Are sea cucumbers high in purine?

Sea cucumbers are rich in nutritional value. They are seafood, rich in various nutrients and high in energy. They are especially suitable for consumption by pregnant women and postpartum women, and are beneficial to the body's recovery. Some gout patients want to know whether they can eat sea cucumbers. As a tonic, many people have eaten it. Whether it can be eaten or not, let's find out together below.

Not all seafood is taboo for gout patients

Gout is medically known as "hyperuricemia". It is a disorder in the metabolism of purine substances in the human body, which leads to increased synthesis or decreased excretion of uric acid, causing hyperuricemia. When the blood uric acid concentration is too high, uric acid is deposited in the joints, cartilage and kidneys in the form of sodium salt crystals. If there is a trigger that causes the release of uric acid crystals deposited in soft tissues such as synovial membranes or tendons, it will cause the body's immune system to become allergic and cause inflammation.

"But this is an incomplete fact. Seafood contains high levels of purine, but the purine content in animal offal, plant-based foods, and soy products is also high." Xu Lai, editor-in-chief of Guokr.com, once analyzed when refuting the "food incompatibility" theory. Another one-sided aspect of this fact is that not all seafood is taboo for gout patients. Jellyfish, sea cucumber, etc. contain only 4-5 mg of purine per 100 grams, which is lower than the purine content of rice (18.1 mg per 100 grams). Gout patients can eat them.

Sea cucumbers and jellyfish have the lowest purine content among seafood

Nutritionist Gu Zhongyi said that the normal daily purine intake for people is about 600-1000 mg. For patients in the acute stage of gout, the total purine intake should be controlled within 150 mg, and basic protein should be met by eggs and milk. After treatment, when blood uric acid can be maintained at normal levels for a long time, the intake can be appropriately increased. Although seafood and meat have high purine content, clinically, "after all, even a purine-restricted diet can only reduce serum uric acid by 0.5-1.5 mg/dl. So instead of fasting and causing malnutrition, it is better to pay attention to cooking methods and eat selectively." Yu Renwen, a member of the Gourmet Nutrition Committee of the China Cuisine Association, a member of the Chinese Nutrition Society, and a senior nutritionist at the Air Force General Hospital, said that seafood should be viewed in two ways. Sea fish, sardines, and hairtail have the highest purine content and should be avoided; shellfish, clams, and crabs contain the next highest amount of purine, and sea cucumbers and jellyfish have the lowest purine content among seafood. The purine content of various animal offal, such as intestines, stomach, heart, liver, lungs, etc. is basically the same as that of shrimp in seafood.