Vegetables and gout
The old advice to avoid purine-rich vegetables did not survive the evidence. In the landmark cohort study (Choi 2004, 47,150 men over 12 years), vegetable purines showed no association with gout risk, and the ACR 2020 guideline places no restriction on vegetables. That includes the usual suspects: spinach, asparagus and mushrooms.
Why plant purines count for less
Purines from plants are absorbed differently and arrive alongside fiber, vitamin C, folate and magnesium, several of which are linked to lower urate. The Food Index score reflects this: plant purines are weighted at less than half the rate of animal purines, following the cohort evidence rather than raw purine tables.
Scored plant foods in the database
Individual vegetables are not yet in the scored database. The closest scored group is beans, peas and legumes, which despite their purine content rank near the top of the range.
Beans, from dried, NS as to type, no added fat
Beans, peas, legumes · Excellent
Black beans, from dried, no added fat
Beans, peas, legumes · Excellent
Edamame, cooked
Beans, peas, legumes · Excellent
Kidney beans, from dried, no added fat
Beans, peas, legumes · Excellent
Lentils, from dried, no added fat
Beans, peas, legumes · Excellent
Pinto beans, from dried, no added fat
Beans, peas, legumes · Excellent
Also browse all 75 beans, peas and legumes or the gout-friendly foods list.
Population-average gout-friendliness. General information, not personal medical advice.