Oysters
Seafood — purine content 242mg per 100g
High Purine
242
mg/100g
Usually left out during a flare, and kept to small amounts between flares.
Diet Advice
Oysters are relatively high in purines. Avoid during gout attacks. In remission, very small portions (30-50g) occasionally.
Recommended Preparation
Steamed or grilled. Avoid raw consumption in large quantities.
Low Purine Alternatives
Data source: USDA FoodData Central; Yang YX, China Food Composition Tables (6th ed.) 2019; Kaneko K, Biol Pharm Bull 2014. Purine value: 242mg per 100g of Oysters (High purine, red zone).
See the full purine food classification table for all 142 foods, or read the low purine diet guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Oysters: is it high in purines?
Oysters: 242mg of purines per 100g, above the 150mg/100g cut-off used on this site. High-purine foods are the ones most consistently linked to higher uric acid, so this is usually a small, occasional serving, and left out during a flare.
Can I eat Oysters during a gout flare?
During a flare most guidance is to leave Oysters out. At 242mg per 100g it sits well above the low-purine cut-off, and flares are when purine intake is kept lowest. Small amounts can return once symptoms settle.
What are the best low-purine alternatives to Oysters?
Lower-purine options to use in place of Oysters include: Cod. They offer comparable nutrition at a much lower purine content, which makes a balanced diet easier to hold together.