How much Gizzard Shad can I eat with gout?

A typical serving is about 113 g, which delivers 211 mg of purines, or about 53% of a ~400 mg working daily target. Keep it to a small, occasional portion and avoid it during a flare.

Is Gizzard Shad high in purines?

Gizzard Shad is high in purines by weight: about 187 mg per 100 g. A typical 113 g serving works out to about 211 mg, or about 53% of a ~400 mg working daily target.

Does Gizzard Shad cause gout?

No single food causes gout; it develops from high uric acid over time. But Gizzard Shad is graded D, 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.

Gizzard Shad

Also listed as: Shad, dotted gizzard

Gizzard Shad is higher risk. Keep portions small and occasional, especially during a flare. A typical 113 g serving has about 211 mg of purines, about 53% of a ~400 mg working daily target.

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

How much can I eat?

Units

A typical serving is about 113 g, which delivers 211 mg of purines, or about 53% of a ~400 mg working daily target.

This serving

4 oz

113 g

Purine / serving

211 mg

% daily purine

53%

Purines in this serving211 mg · 53% of a day

0 mg~400 mg daily limit

Adjust the serving

1 oz8 oz

You could have up to about 4 oz (105 g) before this reaches half a ~400 mg working daily purine target.

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 D

Higher risk. Keep portions small and occasional, especially during a flare.

Per 100 g (for comparison)

Purines Moderate confidence

187 mg/100g

LowModerateHighVery high

High for gout (150–300 mg/100g).

Fructose Low confidence (estimated)

0 g/100g

LowModerateHighVery high

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

Fructose here is a category-level estimate, not a direct measurement for this food.

Processing: NOVA 1 of 4 (unprocessed or minimally processed). How processing affects the grade.

Eating gizzard shad as part of a bigger dish? The Dish Decoder grades the whole plate, ingredient by ingredient.

Grade a dish or browse every food rating

Sources

1. Purine data: USDA Purine Database 2025 - Table 2 (International) Evidence tier: Peer-reviewed literature Replication: 1 sample International literature sources
2. Fructose data: Biochemical derivation Evidence tier: Estimated

Source details
Biochemically derived value: (1) Distilled spirits contain no purines post-distillation; all nitrogen compounds are removed in the still. (2) Animal muscle tissue contains no fructose; mammalian/avian/fish cells do not synthesise or store fructose. Source: standard biochemistry references.

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. Last reviewed July 18, 2026.

How we grade foods

Grades combine purine and fructose data with known gout triggers and benefits. We show our confidence on every food.

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Gizzard Shad

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Why grade D

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