Foods Rich in Purine

Foods	Purine Content per 100 g
Pig's lungs	434
Spleen of ox	444
Calf's liver	460
Sardines	480
Edible Boletus mushroom	488
Liver of pig	515
Heart of pig	530
Liver of ox	554
Baker's yeast	680
Spleen of sheep	773
Smoked sprat	804
Brewer's yeast	1810
Theobromine	2300

Foods Low in Purine

Foods	Purine Content per 100 g
Cooked rice	5.9
Plain yogurt	7
Cherry, sweet	7.1
Cucumber	7.3
Cottage cheese	8
Tomato	11
Wheat flour	11.5
Chicory	12
Pear	12
Rhubarb	12
Lettuce	13
Onion	13
Radishes	13
Apple	14
Fennel leaves	14
Gooseberry	16
Carrot	17
Currant, red	17
Endive	17
Raspberry	18
Avocado	19
Beet root	19
Kiwi fruit	19
Orange	19
Pineapple	19
Aubergine	21
Peach	21
Strawberry	21
White cabbage	22
Asparagus	23
Brazil nuts	23
Plum	24
Grape	27
Cress	28
Bamboo shoots	29
Celeriac	30
Morel	30
Quince	30
Black elderberry	33
Dried dates	33
French beans	37
Sweet almond	37
Savoy cabbage	37
Hazel nuts	37
Cauliflower	51
Rye	51
Sweet corn	52
Green peppers	52
Black pudding	55
Garbanza bean	56
Banana	57
Mushroom	58
Crayfish	60
Sesame	62
Plum, dried	64
Chives	67
Tofu	68
Brussels sprouts	62
Sesame	69
Apricot	73
Leek	74
Cranberry bean	75
Artichoke	78
Nuts, peanut	79
Tench	80
Salmon	88
Oyster	90
Pea, seed, dry	96

These were the tables presenting to you with lists of foods high and low in purine. Before I conclude this article, here is a list of some foods which have moderate quantity of purine in them.

Foods Moderately High In Purine

Foods	Purine Content per 100 g
Broiled steak	121
Chicken thigh	126
Roasted lamb	127
Chicken breast	130.7
Squid	135
Tuna	142
Liver of a lamb	147
Red bean	162
Pinto bean	171
Split peas	195
Lentils	222
Black eye peas	230
Shrimp	234
Mackerel	246
Anchovies	321

That would be all for my short treatise on foods with high, low and moderate quantity of purine. The tables were presented so that would come in handy, especially when you decide to take measures to prevent conditions such as gout, regarding which we had a brief discussion at the beginning. Although purine rich foods do contribute in causing conditions such as gout, it must be noted that they are not always harmful until consumed in limited amounts.