Can People with Gout Eat Oats? Sorting Out the Confusion

Summer is often called the “gout season” because flare-ups are more common during the hot months. A newly diagnosed patient recently asked me whether oats are safe to eat with gout. Online resources can be confusing. Some list oats as a low-purine food, while others classify them as moderate-purine. Let us look more closely at the facts.

How are foods classified by purine content?

Purines are naturally occurring compounds in food that the body breaks down into uric acid. High uric acid levels can trigger gout. Food categories are often defined as:

• Low-purine: less than 50 milligrams of purine per 100 grams of food
• Moderate-purine: 51 to 150 milligrams per 100 grams
• High-purine: more than 150 milligrams per 100 grams

However, there is no single international standard. Different countries and organizations use slightly different cutoffs. For example, some classify more than 100 milligrams as high, while others call more than 200 milligrams “very high.”

In practice, most people with gout can safely eat both low and moderate-purine foods. What needs to be limited are high-purine choices such as red meat, organ meats, and beer.

Where do oats fit in?

Looking at the research¹, 100 grams of dry oats contains about 94 milligrams of purines. That places oats in the moderate-purine range.

But it is important to think about portion size. Most people do not eat 100 grams of oats at one sitting. For example, a typical serving of oatmeal made from one-third to one-half cup of dry oats (30 to 40 grams) contains about 40 milligrams of purines. This is closer to the low-purine range.

If you use instant oatmeal, a package provides 28 grams of oats. With this amount, the purine content would also fall into the low range.

So, for most individuals with gout, a bowl of oatmeal at breakfast is not a concern.

Summer gout triggers: Drinks matter

Purines are only one part of the picture. Gout flares can also be driven by other factors that raise uric acid levels or reduce the kidneys’ ability to clear it. In hot weather, sugary drinks are a major culprit.

Beer, soda, and other beverages with added sugars can all cause uric acid levels to rise quickly. If you have a family history of gout or have already had a flare, it is especially important to be mindful of what you drink during the summer months. Sugar-sweetened drinks, particularly sweetened with fructose-concentrated agent (such as high fructose corn syrup), has been shown to increase gout incidence. Prospective cohorts² previously showed dose-response risks with soda and fructose.

1. Jakše, Boštjan et al. “Uric Acid and Plant-Based Nutrition.” Nutrients vol. 11,8 1736. 26 Jul. 2019, https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081736.
2. Choi, Hyon K, and Gary Curhan. “Soft drinks, fructose consumption, and the risk of gout in men: prospective cohort study.” BMJ (Clinical research ed.)vol. 336,7639 (2008): 309-12. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39449.819271.BE