Beans & Legumes Purine Ranking: Lowest to Highest

Lowest Purine Beans & Legumes

Highest Purine Beans & Legumes

#34soybean, fermented (natto)113.9 mg

#33lima beans, baby, dried, raw144.0 mg

#32lima beans, large, dried, raw149.0 mg

#31beans, pinto, dried, raw171.0 mg

#30Soybean (dried)172.5 mg

#29soybeans, dried, raw172.5 mg

#28Kidney174.2 mg

#27beans, small white, dried, raw202.0 mg

#26beans, great northern, dried, raw213.0 mg

#25lentils, dried, raw222.0 mg

Category Average: 81.5 mg/100g

The average across 34 Beans & Legumes foods with lab-measured data. Foods below this average are better-than-typical choices within this category.

How to Use This Ranking

The purine ranking is sorted from lowest to highest. Rank #1 is the lowest-purine food in the category. Foods in the top half (above median) should be consumed with more awareness of portion and frequency. The difference between adjacent ranks varies: in some categories, rank #5 and #10 might be only 10 mg apart; in others, the gap can be 100+ mg. Always check the actual milligram value, not just the position. Rankings do not account for fructose or alcohol — use individual food pages for a complete risk assessment.

ACR 2020 Guideline Context

The American College of Rheumatology recommends that gout patients focus on purine awareness rather than complete food group elimination. Within any category, there is a wide purine range. The goal is to shift toward lower-purine choices within categories you already eat, rather than eliminating entire food groups. This ranking helps you identify which specific items to prioritize and which to limit.

Japanese guidelines recommend under 400 mg of total dietary purines per day. Using this ranking, you can estimate how much of budget each food uses per typical serving.

How This Comparison Is Built

Every food in this comparison has been evaluated using a three-factor risk engine that independently assesses purine content, fructose level, and alcohol presence. Purine values come from two primary references — the USDA+ODS-NIH PURINE DATABASE Release 2 (March 2025) and Kaneko et al. (Biol Pharm Bull 37(5):709-721, 2014, PMID: 24553148). Fructose data is sourced from USDA SR28 Food Composition Tables. The verdict system follows ACR 2020 guideline thresholds: Safe (purine <50 mg, fructose <2g, no alcohol), Moderate (purine 50-150 mg or fructose 2-5g), Avoid (purine >150 mg, fructose >5g, or alcohol present). Data quality is labeled T1 (lab-measured), T2 (measured + consensus), or T3 (category estimate) on each food's detail page.

This comparison is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Individual tolerance to purines and fructose varies. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized dietary guidance. Last reviewed: 2026-09-03.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are beans bad for gout?

No. Despite old advice, most beans are moderate in purines and large cohort studies have not linked legumes to higher gout risk. Among 34 beans and legumes with measured values, the lowest include green beans at 7.5 mg/100g. They are a heart-healthy, fiber-rich protein that fits a gout diet well.

Which beans are lowest in purines?

The lowest-purine legumes in our database include green beans at 7.5 mg/100g and sauce, chili bean, chinese at 8.8 mg/100g. Lentils and most canned beans sit in the moderate-low range; soybean products run a bit higher but are still reasonable in normal portions.

Do lentils cause gout flares?

Not specifically. Lentils are moderate-purine and have not been shown to trigger flares in the research to date. They are far lower than organ meats and fatty fish, and their fiber and plant protein make them a smart staple. As with any food, normal portions are the key.

Beans & Legumes Ranked by Purine Content