Shrimp & Gout

Avoid
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With 182.4mg/100g of purine, Shrimp ranks among the highest-purine foods. It's strongly discouraged for gout patients. Shellfish like Shrimp are moderate-to-high in purines. The Arthritis Foundation recommends eating shellfish only occasionally — the cumulative effect across a meal can add up.

Nutritional Data

PURINE
182.4 mg/100g
USDA 2025
PROTEIN
20g
USDA 2025
FAT
0.3g
USDA 2025

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Shrimp a gout trigger food?

Shrimp is not recommended for gout. It contains 182.4mg of purine per 100g (high range: 150+mg), significantly raising the risk of uric acid buildup and gout attacks.

How should you choose and prepare Shrimp to minimize gout risk?

Shellfish — including shrimp, crab, lobster, oysters, mussels, and scallops — should be eaten only occasionally. While not all shellfish have extremely high purine, their cumulative effect can raise uric acid levels. [Source: Arthritis Foundation] Seafood is the primary dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory benefits. Since a low-purine diet limits certain seafood, consider plant-based omega-3 sources like walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds. [Source: Cleveland Clinic]

Which types of seafood are safest for gout?

Anchovies, sardines, herring, mussels, scallops, codfish, trout, and haddock are among the highest-purine seafood. The Arthritis Foundation and Cleveland Clinic both list these as foods to limit or avoid with gout. [Source: Arthritis Foundation / Cleveland Clinic]

Does cooking change the purine content of Shrimp?

Boiling or stewing meat and discarding the cooking liquid can reduce purine content. Water-soluble purines leach into the water during cooking — do not consume the broth if reducing purine intake. [Source: General nutrition guideline] Grilling and frying add inflammatory compounds from charring and high-heat oils — poaching, steaming, or stewing are better methods.

Which seafood should gout patients definitely avoid?

Anchovies, sardines, herring, mussels, scallops, codfish, trout, and haddock are among the highest-purine seafood. The Arthritis Foundation and Cleveland Clinic both list these as foods to limit or avoid with gout. [Source: Arthritis Foundation / Cleveland Clinic] Shellfish — including shrimp, crab, lobster, oysters, mussels, and scallops — should be eaten only occasionally. While not all shellfish have extremely high purine, their cumulative effect can raise uric acid levels. [Source: Arthritis Foundation]

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Purine data: USDA 2025 | Nutrition data: USDA 2025

Disclaimer: This website provides dietary information only. It is not medical advice. Consult your doctor for gout-related concerns.
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