Is Prosciutto Bad for Gout?

The risk of gout attacks is increased by higher consumption of pork, other kinds of red meat, and organ meats.

Pork is referred to as “white meat” as it is a source of lean protein like poultry. Pork contains a high amount of purines, which can cause joint pain in gouts.

As Prosciutto is made of pork a question may arise: is prosciutto bad for gout?

The answer to this question is both yes and no. Yes, Prosciutto is a lump of high-fat meat, which can cause gout flares. 

However, it is not the meat itself that causes the flare. Rather, the sodium nitrite in the Prosciutto can trigger a gout attack. 

So, to avoid an attack, reduce your intake of salt and try to switch to other types of cheese that do not contain sodium nitrite.

Gout

What Causes Gout?

A gout is a form of arthritis caused by excess uric acid in the blood, which can be caused by consuming high-purine food sources and slowing the excretion of urine.

Uric acid is created when the body breaks down purines.

Joint pain can be caused by the formation of needle-like crystals between joints due to excess amounts of uric acid.

Gout causes

Nutritional Value of Pork

Pork has a lot of vitamins and minerals, including thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and phosphorus.

It contains zinc and a few other minerals. Lean nutrition can be found in loin cuts like pork tenderloin, sirloin pork chop, and sirloin pork roast.

It is possible to include these cuts in a gout diet.

It’s a good choice for people who want to lose weight or maintain their weight for gout-related health reasons.

Pork can be a significant source of saturated fat and cholesterol. Pork belly, ribs, and sausages are some of the fattier and highly processed cuts.

Consuming these cuts makes it easy to exceed The American Heart Association’s (AHA) recommended daily intake of saturated fat (13 g).

Processed meats are also known human carcinogens. Gout and gout attacks are more likely to be caused by excess weight and obesity.

The U.S Department of Agriculture states that 1 ounce serving of pork contains the following nutritional values.

  • Calories: 86
  • Protein: 4.26 g
  • Fat: 7.25 g
  • Carbohydrate: 0 g
  • Sugar: 0 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Calcium: 89.3 mg
  • Iron: 1.2 mg
  • Magnesium: 4.54 mg
  • Phosphorous: 56.7 mg
  • Potassium: 84.5 mg
  • Sodium: 14.2 mg

Best Cuts Of Pork

The cut of meat is the most important factor in determining nutrition, calories, and purine amounts.

All organ meats will be in the high-purine category and should not be consumed. The AHA recommends a 3-ounce portion of the size of a deck of cards for serving portions.

PartTotal PurineRange
Heart119 mgModerate

Kidney 
195 mgHigh
Liver284.8 mgHigh
Neck70.5 mgModerate
Ribs75.8 mgModerate
Rump113 mgModerate
Shoulder81.4 mgModerate
Sirloin90.9 mgModerate
Tenderloin119.7 mgModerate
Tongue104 mgModerate
Bacon
61.8 mg
Moderate
Prosciutto138.3 mgModerate
Salami120.4 mgModerate
Boneless Ham90.8 mgModerate

If you have gout, it’s a good idea to avoid high-purine cuts and products of pork.

To get an accurate idea of how much purine you’re consuming, it’s important to take into account your cooking methods and other foods you eat.

pork-loin

Cooking Tips

The total fat and purine content of pork can be changed by how you cook it.

Research shows that rinsing pork products with water and cooking them are effective ways to reduce total purines.

If you want to cook with gout-friendly methods, choose moist or dry heat methods like steaming, baking, or roasting, instead of deep-frying.

Gout patients should avoid high-fat dairy and rich breading batters because of their high levels of purines.

Highly processed sugars found in commercially made sauces and marinades should be avoided at all costs.

You should avoid cooking pork using single-pot methods if you know that purines release into meat juices after being cooked.

It’s best to cook your pork on its own and then add it to your meal.

Does pork cause gout?

Pork does not cause gout in its way. A high-purine diet can increase the risk of gout, a condition in which the body creates more uric acid than it can remove.

Is eating bacon bad for gout?

Since it contains a moderate amount of purine, most people with gout don’t benefit from eating bacon.

It does not mean that it is always bad for gout.

Some people may be able to handle higher amounts of purine, while others may need to be more careful with their food choices to avoid a gout attack.

Every person with gout should monitor their intake of purine to understand their body’s limitations.

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