Is Gravy Bad for Gout?

Is Gravy Bad for Gout Introduction

When gout hits, it is often the little things that hurt most. Other than the agony of a gout flare, of course. So gravy is one of those little things you took for granted. But now you're told to avoid it.

Can roast dinners ever be the same?

Is Gravy Bad for Gout Purpose

I wrote Is Gravy Bad for Gout to help gout sufferers understand:

Why you are typically told to avoid gravy
How to assess your own gravy consumption
How to consult health professionals when you need help with gravy in your dietary plans.

Why is Gravy Bad for Gout?

Gravy can be bad for gout because it is usually high in purines. Largely due to purine-rich drippings from meat. Unfortunately, variations in the way gravy is made, make it difficult to assess true purine levels for gravy.

It would be difficult to extrapolate from the purine level of the dry powder to that of a sauce or gravy prepared from the drippings. Because the drippings are often concentrated by evaporation or mixed with other ingredients in preparing these products. ^[1]

Furthermore, as the cook, you control the purine content of both the meat, and the gravy in your roast dinner.

The process of rinsing does have a significant impact on reducing the purine content of high purine foods such as ground beef and bacon. It is hypothesized that the purines are being released into the rinse water. An even greater reduction in purine content occurs after rinsing and subsequent cooking. ^[2]

In earlier versions of this page, I wrote:

It’s a common question influenced by lots of articles that tell you to avoid (among other things) “mackerel, scallops, game meats, and gravy”. But these are just words copied from one article to another without scientific foundation. These days, we have a better understanding about different types of purines. Also, about the limitations of low purine diets as part of gout treatment plans. ^[3]

Now, it's easy to get confused about purines. Especially when so-called experts are telling you to avoid “mackerel, scallops, game meats, and gravy”. And you feel like everything flavorful is banned. Yet these same people could also tell you about vegetables, milk, coffee, and many more foods that will help your body excrete uric acid. That way, you can take a balanced approach to uric acid dietary planning. By considering uricosuric actions of many foods. Alongside uricogenic actions of purines.

In fact, you have the choice to make your gravy without those meat drippings. So gravy can be bad for gout. But only if you ignore how it fits with the rest of your food. Which is exactly the same as every other food on the planet.

Gravy & Gout Summary

Clearly, too much gravy is bad for gout. But it is important that you focus on your total daily and weekly eating patterns. Not just one small part of an occasional meal. So, my Gout Foundation Dietary Pattern or Uric Acid Dietary Pattern help you move from poor eating patterns to gout friendly ones.

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In the meantime, you may require expert help. From your doctor or other health professional. In which case, you might point your experts towards the studies here. Then you can work together to decide how much gravy per week will match your dietary goals.

Stop listening when people tell you to avoid gravy! Instead, learn how to incorporate sufficient foods that you love into controlled eating patterns. Then you have a sustainable way to make food an enjoyable part of your gout recovery.

Gravy is a good example of this. Especially, if poor diet with excess meat has contributed to your gout. Because you can add your meat drippings to a good vegetable stock. Then use that gravy to make dinner more palatable as you reduce your meat portions in favor of more vegetables.

Gravy & Your Gout

You've learned that gravy can be bad for gout due to potential high purine content. Yet, that purine content is variable and difficult to evaluate.

However, you can measure the purine content of raw meat. So you have your purine count for combined meat and gravy. Then, for any added gravy, you could estimate it using the values from the studies I've cited.

If you still feel that you need help with your concerns about gravy and gout, you should consult your doctor. Or another suitably qualified health professional. But if you require help preparing for that consultation, just let me know.

Which aspects of gravy and gout are you interested in? How do you think you might change your gravy habits to help your gout?

Please tell me your gravy and gout story in the Gout Forum.

Leave Is Gravy Bad for Gout? to browse the Gout and Uric Acid Blog.

Is Gravy Bad for Gout? References

YOUNG, L.L., 1982. Purine content of raw and roasted chicken broiler meat. Journal of Food Science, 47(4), pp.1374-1375.
Ellington, A., 2007. Reduction of purine content in commonly consumed meat products through rinsing and cooking (Doctoral dissertation, University of Georgia).
Taylor, K.C., 2020. Low Purine Diet. GoutPal.com. Archive