Popcorn
Sweets — purine content 30mg per 100g
Low Purine
30
mg/100g
Yes — low purine, but watch toppings
Diet Advice
Plain air-popped popcorn is low in purines and a whole grain. However, movie theater popcorn with butter and salt is high in fat and calories. Air-popped without added butter is a low-purine snack.
Recommended Preparation
Air-popped with a light sprinkle of salt or nutritional yeast. Avoid butter and caramel.
Low Purine Alternatives
- Oats (25mg)
- Rice Cakes (15mg)
Data source: USDA FoodData Central. Purine value: 30mg per 100g of Popcorn (Low purine, green zone).
See the full purine food classification table for all 142 foods, or read the low purine diet guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Popcorn: is it high in purines?
Popcorn: 30mg of purines per 100g, well inside the low-purine band (under 50mg/100g) used on this site. That makes it a comfortable everyday choice in a gout-friendly diet, though portion size and the rest of the plate still count.
Can I eat Popcorn during a gout flare?
Yes. At 30mg per 100g the purine load is well inside the low band, so there is no need to leave Popcorn out during a flare. Light meals and enough fluid matter more here than avoiding a food like this.
What are the best low-purine alternatives to Popcorn?
There is little to substitute here: the purine content already sits in the low band, so the aim is variety rather than replacement. Other low-purine options include tofu, low-fat dairy and most vegetables.