How much Sardine (half-dried) can I eat with gout?

A typical serving is about 113 g, which delivers 345 mg of purines, or about 86% of a ~400 mg working daily target. It is best to avoid it, especially during a flare.

Is Sardine (half-dried) high in purines?

Sardine (half-dried) is very high in purines by weight: about 305 mg per 100 g. A typical 113 g serving works out to about 345 mg, or about 86% of a ~400 mg working daily target.

Does Sardine (half-dried) cause gout?

No single food causes gout; it develops from high uric acid over time. But Sardine (half-dried) is graded E, meaning it is high enough in purines to push uric acid up and can help set off a flare in people who are prone to one.

Sardine (half-dried)

Sardine (half-dried) is high in purines or a known trigger. It is best avoided, especially during a flare. A typical 113 g serving has about 345 mg of purines, about 86% of a ~400 mg working daily target.

General information, not a substitute for advice from your doctor or dietitian.

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Across forms of sardine:CE· 131–451 mg per serving

This is a half-dried (himono) fish. Partial drying removes water and concentrates purines, and it is eaten as a grilled fillet, so a normal serving carries more purine than the same weight of fresh fish.

How much can I eat?

Units

This serving

4 oz

113 g

Purine / serving

345 mg

% daily purine

86%

Purines in this serving

0 mg~400 mg daily limit

Adjust the serving

1 oz8 oz

This food is very concentrated, so a small serving goes a long way. We don't suggest a larger amount.

Portion size is what matters most here, and it’s easy to misjudge by eye. A kitchen scale makes it simple.

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Why grade E: per 100 g and processing

Per 100 g (for comparison)

Purines

305 mg/100g

LowModerateHighVery high

Very high for gout (> 300 mg/100g).

Fructose

0 g/100g

LowModerateHighVery high

Low for gout (< 3 g/100g).

Processing: NOVA 3 of 4 (processed food). How processing affects the grade.

Diet is part of the picture, not all of it

For most people the body makes the majority of its own uric acid. Food contributes the smaller share. Eating well lowers your risk and helps you feel in control, but for many people diet alone does not bring uric acid down enough to stop flares. Medication often does the heavy lifting. Use these grades to make easier daily choices, and work with your doctor on the full plan.

Sources

1. Purine data: USDA Purine Database 2025 - Table 2 (International) Evidence tier: Peer-reviewed literature Replication: 1 sample International literature sources
2. Fructose (derived): Biochemical Certainty (fructose = 0) Evidence tier: Lab-verified Animal products (meat, seafood, eggs, plain dairy) contain no fructose by biochemical composition.

How these numbers work

Values are per 100g unless a note says otherwise, rounded to three significant figures. Per-serving figures are calculated from the unrounded measurement, so recomputing from the rounded number can differ by a milligram or so. A single determination is normal in food composition tables, not a defect. The fructose figure is derived, not a label value: it counts free fructose plus half of sucrose, because sucrose is half fructose and the body treats both the same way. A sucrose-sweetened food therefore carries roughly twice this much total sugar.

Last reviewed August 11, 2026.