Gout is a disease associated with metabolic disorders. With this pathology, there is a violation of the excretion of uric acid salts (urates), which are deposited in the joints and cause their inflammation. Diet plays an important role in the treatment of this disease. In addition to food, you should reconsider your attitude towards some drinks. Tea for gout is not prohibited, but some types can be harmful to health. Anyone who has encountered this disease should take a closer look at the question of whether it is possible to drink tea for gout, and which drink is better to prefer.
Can I drink tea?
Is it possible to drink tea for gout? This is a controversial question, the answer to which depends on the type of drink. In fact, tea is not prohibited. Moreover, for gout, it is recommended to increase fluid intake to stimulate the kidneys to eliminate excess uric acid.
Tea consumption increases the frequency of urination and daily diuresis. Removing fluid from the body has a positive effect on the functioning of affected joints, as it stimulates a reduction in swelling and improvement in the mobility of diseased joints.
Thus, you need to drink tea for gout, but with precautions. Doctors recommend avoiding drinks rich in purines in favor of natural diuretics. These include herbal teas, decoctions of medicinal herbs, and drinks with the addition of berries.
Authorized Products
Vegetables are great for alkalizing the body. You should diversify your diet with white cabbage, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, and potatoes. There are still debates about eating eggplant for gout. Some nutritionists categorically prohibit eating dishes made from them if you have gout. But most doctors insist on their use, including Pevzner. This is a therapist, one of the organizers of the Institute of Nutrition in Moscow. It was he who developed diet No. 6 for gout. The list of permitted products also includes:
- almost all berries except raspberries, cranberries, grapes. Red, black and white currants, gooseberries, and blueberries are especially useful;
- fruits of sweet and sour varieties with a high fiber content. Nutritionists advise snacking on an apple, pear, orange, a couple of plums or apricots between meals;
- wholemeal pasta;
- cereal porridges - buckwheat, millet, corn, oatmeal, wheat;
- lean meats - turkey, chicken, rabbit, lamb, veal;
- boiled sea and river fish (without broth!);
- eggs, but no more than one daily;
- dried whole grain and white bread;
- any low-fat fermented milk products - cottage cheese, unsalted cheeses, Varenets, fermented baked milk, kefir, ayran.
For gout patients, the list of sweets is very limited. It consists mainly of natural marmalade, apple or other fruit marshmallows, and marshmallows. You can slightly sweeten porridge with honey or jam, but only with your doctor's permission.
Black tea for gout
Drinking black tea is not recommended for gout.
Black tea tones, invigorates, improves performance. This drink is an excellent substitute for coffee, as its stimulating effect is comparable in strength to caffeine. However, this drink is not recommended for gout. This is because black tea contains purines in small quantities.
You can drink it little by little, but only without exacerbating the inflammatory process in the joints. Abuse of black tea can lead to deterioration of health and rapid spread of the inflammatory process to healthy joints of the limbs.
The beneficial properties of black tea include stimulating kidney function and improving digestion, but only if you drink it correctly. For gout, it is recommended to give preference to a warm, but not hot drink, use only fresh tea leaves and do not drink immediately after eating.
Conclusion: you can drink black tea, but in limited quantities. Doctors recommend limiting yourself to a few cups of the drink per week.
Symptoms of the disease
Gout attacks occur mainly at night. The joint becomes very hot, painful to the touch, and there is a sharp pain that can last for a long time. The most common manifestation of gout is damage to the joints of the big toes. Visually, a lump or inflammation forms at the junction of the phalanx of the finger and the bone of the foot. This makes it difficult to wear shoes, causing pain. If gout is not treated, the disease begins to affect other joints, as well as the kidneys and urinary tract.
To confirm or refute the diagnosis, you should contact a rheumatologist. A blood test will show your uric acid levels, and your doctor will conduct a qualified examination. Sometimes it may be necessary to take x-rays and take joint fluid for examination.
The disease is developing rapidly. The first symptoms of gout are tingling in the joint. After some time, the tingling will develop into serious inflammation and begins to rapidly affect other joints and the genitourinary system.
Benefits of green tea
If black tea is a controversial drink for gout, then whether it is possible to drink green tea for gout has long been established. Green tea is good for gout. This drink is a powerful antioxidant, has a positive effect on digestive processes, and prevents the development of constipation. In addition, green tea has a pronounced diuretic effect and improves the removal of toxins and salts from the body, including uric acid salts.
Useful properties of the drink:
- helps fight stress;
- tones;
- improves metabolism;
- normalizes water-salt metabolism;
- improves kidney function;
- improves vascular elasticity;
- has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Green tea will not help relieve a gout attack, but it will improve your overall health if you have gout. It is especially recommended for overweight people, as it improves metabolism.
Green tea also contains purines. To neutralize them, it is recommended to add lemon or milk to the drink. Those who doubt whether it is possible to drink green tea for gout are advised to additionally consult a doctor. As a rule, there are no prohibitions on drinking this drink. To get the maximum benefit, you should drink lukewarm green tea with milk and honey or lemon.
Varieties
Diet 6E refers to varieties of Table No. 6. Prescribed for similar indications in obese patients. The energy value is reduced to 1950-2000 Kcal (protein content at 70 g, fat at 80 g, carbohydrates at 250 g).
The consumption of simple carbohydrates (fresh wheat bread, sugar, honey, sweets, confectionery and flour products) and less complex carbohydrates (cereals) are mainly reduced. Meat intake is limited to 1-2 times a week. Eat small portions (fractional) up to 5-6 times a day, drink plenty of fluids, especially slightly alkaline mineral waters.
Vegetables and fruits are best consumed raw, but can be baked and boiled. Since the diet is not physiologically complete, it can be prescribed for a period of no more than 2 weeks.
Healthy recipes
Having figured out whether or not you can drink tea for gout, you should follow several rules:
- Between green and black tea, give preference to green;
- drink tea warm, but not cold or scalding hot;
- to neutralize purines, add milk or lemon to the drink;
- use honey instead of sugar.
In addition to green and black tea, you can drink herbal infusions for gout. Hibiscus tea will also be beneficial.
Hibiscus for gout
Hibiscus tea should not be used for gout
Hibiscus tea for gout is not prohibited, but there is no need to abuse it. This is primarily due to the fact that the drink can cause surges in blood pressure. You can drink hibiscus tea for gout several times a week. In hot weather, a cool drink will be helpful. It not only perfectly tones, but also relieves thirst. It is recommended to use natural honey as a sweetener.
Beneficial properties of this drink for salt deposits in joints:
- tonic effect;
- anti-inflammatory properties;
- diuretic effect.
This tea reduces swelling as it has a strong diuretic effect. In addition, the aromatic drink strengthens the immune system and will benefit the entire body as a whole.
Having figured out whether you can drink hibiscus tea for gout, it is recommended to alternate this drink with other teas, including herbal teas.
Rose hip decoction
The main problem with gout is the impaired excretion of uric acid salts and the formation of edema in the area of the inflamed joint. Normally, salts are excreted in the urine, but in gout people, too much uric acid is produced, so the kidneys cannot cope with the load and cannot quickly remove the excess. To correct this problem, doctors often recommend increasing fluid intake to increase urine output.
One of the useful teas for gout is rosehip decoction. The berries of this shrub contain large amounts of vitamin C, organic compounds, amino acids, vitamins and microelements. Glycosides in the berries determine the diuretic effect of rose hips. A decoction of this plant helps to increase daily diuresis, has an anti-inflammatory effect and improves immunity.
To prepare, you need to take 10 berries, pour a glass of boiling water and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. After the decoction has cooled, it is taken as tea. This amount of decoction is designed for one day of use. It can be taken in small sips throughout the day or diluted with warm water and taken as tea.
Healthy and tasty: fireweed tea
Ivan tea for gout is one of the healthiest drinks. It has a pronounced diuretic effect, improves kidney function, has a positive effect on metabolism and removes excess uric acid. In addition, this drink has an anti-inflammatory effect and improves immunity.
Among all the teas, fireweed is the most useful for gout. It should be taken one glass daily. In pharmacies and health food stores you can find bagged fireweed tea. You just need to pour boiling water over it, leave for 5 minutes, add honey to taste and drink like regular tea.
Ginger for joint pain
Ginger improves immunity
Another healthy drink for gout is ginger tea. Ginger breaks down uric acid salts. In addition, it improves blood circulation, promotes weight loss and protects against ARVI during the cold season. Not knowing how to drink tea for gout, you can give preference to a drink with ginger.
Ginger can be added to green tea; to do this, simply add a few cloves of fresh root to a cup of tea if you don’t have a special drink at hand. You can also brew ginger with lemon and take it warm. To do this, take a few slices of peeled root, two mugs of lemon and a teaspoon of honey. All ingredients are mixed and poured with a glass of hot water. The tea is steeped for 15 minutes and then drunk in small sips.
What is gout?
Gout is a systemic inflammatory disease that affects joints and tissues. Its occurrence is associated with metabolic disorders, as a result of “acidification” of the body. As the disease progresses, additional stress is created on the kidneys, which negatively affects their functionality.
There are two main causes of the disease:
- Age-related changes. A decrease in the intensity of the digestive and endocrine systems inhibits the destruction of purines (uric acid crystals), and the latter accumulate in the joints.
- Excessive nutrition. Foods rich in simple carbohydrates cause early metabolic disorders. For this reason, gout has become “younger” over the past decades. If previously it was considered an age-related disease, now patients are 30-40 years old.
Early diagnosis of gout is extremely important. The sooner treatment begins, the greater the chance of a favorable outcome.
The disease cannot be completely cured. A sensible approach to nutrition and medication can minimize the risk of relapse. If completely untreated, gout leads to serious consequences, including disability.
