Fruit Juice
Fruit Juice is higher risk. Keep portions small and occasional, especially during a flare. A typical 240 g serving has about 3 mg of purines, about 1% of a ~400 mg working daily target. It also carries about 17 g of fructose per serving, which raises uric acid on its own.
General information, not a substitute for advice from your doctor or dietitian.
How much can I eat?
A typical serving is about 240 g, which delivers 3 mg of purines, or about 1% of a ~400 mg working daily target.
Nothing is added here: this is the fruit’s own sugar. But a glass carries what several pieces of fruit would give you, and cohort studies link even unsweetened 100% juice to higher gout risk (about 41% for a daily glass of orange juice). Whole fruit is the safer form.
Evidence: Ayoub-Charette et al., J Nutr 2021 (fructose by food source) · White et al., Am J Clin Nutr 2018 (whole apple vs. a fructose drink, matched dose)
Purines are not the limit here: even a large serving stays well within a ~400 mg working daily purine target. The sugar is what climbs with the portion.
Only part of these purines counts toward gout: the 3 mg here counts as roughly 1 mg toward your gout risk.
Portion size is what matters most here, and it’s easy to misjudge by eye. A kitchen scale makes it simple.
Shop a kitchen scale on AmazonHi, I'm Oliver. I built GoutSafe for us gouties; links like this help cover the hosting, at no extra cost to you.
Why grade D
Higher risk. Keep portions small and occasional, especially during a flare.
Fructose in juice form raises uric acid as your body breaks it down, even though nothing is added and the purine number looks low.
Per 100 g (for comparison)
Low for gout (< 50 mg/100g).
Moderate for gout (3–8 g/100g).
Processing: NOVA 1 of 4 (unprocessed or minimally processed). How processing affects the grade.
Juice delivers the sugar of several pieces of fruit in a glass you can finish in a minute, and cohort studies link even unsweetened 100% juice to higher gout risk (about 41% for a daily glass of orange juice). Whole fruit is the safer choice; if you drink juice, keep the glass small.
Eating fruit juice as part of a bigger dish? The Dish Decoder grades the whole plate, ingredient by ingredient.
Make it safer
Reaching for Fruit Juice? These lower-risk picks scratch the same itch and grade better.
More from Beverages - Non-Alcoholic
Fresh Orange Juice
Mango Juice (nectar)
Unsweetened Pineapple Juice
Zero-Sugar Sports Drink (Gatorade Zero)
Pomegranate Juice
Sports Drink (Gatorade)
Sports drink (e.g. Gatorade)