Eating Eggs Every Day Has An Unexpected Effect On Your Risk Of Gout

Gout is a more common condition than you might presume. According to a 2024 analysis in The Lancet, more than 58 million individuals struggle with this type of arthritis that arises from a buildup of uric acid in the body. Known for causing sudden and painful joint inflammation, gout can disrupt the comfort and pleasures of everyday life.

If you don't have gout, you can take a few measures to reduce your risk of being diagnosed in the future, including staying at a healthy weight, avoiding common medications that are associated with gout, and eating foods that are low in purine. That's because the higher your purine consumption, the greater your risk of hyperuricemia, which can be a precursor to gout. This means you may want to stay away from purine-rich foods such as organ meats, alcoholic and sugar-laden beverages, and red meats. But you can keep other foods in your healthy lifestyle lineup, including eggs.

When it comes to low-purine foods, eggs are practically perfect. A 2014 article from a J-STAGE Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin shows that the average hen's egg contains no detectable purines. Similarly, quail's eggs clock in at zero purines, too. (Read about the nutritional benefits of quail's eggs that may make them worth buying.) In contrast, consuming 100 grams of pork liver would mean taking in a staggering 284.8 milligrams of purine.

Although eggs are just one type of low-purine food and can't completely wipe out your risk of gout, they could play a role in helping you avoid gout-related pain. A 2023 review in  Nutrients looked at the effects of various foods on hyperuricemia and found that eggs played protective roles against the development of high amounts of uric acid. In fact, eggs were named as one of the best foods to eat any time of day to keep gout in check.

If you already have gout, eating eggs daily may stave off a recurrence. Gout flare-ups can be related to a dietary change, such as eating limited calories to lose weight rapidly. Consequently, sticking with a consistent meal plan that includes low-purine eggs may ease some of the triggers that can lead to gout inflammation.

Just be cautious, because a lot of foods typically consumed with eggs may be higher in purines. These include ham and other pork products, which are frequently served alongside eggs or mixed into omelets. (If you like coffee with eggs, don't fret — it's also low-purine.)

Eating eggs won't just address your gout concerns; it can nourish your gut as well. A 2021 study in Food Science and Nutrition found that after eating two boiled eggs for two weeks, the study participants had improved their gut microbiota. It's also worth noting that your gut health could influence your chances of experiencing gout. Per a 2022 article in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, a healthier gut microbiome could be the key to preventing and treating gout.