Are mushrooms bad for gout? Mostly not. Fresh mushrooms are low in purines, the compounds your body turns into uric acid. In a large Japanese analysis, most fresh mushrooms held under 100 mg of purines per 100 g, similar to or lower than many meats. Dried shiitake is the exception, at nearly 380 mg per 100 g, but you eat it in small amounts. And in a 12-year study of over 47,000 men, purine-rich vegetables, a group that included mushrooms, weren't linked to a higher risk of gout at all. Meat and seafood were.
Most fresh mushrooms contain 7 to 99 mg of purines per 100 g, placing them in the low or very low groups. Oyster mushrooms (142 mg) and dried shiitake (379.5 mg) are higher (Kaneko 2014). In a 12-year study, men who ate the most meat had a 41% higher gout risk and those who ate the most seafood a 51% higher risk, but purine-rich vegetables weren't linked to gout (Choi 2004). In people who already had gout, plant purines raised attack risk far less than animal purines (Zhang 2012). A typical mushroom supplement serving of 1 to 3 g holds only a few milligrams of purines.
This guide covers how purines in mushrooms compare with other foods, what the gout research shows, and how to fit mushrooms and mushroom supplements into a gout-friendly diet. If you're also concerned about kidney stones, see our article on mushrooms, oxalates and kidney health.
What Are Purines and Why Do They Matter for Gout?
Purines are natural compounds found in all living cells, including the food we eat. When the body breaks them down, it produces uric acid. Most uric acid leaves the body through the kidneys. When there's too much, it can form sharp crystals in joints, which causes the sudden, severe pain of a gout attack.
Diet is only part of the picture. Your body makes most of its own purines, and genetics, kidney function, weight, alcohol and some medicines matter a great deal. But for people who already have gout, cutting down on high-purine foods can reduce how often attacks happen.
Not all purines seem to behave the same way, though. Purines from animal foods are more strongly linked to gout than purines from plant foods. Mushrooms fall on the plant side of that line, even though they're technically fungi.
How Many Purines Do Mushrooms Contain?
The most detailed measurements come from a Japanese study that analysed the purine content of hundreds of foods, including 22 types of mushroom. Most mushrooms held between 6.9 and 98.5 mg of total purines per 100 g, putting them in the "low" or "very low" groups (Kaneko 2014).
Here are some examples, per 100 g:
- Eringi (king oyster): 13.4 mg
- Fresh shiitake: 20.8 mg
- Bunashimeji (brown beech): 20.8 mg
- Nameko: 28.5 mg
- Enokitake: 49.4 mg
- Maitake: 98.5 mg
- Hiratake (oyster mushroom): 142.3 mg
- Dried shiitake: 379.5 mg
For comparison, the same study measured chicken breast at 141.2 mg, tuna at 157.4 mg, sardines at 210.4 mg and chicken liver at 312.2 mg per 100 g. Dried anchovies topped 1,100 mg (Kaneko 2014).
Why Is Dried Shiitake So High?
Because drying removes the water. Fresh mushrooms are about 90% water, so drying concentrates everything left behind into a much smaller weight, purines included. The study authors made the same point (Kaneko 2014). Fresh shiitake holds about 21 mg per 100 g; once dried, the same mushrooms measure nearly 380 mg.
That number looks alarming next to fresh mushrooms, but portion size changes the picture. Nobody eats 100 g of dried shiitake in a meal. A typical recipe uses 5 to 15 g of dried shiitake, which works out at roughly 19 to 57 mg of purines. Most of those purines also leach into the soaking water and broth. If you're watching purines closely, that broth is worth limiting.
Do Mushrooms Raise the Risk of Gout?
The best long-term evidence says no. A landmark US study followed 47,150 men for 12 years and documented 730 new cases of gout. Men who ate the most meat had a 41% higher risk than those who ate the least, and those who ate the most seafood had a 51% higher risk. But a higher intake of purine-rich vegetables, a category that included mushrooms, peas, beans, spinach and cauliflower, wasn't linked to gout (Choi 2004).
Dairy went the other way. Men who ate the most dairy had a 44% lower risk of gout. Total protein intake wasn't linked to risk either, which suggests the source of the protein matters more than the amount.
This study didn't isolate mushrooms on their own. Still, it's the main reason modern gout guidance no longer tells people to avoid purine-rich plant foods.
Can Mushrooms Trigger a Gout Attack?
They're unlikely to be a major trigger. A study of 633 people with gout looked at what they ate in the two days before an attack. Higher total purine intake was linked to more attacks, with the risk climbing steeply at the highest intakes. When researchers split purines by source, animal purines raised risk far more than plant purines. The highest animal-purine group had 2.41 times the odds of an attack, compared with 1.39 times for the highest plant-purine group (Zhang 2012).
So plant purines aren't completely neutral during an active gout problem. But the effect is much smaller. If you're prone to attacks, it makes more sense to focus on red meat, organ meats, seafood, beer and sugary drinks than on mushrooms.
Are Mushroom Supplements Safe With Gout?
The purine content of most mushroom supplements is tiny, because the doses are small. A typical daily serving of a mushroom powder or capsules is 1 to 3 g. Even for a purine-rich species, that adds only a few milligrams.
Cordyceps deserves a brief note. It contains cordycepin and adenosine, which are related to purines in structure. We haven't found good human evidence that cordyceps raises uric acid or triggers gout. But if you have gout and take cordyceps, it's sensible to watch for any change and to mention it to your doctor. Our cordyceps dosage guide covers typical amounts.
The bigger concern with supplements is usually interactions. If you take allopurinol, febuxostat, colchicine or diuretics, check with your doctor or pharmacist before adding any supplement. Our guide to shiitake side effects and interactions covers that species specifically.
How Can You Eat Mushrooms on a Gout-Friendly Diet?
Mushrooms can be a helpful part of a gout-friendly diet, especially as a swap for meat. Their savoury taste and meaty texture make them a good replacement in stews, stir-fries and burgers. Some practical tips:
- Prefer fresh mushrooms such as button, eringi, shiitake and shimeji, which are low in purines.
- Use dried shiitake as a seasoning, not a main ingredient.
- Go easy on mushroom broths made from dried mushrooms during flare-ups.
- Swap some meat for mushrooms rather than adding them on top.
- Drink plenty of water, which helps the kidneys clear uric acid.
- Limit alcohol, especially beer, and sugary drinks, which raise uric acid.
Mushrooms also bring fibre, potassium and B vitamins, with very little fat. For their broader role in joint health, see our guide to the best mushrooms for inflammation and joints.
When Should You Talk to a Doctor?
If you've had a gout attack, see a doctor rather than relying on diet alone. Gout is very treatable, and medicines that lower uric acid can prevent joint damage over time. Diet changes help, but for many people they aren't enough on their own.
Seek help urgently if a joint is hot, swollen and very painful and you also have a fever, because that can be a joint infection rather than gout. Talk to your doctor too if you have kidney disease, because both purines and some mushroom compounds may need more careful management.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which mushrooms are lowest in purines?
In the Japanese analysis, eringi (king oyster), fresh shiitake, bunashimeji and nameko were among the lowest, at about 13 to 29 mg per 100 g. White aragekikurage, a wood ear type, was lowest of all at 6.9 mg.
Is shiitake bad for gout?
Fresh shiitake is low in purines, at about 21 mg per 100 g. Dried shiitake is high, at about 380 mg per 100 g, but it's used in small amounts. Limit dried shiitake broths during flare-ups.
Can I eat mushrooms during a gout flare?
Fresh, low-purine mushrooms in normal portions are generally fine. Plant purines were far less linked to attacks than animal purines. Avoid large amounts of dried mushrooms and mushroom broths while a flare is active.
Do mushrooms raise uric acid?
Fresh mushrooms are unlikely to raise uric acid much, because their purine content is low. Large-scale research found no link between purine-rich vegetables, including mushrooms, and gout risk.
Are oyster mushrooms high in purines?
Moderately. Hiratake, a type of oyster mushroom, measured 142.3 mg per 100 g, about the same as chicken breast. They're fine in normal portions, but they're not the lowest choice.
Related Articles
- Mushrooms, Oxalates and Kidney Health
- Best Mushrooms for Inflammation and Joints
- Shiitake Dosage Guide
- Shiitake Side Effects and Interactions
- Cordyceps Dosage Guide
Sources
- Kaneko K, Aoyagi Y, Fukuuchi T, Inazawa K, Yamaoka N. Total purine and purine base content of common foodstuffs for facilitating nutritional therapy for gout and hyperuricemia. Biol Pharm Bull. 2014;37(5):709-721. PubMed 24553148
- Choi HK, Atkinson K, Karlson EW, Willett W, Curhan G. Purine-rich foods, dairy and protein intake, and the risk of gout in men. N Engl J Med. 2004;350(11):1093-1103. PubMed 15014182
- Zhang Y, Chen C, Choi H, et al. Purine-rich foods intake and recurrent gout attacks. Ann Rheum Dis. 2012;71(9):1448-1453. PubMed 22648933