I have heard from some of my patients that they were advised by their peers to stop eating dal, paneer, or other sources of protein if they get high uric acid levels in their blood reports.
Here, I want to put the real facts about eating dal/paneer in the daily diet if you have raised uric acid levels.
Uric acid is nothing but an end product of purine metabolism that needs to be expelled from the body through urine. However, if kidney excretion goes down as compared to uric acid production, it stays in the blood, causing raised levels in the blood, and may possibly be the cause of gout or kidney stones in some patients.
Now, I will put facts on dietary recommendations for high uric acid levels.
Studies say that protein‑rich foods that come from animal sources, like organ meat, red meat, and some seafood, have high levels of purines. On top of it, beer and beverages that are fructose‑sweetened increase purine production and can lower its excretion.
However, proteins that come from plant sources and low‑fat dairy are generally neutral and can even be protective when eaten as part of a balanced diet.
Arthritis foundations clearly suggest eating plant‑based proteins like lentils, peas, and tofu and have mentioned that they do not raise uric acid in the same harmful way as high‑purine animal foods and, in fact, can help in the prevention of gout attacks.
To conclude, why does this myth occur that if you have high uric acid, you should stop having proteins? The reason lies behind the association between protein and uric acid levels.
But most people do not know that the protein that is mainly harmful for high uric acid is high‑purine animal‑based protein, not plant‑based protein.
Pulses contain moderate amounts of purines, but when eaten in normal portions as part of a mostly plant‑based diet, they are generally safe and are not strongly linked to gout attacks.
Have you or your family ever heard this myth? How did you resolve it? Share in the comments.
MBH/AB