When people get diagnosed with gout, most will heed their doctor’s order to cut down on high-purine foods. However, several gout sufferers may not be informed about the second part of fighting gout- what to eat to help the kidneys breakdown and flush out uric acid. Although there are hundreds of fruits with different health benefits, there are only a few with the vitamins and nutrients that help the kidneys and fight gout.
Read on to learn which fruits and nutrients can improve kidney function and reduce uric acid.
Determining Best Fruits for Kidneys and Gout
First, let’s be clear, this is far from being a scientific report. The purpose here is to simplify the choices of fruits to eat if you are a gout sufferer.
It should help whenever questions like: “Which fruits best help with my gout?”, “What other fruits can I eat if I’m sick of cherries?” or “What are the right fruits to use when making a gout-fighting smoothie?”
To determine which fruits were worthy, it was necessary to verify which nutrients help the kidneys and lower uric acid. Nine major nutrients were found to have the most benefits for these conditions.
For maintaining healthy kidneys, five vitamins (A, B6, B9, C, E), and two minerals (magnesium, potassium) are known to be most effective.
For gout and lowering uric, vitamin C, malic acid, and anthocyanins are three substances often recommended in natural remedies.
[For more details on how anthocyanins work against uric acid, read: Cherries Are The Aces You Need When Dealing With Gout]
Fruits were sorted by their concentrations of the nine nutrients. Evidently, vitamin C is found in most fruits that help the kidneys and defend against gout. It was used as the starting point to categorize all fruits. From there, the other nutrients were sorted in the order shown on the chart.
To shorten the list to 24, fruits needed to rank highest for most vitamin C, and have four or more nutrients with more than a 2% daily value (DV).
If this was not done, the list would have been over 100 fruits! Nobody has time for that right?
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Chart Ranking 24 Best Fruits for the Kidneys and Gout
To further explain the chart, let’s compare watermelon (bottom) to kiwifruit (top). Watermelon consists of only four of the nine nutrients (minimum 2% DV); vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and malic acid. As for kiwifruit, it contains all nine nutrients.
To explain the bar lengths, a longer bar indicates the fruit ranks in the top half for nutrient concentration compared to the other fruits on the list. A short bar indicates the fruit contains the nutrient, but does not rank in the top half. No bar means the fruit contains less than 2% DV.
For example, watermelon has a long bar for vitamin A because it contains more vitamin A than the other fruits on the list. For vitamin C, B6, and malic acid, watermelon contains the nutrients but does not have enough to rank in the top half, so a short bar is given for each.
Based on the % contents of nine nutrients, the tops three fruits for the kidneys and gout are kiwis, guavas and berries.
[To learn more on how certain fruits and vegetables can drastically improve your resistance to gout, read: The Truth About A Plant-Based Diet For Gout]
The following sections explain why the nine nutrients help lower uric acid, and list the fruits with the highest nutrient contents.
Vitamin C has many antioxidant effects
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, has the widest variety of antioxidant effects in the body compared to all other vitamins and nutrients. It plays a large role in preventing or healing cell damage in your skin, bones, connective tissue, and organs. Plus, vitamin C is vital for maintaining a healthy immune system and absorbing iron in the blood.
For these reasons, the first requirement to make the list were fruits with the highest concentration of vitamin C.
Due to its antioxidant properties, vitamin C assists in overall kidney functions; detoxing waste products (like uric acid), increase production of red blood cells, and lower the risk of kidney stones.
Relative to gout, a long term study indicated patients with high vitamin C diets were less likely to acquire gout or hyperuricemia.
The fruits with the most vitamin C are shown in the table below. (Values based on a 100 gram serving, where 90 mg is the 100% Daily Value) These fruits rank in the top half of the 24 fruits (shown by a long bar on the chart).
| Fruit | Vitamin C mg (%DV) | Fruit | Vitamin C mg (%DV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guava | 228mg (254%) | Orange | 53mg (59%) |
| Kiwi | 93mg (103%) | Lemon | 53mg (59%) |
| Litchis | 72mg (79%) | Pineapple | 48mg (53%) |
| Jujube | 69mg (77%) | Grapefruit | 38mg (42%) |
| Papaya | 61mg (67%) | Cantaloupe | 37mg (41%) |
| Berries* | 26-59mg (29-65%) | Mango | 36mg (40%) |
- *Berries: strawberries, mulberries, elderberries, raspberries.
- Acerola cherries (1677 mg/1864% DV) contain highest amounts of vitamin C, but common cherries do not. Therefore, cherries in general did rank in the top half of the list.
- Guavas contain significantly more vitamin C than the other fruits.
Vitamin A is necessary for cellular growth
Vitamin A is a nutrient important for your vision, bone growth, immune system, reproduction, and cell function. It also assists in the functions of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs.
Long-term deficiency of vitamin A may increase your susceptibility to infections, fatigue, infertility, dry skin or hair, and night blindness.
The antioxidant qualities of vitamin A is necessary in cellular growth, which improves the kidneys’ ability to remove excess fats, salts, sugars and uric acid from the blood. Like vitamin C, fruits with high amounts of vitamin A can alleviate gout symptoms and improve kidney functions.
The fruits with the most vitamin A RAE are shown in the table below. (Values based on a 100 gram serving, where 900μg is the 100% DV) These fruits rank in the top half of the list (shown by a long bar on the chart).
| Fruit | Vitamin A mg (% DV) | Fruit | Vitamin A mg (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cantaloupe | 169μg (19%) | Papaya | 47μg (5%) |
| Apricot | 96μg (11%) | Guava | 31μg (3% DV) |
| Passion Fruit | 64μg (7%) | Watermelon | 28μg (3% DV) |
| Grapefruit | 58μg (6%) | Cherries** | 38-64μg (4-7%) |
| Mangos | 54μg (6%) | Berries* | 15-45μg (2-5%) |
- *Only for elderberries, oheloberries, gooseberries
- **Only for sour red, acerola cherries
- Cantaloupe melons has the most vitamin A of the fruits compared
Vitamin B6 boosts other vitamins
Vitamin B6 contributes to the breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. It supports functions for the immune system, heart, brain and kidneys. Also, this vitamin boosts the antioxidant activities of vitamins A and C by aiding in producing more antibodies.
A sufficient amount of vitamin B6 helps the body eliminate harmful toxins, aid red blood cell formation, control glucose levels and transport oxygen to the kidneys. Additionally, long-term deficiency of vitamin B6 may lead to skin conditions, kidney stones, rheumatoid arthritis and a particular anemia.
The fruits in the the top half of the list are Ranked by a 100 gram Serving Size 1.7mg Vitamin B6 = 100% DV
The fruits with the most vitamin B6 are shown in the table below. (Values based a 100 gram serving size, 1.7mg = 100% DV) These fruits rank in the top half of the list (shown by a long bar on the chart).
| Fruit | Vitamin B6 mg (% DV) | Fruit | Vitamin B6 mg (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mamey Sapote | 0.7mg (42%) | Mangos | 0.1mg (7%) |
| Banana | 0.4mg (22%) | Pineapple | 0.1mg (7%) |
| Jackfruit | 0.3mg (19%) | Guava | 0.1mg (6%) |
| Durian | 0.3mg (19%) | Grapes | 0.1mg (6%) |
| Avocados | 0.3mg (17%) | Litchis | 0.1mg (6%) |
| Elderberries* | 0.2mg (14%) | Passion Fruit | 0.1mg (6%) |
- *All other other berries contain less than 5% DV.
- Mamey sapote ranks highest for vitamin B6 among fruits that help prevent gout
Get Products For Gout: CBD sports cream by Joy Organics provides comfort to joints.
Vitamin B9 helps breakdown proteins
Vitamin B9 (folate or folic acid), like all B vitamins, helps the body convert carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy. It also helps produce healthy red blood cells. This improves conditions in the skin, hair, eyes, brain, liver, and kidneys.
A deficiency of B9 can lead to fatigue, irregular heartbeat, concentration loss, hair loss, pale skin and anemic symptoms.
A recent study concluded that an increased consumption of foods high in vitamin B9 and B12 lowered uric acid levels. Test results support vitamin B9’s role in forming DNA and RNA in protein metabolism and controlling levels of the amino acid homocysteine. Evidently, both processes involve reducing uric acid production.
The best fruits to eat for vitamin B9 are shown in the table below. (Values based on a 100 gram serving size, 400μg folate (B9) = 100% DV) These fruits rank in the top half of the list (shown by a long bar on the chart).
| Fruit | Vitamin B9 mg (% DV) | Fruit | Vitamin B9 mg (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avocado | 89μg (22%) | Durian | 36μg (9%) |
| Guava | 49μg (12%) | Kiwi | 25μg (6%) |
| Mangos | 43μg (11%) | Jackfruit | 24μg (6%) |
| Oranges | 39μg (10%) | Cantaloupe | 21μg (5%) |
| Pomegranates | 38μg (10%) | Bananas | 20μg (5%) |
| Papaya | 37μg (9%) | Berries* | 20-28μg (5-7%) |
- *Only for blackberries, strawberries, raspberries
- Avocados contain the most vitamin B9 among fruits that help lower uric acid.
Vitamin E manages immune system response
Vitamin E, like vitamins A and C, is an antioxidant that protects the body from free radicals. It is vital in the formation of red blood cells to prevent blood clots from forming in arteries.
The body needs vitamin E to help keep the immune system strong against viruses. By reducing inflammation, delivering more oxygen, and fighting infections, vitamin E strengthens the kidneys in eliminating toxins like uric acid.
In addition, certain studies suggest vitamin E plays a role in reducing inflammation by affecting the immune system responses in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis patients.
The top fruits for vitamin E are shown in the table below. (Values based on a 100 gram serving size, 15mg Vitamin E = 100% DV) These fruits rank in the top half of the list (shown by a long bar on the chart).
| Fruit | Vitamin E mg (% DV) | Fruit | Vitamin E mg (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avocado | 2.7mg (18%) | Guava | 0.7mg (5%) |
| Mamey sapote | 2.1mg (14%) | Pomegranates | 0.6mg (4%) |
| Kiwi | 1.5mg (10%) | Jackfruit | 0.3mg (2%) |
| Mangos | 0.9mg (6%) | Papaya | 0.3mg (2%) |
| Apricots | 0.9mg (6%) | Berries* | 0.3-1.3mg (2-9%) |
- Includes: cranberries 1.3mg (9% DV), blackberries, raspberries mulberries, blueberries, gooseberries, straberries 0.3mg (2% DV)
- Avocados and mamey sapotes contain the most vitamin E among fruits that help lower the risk of gout
Potassium flushes out salt
Potassium is a mineral and an electrolyte. Its active properties optimize muscle contraction, nerve function, and fluid balance. Accordingly, potassium helps move nutrients into cells which is part of energy production.
Too much sodium or salt in your body leads to muscle cramps, water weight, high blood pressure, and kidney stones. For gout, excess salt in the system is related to uric acid production. Plus, salt makes the kidney work harder to remove other waste products like uric acid.
One way to flush sodium out of the body is by consuming more potassium. Consuming more potassium is often overlooked for maintaining kidney functions. Most of the focus is on cutting down salt intake. When in fact, equal attention to both should be considered.
Let me take this moment to point out that some gout sufferers take on a similar logic. Too many people with gout focus only on omitting purine-rich foods. Whereas, adding the right foods that help flush out uric acid is as essential.
The top fruits for potassium are shown in the table below. (Values based on a 100 gram serving size, 4700mg potassium = 100% DV) These fruits rank in the top half of the list (shown by a long bar on the chart).
| Fruit | Potassium mg (% DV) | Fruit | Potassium mg (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avocado | 507mg (11%) | Passion Fruit | 348mg (7%) |
| Mamey Sapote | 454mg (10%) | Kiwi | 312mg (7%) |
| Jackfruit | 448mg (10%) | Cantaloupe | 267mg (6%) |
| Durian | 436mg (9%) | Apricot | 259mg (6%) |
| Guava | 417mg (9%) | Jujube | 250mg (5%) |
| Banana | 358mg (8%) | Pomegranates | 236mg (5%) |
- Bananas are the most popular, but avocados, mamey sapote, jackfruit durian and guavas actually contain more potassium
Magnesium breaks down toxins
Magnesium is an essential nutrient for many processes in the body. This mineral promotes healthy muscle/nerve function, blood sugar levels, blood pressure and bones.
Although research is ongoing, studies show people with more magnesium in their diets have a lower risk of hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include fatigue, muscle cramps, migraine headaches, abnormal heart rhythm and chronic kidney disease.
For a gout patient, magnesium is an essential nutrient in reducing uric acid production. Secondly, it makes toxins more soluble to filter out from the kidneys to the bladder. Fruits high in magnesium can provide benefits to the kidneys and gout symptoms.
The top fruits for magnesium are shown in the table below. (Values based on a 100 gram serving size, 420mg potassium = 100% DV) These fruits rank in the top half of the list (shown by a long bar on the chart).
| Fruit | Magnesium mg (% DV) | Fruit | Magnesium mg (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durian | 30mg (7% DV) | Papaya | 21mg (5% DV) |
| Passion Fruit | 29mg (7% DV) | Kiwi | 17mg (4% DV) |
| Avocado | 29mg (7% DV) | Pineapple | 12mg (3% DV) |
| Jackfruit | 29mg (7% DV) | Cantaloupe | 12mg (3% DV) |
| Banana | 27mg (6% DV) | Pomegranates | 12mg (3% DV) |
| Guava | 22mg (5% DV) | Berries* | 12-24mg (3-6% DV) |
- *Includes raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, strawberries
- Durian, passion fruit, avocado, and jackfruit contain the most magnesium among fruits that prevent gout
Malic Acid has strong detoxing effects
Malic acid is an organic compound found mostly in the skin of apples and certain fruits. This acidifying compound provides a range of benefits such as converting energy from food, increasing physical endurance, and reducing aches from fibromyalgia.
Malic acid is most effective when combined with magnesium, calcium, or citrulline. Being acidic, it plays an important role in detoxing the blood, kidneys and liver. One study reported that malic acid supplements may increase the excretion of citrate in the urine, which may be beneficial against kidney stones. Only a few fruits contain enough malic acid to provide any significant effects to help the kidneys and gout.
Though studies are limited, herbalists and alternative medicine specialists believe the anti-inflammatory properties of malic acid can alleviate gout symptoms. Similar to preventing kidney stones, malic acid’s detoxing effects make uric acid soluble and easier to filter out. A popular product that contains malic acid is apple cider vinegar.
The top fruits for malic acid are shown in the table below. (Values based on a 100 gram serving size, a daily value is not established) These fruits rank in the top half of the list (shown by a long bar on the chart).
| Fruit | Malic Acid (mg) | Fruit | Malic Acid (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherries* | 900-1800 mg | Banana | 330 mg |
| Apricot | 1000 mg | Lemon | 200 mg |
| Berries** | 300-900 mg | Grapefruit | 180 mg |
| Passion fruit | 650 mg | Pineapple | 94 mg |
| Kiwi | 500 mg | Orange | 89 mg |
| Apple | 426 mg | Mango | 79 mg |
- *Only for morello and sweet cherries
- *Only for blackberry, blueberry, gooseberry, raspberry, strawberry
- Certain cherries, common berries and apricots contains the most malic acid among the fruits that lower uric acid
Anthocyanins a powerful flavonoid
Anthocyanins are a class of flavonoids with high antioxidant properties. Found naturally in a number of foods, anthocyanins are the pigments that give red, purple, and blue fruits their rich coloring.
The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral abilities of the body significantly improve when anthocyanins combine with vitamins A, C and E.
There have been many claims about anthocyanins from the health and wellness industry. However, laboratory and clinical studies support only minor benefits regarding decreased cholesterol levels, improved cognitive function, lowered cardiovascular disease risk, and cancer prevention.
Although more clinical trials are needed to support claims on major illnesses, many studies confirm the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits of anthocyanins. For gout, researchers have shown eating more fruits rich in anthocyanins lowers uric acid levels.
The top fruits for anthocyanins are shown in the table below. (Values based on a 100 gram serving size, a daily value is not established)
Only nine fruits from the list were found to contain anthocyanins. Compared other fruits, berries, cherries and grapes contain significantly more anthocyanins and flavonoids. Only these three fruits are shown by a long bar on the chart.
| Fruit | Anthocyanins (mg) | Fruit | Anthocyanins (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uncommon Berries* | 300-2100 mg | Grapes** | 40-326 mg |
| Raspberry | 845 mg | Cranberry/Strawberry | 60-200 mg |
| Blueberry | 529 mg | Kiwi | 100 mg |
| Cherries** | 17-450 mg | Apple | 17 mg |
| Blackberry | 353 mg | Grapefruit | 6 mg |
- *Includes chokeberries, elderberries, wild berries, acai
- **Includes most common types
- Several types of berries, cherries and grapes have high amounts of anthocyanins among fruits that help prevent gout
Additional Considerations
The amount of nutrients in fruits can vary considerably depending on many conditions like how it’s farmed, how it’s stored, climate and freshness.
For fruits with several types, like apples, avocados, grapefruits, cherries, berries and grapes, were considered one general group. However, only berries and cherries had the widest range of nutrient content for different types.
Pineapples may not have vitamin E and anthocyanins but may be more beneficial because of bromelain. This enzyme is known to have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties when it comes to joints.
Although fruits are acidic in their raw state, nearly all fruits are alkaline-forming. This means after fruits digested and metabolized, it byproducts become alkaline. As a result, urine become less acidic. Since uric acid is more soluble in alkaline solutions, the kidneys can move more uric acid to the bladder and urine.
[For a closer look at the difference between alkaline and alkaline-forming, read: What And Why Alkalizing Foods Help With Your Gout]
Final Thoughts
Determining the 24 most beneficial fruits for the kidneys and gout should give a decent starting point for gout sufferers like myself, who rarely ate fruits. Back in the day, fruits in the my diet for the week, if at all would consist of a banana in an ice cream sundae, a Hostess apple pie and a slice lime in a corona.
Now, real fruits are included of my grocery list. Some new ones will be added from research for this post. Like most, I knew about berries, cherries and bananas. From this post, I learned kiwis, guavas and mangos are other fruits that are great for kidney health and preventing gout.
It is important to point out that nutrients tend to work best in combination with other vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and compounds. Also, the fruits found here are not limited to only the nine nutrients included. This was just a simplified way to shed some light on finding the fruit(s) that works best for your gout.
Removing uric acid is as critical as reducing purine intake. When your kidneys are not functioning optimally, uric acid levels will remain high for longer periods. As a result, this leaves less wiggle room to your gout tipping point. The right fruits in your diet can keep kidneys healthy to flush out more uric acid, which is a big part becoming GOUTPROOF!
References
- https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Common-vegetable-and-fruit-sources-of-citric-malic-tartaric-and-lactic-acid-from_tbl5_228360827
- https://www.nap.edu/catalog/9810/dietary-reference-intakes-for-vitamin-c-vitamin-e-selenium-and-carotenoids
- https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library
- Folate, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 Intake in Relation to Hyperuricemia https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6111262/
- The Nutrition Source – Potassium https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/potassium/
- https://magazine.medlineplus.gov/article/eat-fruit-and-vegetables-live-longer
- USDA FoodData Central https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
- Concentrations of Anthocyanins in Common Foods in the United States https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400525/Articles/JAFC54_4069-4075.pdf
- https://www.researchgate.net/figure/6-Total-anthocyanin-content-in-some-common-fruits-and-vegetables_tbl4_34299363
- Malic acid (Compound) https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Malic-acid#section=Natural-Pollution-Sources
- L-Malic Acid https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Malic_Acid_TR_05%20_13_2019_final.pdf
- Herbal Supplements and Kidney Disease https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/herbalsupp
- FDA Vitamin & Mineral Chart https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/interactivenutritionfactslabel/assets/InteractiveNFL_Vitamins&MineralsChart_March2020.pdf
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