Can Eating Cherries Lower Gout Attack Risk?

Gout is a common complex disorder that has been around ever since time immemorial. This disorder occurs when the uric acid raises and accumulates in the blood and its deposits form in the joints. And because men have higher uric acid in the blood, this disorder is more prevalent in this gender than in women. Gout attacks are very painful especially in the joints and if left untreated, can last for a whole week or two. This causes for redness and inflammation in the area, lesser movements, and can sometimes cause fever.

In order to improve quality of life and prevent gout attacks from happening, there are certain methods that can be done and one of this is the consumption of cherries. Even though this may seem a little odd or too much of a good solution to be true, many health experts and scientists have attested that eating cherries can reduce the risk of gout attacks. Studies show that the compounds found in cherries reduces inflammatory pathways plus the fact they also contain anthocyanins and bioflavonoids – two very powerful compounds that are champions in fighting against inflammation. Furthermore, studies suggest that those who consume half a cup (10 to 12 cherries) of cherries in a day had reduced risks in gout attacks of about 35% and those who ate them for up to three servings within two days had even reduced risks of about 50%.

This study certainly sweetens the deal on gout attacks but keep in mind that this should not be abused. It has been proven that it is not the sugar that helps in reducing gout attack risks, in fact the sugar in cherries offer very little contribution to the benefit it provides. It is still best to take in only the right amount of these sweet fruit to avoid other complications such as gaining weight and possibly diabetes.