Last reviewed: 2026-09-03 • Editorial Standards

Cutlassfish & Gnomefish Ranked by Purine Content

Evidence-based comparison — data from USDA+ODS-NIH PURINE DATABASE Release 2 (March 2025)

Lowest Purine Cutlassfish & Gnomefish

#1beltfish, raw139.3 mg
#2gnomefish, meat, raw150.7 mg
#3gnomefish, skin, raw382.6 mg
#4cutlassfish (hairtail), fresh385.5 mg

Highest Purine Cutlassfish & Gnomefish

#4beltfish, raw139.3 mg
#3gnomefish, meat, raw150.7 mg
#2gnomefish, skin, raw382.6 mg
#1cutlassfish (hairtail), fresh385.5 mg

Category Average: 264.5 mg/100g

The average across 4 Cutlassfish & Gnomefish 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

This comparison scores every food on three independent axes — purine content, fructose, and alcohol. Purine figures rely on 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 comes from USDA SR28. Ratings follow ACR 2020: Safe when purine is under 50 mg and fructose under 2 g with no alcohol, Moderate between these, Avoid beyond, or whenever alcohol appears. Per-food data quality is flagged T1 (lab-measured), T2 (measured plus consensus), or T3 (category estimate).

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

Is cutlassfish (hairtail) bad for gout?
Cutlassfish is very high in purines. Among 4 cutlassfish and gnomefish entries with measured values, beltfish measures about 139.3 mg/100g while fresh cutlassfish reaches 385.5 mg/100g — near the top of our database. Hairtail is a beloved Korean and Chinese braise fish, but for gout it belongs in the limit-or-avoid column, like sardines and dried anchovies.
Why is fish skin so much higher in purines?
Gnomefish shows the gap clearly: its meat measures about 150.7 mg/100g while the skin reaches 382.6 mg/100g in our database — more than double. Purines concentrate in metabolically active tissue, and skin is one of them. If you enjoy higher-purine fish, removing the skin and eating the fillet meaningfully cuts the load.
Can I eat hairtail fish with gout?
Occasionally and in small portions, if your uric acid is well controlled. Beltfish measures about 139.3 mg/100g and fresh cutlassfish 385.5 mg/100g in our database — both high. A few pieces in a shared braise are very different from a whole fish. Balance the meal with low-purine sides, skip the beer, and drink plenty of water.