Gout is an inflammatory arthritis that affects the joints of almost 8 million people in the countey. A large percentage of these people are stricken because they have a family history of this arthritic condition. Others experience painful gout symptoms because of excessive intake of sugar, alcohol, and high purine foods. Medications, a modified gout-friendly diet, and lifestyle changes help manage gout. Herein, we help you with a list of healthy snacks that alleviate gout symptoms.

Nuts
A gout-friendly diet is incomplete without a handful of nuts and seeds every day. Low in purine content, but a rich source of numerous vitamins and trace minerals required for the healthy functioning of your body, nuts, and seeds are excellent sources of healthy fats that help reduce inflammation, a symptom of gout.

However, some nuts contain oxalic acid that can increase the risk of gout. Avoid almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, peanuts, and cashew nuts. These contain oxalates that bind together with calcium and form painful crystals that cause kidney stones and gout.

Fruits
Vitamin C rich fruits like lemon, orange, grapefruit, gooseberry, papaya, pineapple, kiwi, strawberry, cranberry, blueberry, guava, mango, canteloupe, tomato, and cherry can be included in your diet to alleviate gout symptoms.

You could have a bowl of fresh fruits with a Greek yogurt dip as a snack between meals. A glass of tart unsweetened cherry juice also helps reduce the uric acid in the body, thus alleviating gout symptoms.

Vegetables
Vegetables that are low in purine and calories, and high in Vitamin C and antioxidants like carrot, sweet and white potato, beetroot, bell pepper, spinach, squash, and tomato, are brilliant anti-gout foods. Antioxidants like anthocyanins found in some deep-colored fruits and vegetables reduce inflammation and pain associated with gout.

Low-fat Dairy
Low-fat dairy is especially beneficial in not only reducing uric acid content by eliminating it from the body but also minimizes the risk of developing gout or aggravating a gout flare. Milk proteins lactalbumin and casein that have uricosuric effects on gout symptoms. That is, they help eliminate uric acid and thus reduce its concentration in the blood. Low or no fat, yogurt, milk, and cheese like mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan, and feta are available in supermarkets. Enjoy a glass of plain low-fat milk with some nuts as a snack, or have a bowl of fresh fruits with a low-fat yogurt dip. Better still, have some fresh multi-colored vegetables with a healthy sprinkling of low-fat cheese, and a tasty dressing. All of these combinations are part of a gout-friendly diet.