Gout is a type of arthritis caused when uric acid in the blood forms tiny, sharp-edged crystals that irritate joints
A newly published 12-year study that sought to pinpoint the dietary causes of gout (a painful joint condition resulting from a build up of uric acid) reached some surprising conclusions: red meat causes gout, and so does seafood. But other foods long suspected of causing gout -- peas, beans, mushrooms and other vegetables -- were exonerated. This appears to be yet one more study supporting the ideas that red meat should be increasingly avoided while vegetables and edible plants should be increasingly consumed.
Personally, I don't eat red meat at all, but not just to avoid gout: red meat is associated with a variety of health problems. Even worse, there's the risk of mad cow disease and the absolutely horrifying treatment of animals by the ranching industry.
This news about red meat has implications for low-carb dieters, no doubt -- especially since seafood was also implicated. What can a follower of the Atkins diet eat for protein that's also healthy? The answer is a supergrain called quinoa: it's very high in protein and contains a complete protein (all eight amino acids).
