Because turkey is a high-purine food, it may aggravate or cause a gout flare-up. For patients with gout, a low-purine diet is often the recommendation, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Gout is an arthritic condition cause by the accumulation of excess uric acid crystals in body joints.
Although gout tends to normally affect the big toe, it can also affect other body joints. The symptoms of gout include swelling, pain, redness and warmth in the affected joint. Patients with gout should make modifications in diets, such as avoiding alcohol, beer, certain seafood, turkey, red or game meats and organ meats, states the Health website. These foods contain high levels of purines and eating excessive amounts of these foods can trigger an attack.
Purines are chemical substances found in some foods and also produced in the body. The body metabolizes purines into uric acid, notes Mayo Clinic. When the body does not excrete the excess uric acid, it can build up in the form of crystals in the joints. For this reason, patients with gout should avoid a diet that is rich in purine foods.
