Animal / meat
Ham
How ham scores for gout, what moved that score, and the nutrition and portions behind it.
Food Index score
HamModerate
| Starting score | 100 |
| Purine Load | -18.2 |
| Sodium | -8 |
| Nutrient Gaps | -8 |
| Saturated Fat | -1.9 |
| Calorie Density | -1.1 |
| Heme Iron | -1 |
| 1 smaller factor | +0.5 |
| Final score | 62 |
Ham scores 62 out of 100 and sits in the moderate band. Middle of the range. Portion size and how often you eat it matter more here.
Penalties took 38.2 points off a starting score of 100, and protective factors added 0.5 back. Every factor is listed in full below.
Scores run 0–100, where higher means more gout-friendly on average. They reflect relative ranking across foods, not a personal risk level. The same food can suit one person and not another, so use the score as a starting point for a conversation with your clinician.
The underlying data
Nutrition and portions
Nutrition Facts
- Total Fat3.9 g
- Saturated Fat1.3 g
- Sodium1149 mg
- Dietary Fiber0 g
- Total Sugars1.5 g
- Protein19.0 g
- Calcium8 mg
- Iron0.84 mg
- Magnesium20 mg
- Vitamin C0 mg
- Folate1 ug
- Water71.9 g
- Alcohol0 g
- Omega-3 EPA0 g
- Omega-3 DHA0 g
Common portions
- 1 regular/thin slicetypical60 g
- 1 thick slice90 g
- 1 oz yields20 g
- 1 cubic inch17 g
- 1 cup135 g
- Quantity not specified60 g
Where the purine figure comes from
No direct purine measurement has been published for this food, so the score uses the measured median for its category (cold cuts and cured meats).
We rate this a good confidence estimate.
How purines affect the score →Nutrition values from the USDA FoodData Central database.
Scoring rationale
Every factor, in full
Each row shows the points a factor moved, what drove it, and the studies behind its weight.
- -18.2Flare risk
Purine LoadFlare risk
130 mg of purines per 100 g, weighted 1x as an animal source and 1.0x for the typical portion: 130 mg effective.
Evidence: Choi HK 2004, N Engl J Med · Kaneko K 2014, Biol Pharm Bull · Zhang Y 2012, Ann Rheum Dis
- -8Long-term
SodiumLong-term
1149 mg of sodium per 100 g, with no portion adjustment.
Evidence: FitzGerald JD 2020, Arthritis Care Res
- -8Long-term
Nutrient GapsLong-term
Provides meaningful amounts of only 1 of the 5 protective nutrient groups (vitamin C, fiber, omega-3, magnesium and folate).
Evidence: Choi HK 2009, Arch Intern Med · Juraschek SP 2016, Arthritis Rheumatol · Zhang M 2019, Arthritis Rheumatol
- -1.9Long-term
Saturated FatLong-term
1.29 g of saturated fat per 100 g, with no portion adjustment.
Evidence: Juraschek SP 2016, Arthritis Rheumatol · Yokose C 2021, Curr Opin Rheumatol
- -1.1Long-term
Calorie DensityLong-term
117 kcal per 100 g, above the 80 kcal energy-density threshold.
Evidence: Aune D 2014, Eur J Nutr
- -1Long-term
Heme IronLong-term
0.84 mg of iron per 100 g, of which about 60% is heme iron in animal foods, with no portion adjustment.
Evidence: Li R 2018, Asia Pac J Clin Nutr
- +0.5Long-term
MagnesiumLong-term
20 mg of magnesium per 100 g, with no portion adjustment.
Evidence: Li X 2015, BMJ
Keep looking
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Common questions
About ham
Look up any food's Food Index score
Each score lists the factors that moved it, the portion it assumes, and the studies behind each factor's weight.