Managing Uric Acid: Nutritionist Shares Dos And Don'ts To Follow

Dal or lentils are an inseparable part of Indian cuisine. No desi dinner is complete without a hearty bowl of dal because. However, people suffering from gout and high uric acid are often advised to avoid eating it too frequently, as it can affect the uric acid level in your body. Is this true? While consuming dal can be harmful for people with gout, it is not the only reason for your health problem. In her latest Instagram post, nutritionist Pooja Makhija says, "What if I told you it's not the dal that's increasing your uric acid as a vegetarian, but the sugar you eat?" 

She explains that the fructose, which comes from highly processed sugary food, is a bigger culprit in increasing your uric acid levels. When you have high doses of fructose, it has to be processed quickly by the liver, and in doing so, it uses large amounts of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is then converted to AMP (adenosine monophosphate) and too much AMP is automatically converted to high uric acid levels. 

However, people advise you to cut down on the dals to prevent the uric acid levels, which is actually counterproductive. If you are a vegetarian, by cutting down on your dal, you're only going to reduce the protein intake. "As I've always taught you, the less protein you eat, physiologically, your body will crave more sugar, and you will reach out for more sugar," says Pooja. 

She claims that when your body actually wants protein and you reach out for sugary drinks, it worsens your uric acid levels.

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A post shared by Pooja Makhija (@poojamakhija)

High uric acid not only results in gout, but also causes you to gain more belly fat, increases blood pressure, increases insulin resistance, and may cause fatty liver. "Too much alcohol, too little water can also affect your uric acid levels, but the sugar is the main culprit, not just your dals," concludes Pooja. 

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