[Health Channel/Comprehensive Report] During the Mid-Autumn Festival, family reunions are indispensable without barbecue, moon cakes, beer and hand drinks. Shen Mingzhong, a rheumatologist and immunologist, pointed out that for people with high uric acid or who have had gout attacks, in addition to paying attention to the purin content of meat and seafood when grilling meat, there are also two landmines that are easily overlooked: beer and barbecue sauce! People who have experienced gout attacks should avoid heavy drinking, overeating, dehydration, and stopping medication on their own to prevent gout from taking part in the holiday season.
Shen Mingzhong shared in a Facebook post that for people with high uric acid or previous gout attacks, in addition to paying attention to the purine content of meat and seafood when grilling meat, you should also pay attention to beer and barbecue sauce. Especially barbecue with beer and a thick layer of sweet barbecue sauce, which may seem like an ordinary combination, but it may increase uric acid production and reduce uric acid excretion at the same time.
3 principles to prevent gout
Why does eating barbecue with beer easily induce gout? Shen Mingzhong explained that beer contains both alcohol and a certain amount of purine. Alcohol metabolism will affect the excretion of uric acid by the kidneys, and heavy drinking may also increase the production of uric acid; coupled with the intake of large amounts of red meat, offal, and some seafood during barbecue, uric acid may increase significantly in a short period of time. For people with a history of gout, heavy drinking is particularly likely to induce acute gout.
In order to prevent gout, Shen Mingzhong summarized 3 major principles and provided public reference:
●BBQ sauce may be a hidden version of a trap
Barbecue sauce itself isn't necessarily gourmet, it's the added sugar that's really worth noting. Commercial barbecue sauces often use sugar, fructose syrup or other sugars to add sweetness. When a large amount of fructose enters the liver for metabolism, it will quickly consume ATP, promote the decomposition of purin, and then increase the production of uric acid.
Once the sauce is repeatedly basted during barbecue and paired with sugary drinks, the sugar intake may increase unknowingly. In addition, some barbecue sauces have high sodium content, so patients with high blood pressure and kidney disease also need to pay attention.
●Don’t use sugary drinks as a substitute for beer
Fructose in sugary drinks may also increase uric acid production. Long-term intake of too much sugar can easily lead to weight gain, fatty liver and insulin resistance, further affecting uric acid excretion. Therefore, not drinking alcohol does not mean that you can drink sugary drinks without restrictions.
Barbecue paired with sugar-free tea, sparkling water or boiled water is more beneficial to uric acid and metabolic health.
●Precautions for mooncakes and grapefruit
Mooncakes are not a typical high-quality food, but they are usually high in sugar and calories. Especially for people with obesity, fatty liver disease or insulin resistance, they still need to control their portions.
As for grapefruit, it contains water, dietary fiber and vitamin C. You can eat it in moderation. There is no need to avoid eating fruits completely because of worries about fructose. However, people who are taking certain medications should still be aware of possible drug interactions caused by grapefruit and grapefruit.
Shen Mingzhong reminded that people who have had gout attacks should avoid heavy drinking, overeating and dehydration. Patients who are taking uric acid-lowering drugs should not stop taking them on their own because of holidays, dinner parties, or because they have no symptoms recently. During the holiday reunion, you can reduce unnecessary metabolic burden by drinking less beer, swiping barbecue sauce less often, switching drinks to sugar-free, and pairing them with an appropriate amount of meat and vegetables.
