FoodCanEat › Home › Desserts & Baking Staples

Last reviewed: 2026-09-03 • Editorial Standards

Desserts & Baking Staples Ranked by Purine Content

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

Lowest Purine Desserts & Baking Staples

#1waffles, buttermilk, frozen, ready-to-heat0.0 mg
#2waffle, buttermilk, frozen, ready-to-heat, toasted0.0 mg
#3waffle, buttermilk, frozen, ready-to-heat, microwaved0.0 mg
#4pancakes, plain, frozen, ready-to-heat, microwave (includes buttermilk)0.0 mg
#5cake flour15.7 mg
#6Flour (cake flour)15.7 mg
#7pastry flour25.8 mg
#8Flour (pastry flour)25.8 mg

Highest Purine Desserts & Baking Staples

#8pancakes, plain, frozen, ready-to-heat, microwave (includes buttermilk)0.0 mg
#7waffle, buttermilk, frozen, ready-to-heat, microwaved0.0 mg
#6waffle, buttermilk, frozen, ready-to-heat, toasted0.0 mg
#5waffles, buttermilk, frozen, ready-to-heat0.0 mg
#4Flour (cake flour)15.7 mg
#3cake flour15.7 mg
#2Flour (pastry flour)25.8 mg
#1pastry flour25.8 mg

Category Average: 10.4 mg/100g

The average across 8 Desserts & Baking Staples 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 passes through a three-factor risk model that looks at purines, fructose, and alcohol independently. Purine values are sourced from 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 from USDA SR28. Verdicts apply ACR 2020 limits — Safe means under 50 mg purine and 2 g fructose with no alcohol; Moderate falls between; Avoid exceeds these or contains alcohol. Data quality tiers (T1/T2/T3) are listed 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

Is cake bad for gout?
Cake and most baked goods are low in purines — the issue is sugar, not purines. Among 8 dessert and baking entries with measured values, cake flour and pastry flour measure about 0.0 to 25.8 mg/100g. A slice of cake occasionally is fine; the problem pattern is frequent desserts plus sugary drinks, which drive fructose load.
Which dessert is lowest in purines?
Plain pancakes measure lowest in our database at about 0.0 mg/100g, with cake flour around 0.0 mg/100g and pastry flour about 25.8 mg/100g. All baking staples are low in purines. For gout, read the sugar side instead: syrup, frosting, and fruit fillings add fructose, so portion size decides whether a dessert is gout-friendly.
Can I eat pancakes with gout?
Yes. Plain pancakes measure about 0.0 mg/100g in our database — essentially purine-free. What turns a pancake breakfast into a gout problem is the added sugar: maple syrup and sugary toppings add fructose, and a side of sausage or bacon adds purines and salt. A pancake with berries and a little syrup is a reasonable occasional breakfast.
About · Contact · Privacy · Terms of Use · Medical Disclaimer · Editorial Policy · Data Sources

References

• ACR 2020 Guideline for the Management of Gout
• USDA+ODS-NIH PURINE DATABASE Release 2, March 2025
• Kaneko K, et al. Biol Pharm Bull 37(5):709-721, 2014. PMID: 24553148

Medical Disclaimer: This website provides informational content only and does not constitute medical advice.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-03