8 Ways to Lower Your Risk of Gout

Avoid Sugary Beverages

Fructose, a type of sugar found in soft drinks and other sweetened beverages, as well as candy, cookies, and other baked goods, appears to increase gout risk by raising uric acids levels in the blood. A 2008 study found that men with the highest intake of fructose were twice as likely to develop gout as men with the lowest fructose intake. That’s reason enough to cut out all sugary beverages, including soda, fruit drinks, sweetened waters, sugary coffee drinks, sweet tea — and even 100 percent fruit juice. You’ll also want to dramatically reduce your intake of sugar and other sweeteners, especially agave which is about 90 percent