Got Gout?

Pardon me for the rather bleak article title; I am out of sorts and low on originality today. Grapes and gout. To say the least, it is a winning combination. There you go. But why?

First comes potassium. Grapes is a good source of potassium—containing about 190 milligrams per 100-gram serving. It is believed that potassium keeps uric acid liquid and prevents it from crystallizing. As we all know, once uric acid crystallizes, it accumulates on joints, hence, gout. Keeping it liquid means keeping it at bay for the kidneys to excrete (diuresis).

Next comes flavonoids. Grapes, particularly red grapes, contain the flavonoids quercetin and anthocyanin. These same plant metabolites are what makes berries and cherries—virtually, foods that end in “ies”—good for gout. Flavonoids are naturally-occurring anti-inflammatories. This trait also makes grapes good for gout during an attack, and not only as a preventive measure. However, although known to reduce swelling, its effect is minimal compared to prescription anti-inflammatory drugs.

Grapes keep bodily fluids alkaline. When the body is in an acidic instead of an alkaline state, its ability to excrete uric acid becomes less efficient. Grapes are known to be as some of the most alkaline-inducing foods. The rule here is as follows: the sweeter the grape, the better it is at inducing alkalinity.

Also deserving special mention are grapes’ water and vitamin C content. Grapes are about two-thirds water. Although nothing compared to simply drinking glasses of water, water is water and is good for gout nonetheless. As for vitamin C, grapes contain about 10 milligrams per serving. Not much, but again, useful nonetheless. Vitamin C keeps purines from hyper-metabolizing (into uric acid).

There you go. The above are what make grapes good for gout. Grapes contain more good stuff and have also been heavily linked with preventing heart disease, high blood pressure, and even certain cancers. They are, indeed, small wonders of nature.