High uric acid diet: 5 foods and drinks to avoid to prevent gout and kidney stones
High uric acid diet: 5 foods and drinks to avoid to prevent gout and kidney stones
Wondering what are some of the foods that lead to high uric acid levels in the body? A nephrologist breaks it down for you.
Shreya Garg
August 14, 2026 / 09:36 IST
Sugary drinks also cause a spike in uric acid levels in the body. (Picture: Canva)
- Uric acid is a waste product; high levels can cause gout.
- High uric acid can be caused by diet, kidney issues, genetics.
- Limit red meat, organ meat, seafood, sugary drinks, alcohol.
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We often hear the word ‘uric acid’ and most of us feel alarmed when its levels go up. But what is uric acid, really? Uric acid is just a waste product. When our body breaks down purines (they are present inside our own cells and also in certain foods), uric acid is formed. Normally, kidneys will filter it out and it gets passed out of the system
There are certain foods that contribute to more production of uric acid and most people continue to include them in their diet without even knowing about it. Moneycontrol team spoke to Dr Changanidi A R A, attending consultant, Nephrology, Gleneagles Hospital, Chennai, to understand what happens when the body starts making too much uric acid, and what foods one must avoid to reduce the production. “It becomes problematic when the body starts making too much of uric acid, or when kidneys are not able to flush it out properly. It is then the acid starts accumulating in the blood,” she warned.
What happens when uric acid levels remain high in body
In early stages, most people don’t even come to know when uric acid is high in body. They only come to find out about it incidentally when getting health check-ups done. “If uric acid levels remain high in body for too long, it starts forming crystals. If these crystals get deposited in joints, we call it gout. The symptoms are: sudden onset of pain, usually at night, big toe becomes red and swollen and patients can’t even touch the bedsheet. In some patients, it can also cause kidney stones,” Dr Changanidi shared.
Also read: 31-YO man collapses during Bengaluru marathon: Could a hidden heart condition be the cause?
“Not just non-vegetarians, vegetarians too can have high uric acid levels”
Many associate high uric acid levels in the body with non-vegetarian diet. However, that’s not true. “I see a lot of vegetarians in my clinic at Chennai who have high uric acid levels. This is because kidney function is the main player here. Family history, excess weight, dehydration, few medicines like water tablets, all of these factors also contribute to high uric acid levels in the body,” the expert clarified
5 foods and drinks that increase uric acid
1. Red meat, including mutton and beef, increase it. Most of us have it regularly, especially mutton biryani and mutton curry. Red meat has more purines. Once or twice a month is okay, but if you are eating every week in large quantity, uric acid levels will go up
2. Organ meat like liver and kidney also increase uric acid levels in the body. “I strictly tell my gout patients to avoid having organ meat. Liver fry is very common, but purine content is extremely high in organ meat. Much higher than normal meat,” Dr Changanidi warned
3. Seafood like sardine, anchovy, prawn, crab, shellfish also increase uric acid levels in the body. “I am not saying all fish is bad. But these small sea fishes, prawn and crab have very high purine. Many times patient comes with gout attack after a heavy seafood dinner,” she said
4. Sugary drinks like coke and pepsi also increase uric acid levels. Even boxed mango juices and energy drinks are bad. “This is what people totally miss. They think only non-veg food is the problem. But these drinks have fructose which directly increases uric acid in liver. I tell my younger patients, sugary drinks are more dangerous than red meat nowadays,” she said
5. Alcohol, especially beer is also bad. There are two reasons for it. Alcohol blocks uric acid removal through kidney. And beer itself has purines from its brewing. So, together they can increase uric acid levels a lot. Regular intake of whisky and beer can lead to gout
Also read: Maharashtra bans analogue paneer: What is it? 6 ways to differentiate fake from real one
“My advice is don’t go for 100% purine-free diet. It won’t work and you will be frustrated. Reduce portion, drink more water, control weight, cut down alcohol and sugary drinks. That helps more than avoiding one single item. If your uric acid is high again and again, don’t keep trying only diet changes. It’s better to meet your doctor and find the reason. Is it kidneys? Is it some tablet? Or family history? We need to find that first,” Dr Changanidi said on a concluding note
Shreya Garg is a journalist with over 6 years of experience at leading media houses. She writes extensively on lifestyle, health and things that are trending on the internet.
first published: Aug 14, 2026 09:36 am
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Shreya Garg
