Sports Drink (Gatorade)
Also listed as: Sports drink (e.g. Gatorade)
Sports Drink (Gatorade) is higher risk. Keep portions small and occasional, especially during a flare. A typical 591 g serving is essentially purine-free. It also carries about 12 g of fructose per serving, which raises uric acid on its own.
General information, not a substitute for advice from your doctor or dietitian.
This is ultra-processed. Beyond its purine content, that is linked to higher gout risk on its own. (UK Biobank 2024)
Sugar in a drink is the issue here, not purines: this carries about 12 g of fructose in a typical serving. Sugary drinks are linked to higher gout risk on their own, and liquid sugar is easy to drink past without noticing, so we do not rate it as safe to drink freely.
This purine value is inferred, not measured directly for this food. See the sources note below for how it was derived.
How much can I eat?
Added fructose raises uric acid on its own, so keep sugary foods and drinks small.
How we count fructose
This is the fructose, not the total sugar: it counts free fructose plus half of sucrose, so a sucrose-sweetened product carries roughly twice this much sugar overall.
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 under a day's purines. The sugar is what climbs with the portion.
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, and links like this help cover the hosting, at no extra cost to you.
Why grade D
Added fructose raises uric acid as your body breaks it down, even when the purine number looks low.
Per 100 g and processing
Per 100 g (for comparison)
Low for gout (< 50 mg/100g).
Low for gout (< 3 g/100g).
Processing: NOVA 4 of 4. 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.
Make it safer
Lower-risk picks that fill the same spot.
Other forms of sports
Pick a specific form if you mean one.
How did sports drink (gatorade) go for you?
Reader experiences, not medical advice. The grade above comes from published data.