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Last reviewed: 2026-09-03 • Editorial Standards

Parsley & Leafy Herbs Ranked by Purine Content

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

Lowest Purine Parsley & Leafy Herbs

#1parsley, japanese18.8 mg
#2garlic chives (nira), raw19.4 mg
#3Garlic chives (nira)19.4 mg
#4Parsley288.9 mg
#5parsley, fresh289.3 mg

Highest Purine Parsley & Leafy Herbs

#5parsley, japanese18.8 mg
#4Garlic chives (nira)19.4 mg
#3garlic chives (nira), raw19.4 mg
#2Parsley288.9 mg
#1parsley, fresh289.3 mg

Category Average: 127.2 mg/100g

The average across 5 Parsley & Leafy Herbs 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

Each item here is scored by a three-factor risk engine covering purines, fructose, and alcohol. Purine values draw 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 comes from USDA SR28 tables. Classification uses ACR 2020 thresholds — Safe under 50 mg purine and 2 g fructose with no alcohol, Moderate in between, Avoid above, or when alcohol is present. Each food page labels its data quality as 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 parsley bad for gout?
Parsley is unusual: it is a vegetable that measures high in purines. Among 5 leafy herb entries with measured values, fresh parsley reaches about 289.3 mg/100g — far above most vegetables. Because parsley is used as a garnish or small flavoring, the actual amount eaten is tiny, so the risk is low in practice. But parsley-heavy preparations (tabbouleh, chimichurri) add more than you might think.
Which herbs are lowest in purines?
Japanese parsley measures lowest in our database at about 18.8 mg/100g, with garlic chives around 19.4 mg/100g. Western parsley is the outlier at 289.3 to 288.9 mg/100g. In practical terms, herbs are eaten in gram-sized amounts, so even parsley contributes little purine per meal — but it is worth knowing it is not a low-purine food by weight.
Can I eat parsley with gout?
in the amounts people actually eat. Fresh parsley measures about 288.9 mg/100g in our database, which looks alarming next to most vegetables, but a typical garnish is a few grams. A sprinkle on a plate adds negligible purines. If a recipe uses parsley as a main ingredient, like a big tabbouleh salad, treat that as a moderate choice rather than a free vegetable.
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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