Ice Cream and Gout: What’s the Connection?
Rheumatic ConditionsGout

Ice Cream and Gout: What’s the Connection?

This sweet treat may be a no-no for those with the condition.

Ice Cream and Gout: What’s the Connection?
Everyday Health
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Updated on August 29, 2025
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For anyone who grew up reading the literature of previous centuries, gout has an old-fashioned ring to it, like consumption or “la grippe.” Unfortunately, this painful and debilitating form of arthritis is still very much with us. Gout has traditionally been associated with rich foods, and many fatty foods — such as ice cream — can trigger attacks.

About Gout

Gout is a debilitating inflammatory disease and one of the several forms of arthritis. Acute gout causes painful attacks in a specific joint at sporadic intervals. Chronic gout causes ongoing, continuous pain and inflammation in multiple joints. It occurs when uric acid builds up in the body, depositing itself as crystals in your joints.

 The root causes of gout are not clear, but it is known to run in families and mainly affect men.

 Black men are more prone to it than Caucasians, and postmenopausal women are at higher risk than younger women.

Dietary Triggers

It is possible to have high levels of uric acid in the blood without suffering an attack of gout. However, there are many dietary factors known to aggravate gout or trigger attacks. Alcohol consumption is one known factor. Beer and spirits are especially problematic. So are foods that contribute uric acid to the bloodstream, such as anchovies, organ meats, lobster, mackerel, and scallops.

 Rich foods that are high in saturated fat should also be avoided because they can trigger attacks. This includes most sweet desserts, including ice cream.

Eating Ice Cream

Ice cream is seldom made with gout-triggering ingredients like lobster or anchovies, but its fat content is of concern.

 This tasty dessert gets a lot of its fat from cream and eggs, and high-quality premium brands are usually higher in fat than mainstream brands. Many common ice cream ingredients, including chocolate, caramel sauce, cream cheese, and nuts, contribute to that fat level. If you eat ice cream for dessert after a rich meal or one that contains other gout triggers, you may be setting yourself up for a painful gout attack.

Alternatives

Even if ice cream is a favorite treat, you still have some options. For one thing, you can reduce the size of the portions you eat, or only eat ice cream on days when your fat consumption is otherwise low. Low-fat ice cream is a good alternative, and it provides most of the same flavor with lower amounts of fat. You might also opt for frozen yogurt, which is usually lighter than ice cream. Bear in mind that there can be wide variations in the nutritional value and fat content from one brand to another, so be diligent about reading the labels and choosing brands with lower fat.

The Takeaway

  • If you have gout, it’s important to be aware that consuming high-fat foods like ice cream can trigger painful gout attacks.
  • To manage your symptoms, consider choosing low-fat alternatives, such as ice milk or frozen yogurt, which can satisfy your cravings without as much risk.
  • If you’re experiencing frequent or severe gout pain, consult a healthcare professional for personalized dietary advice and treatment options.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Gout. MedlinePlus. February 26, 2024.
  2. Gout. Arthritis Foundation.
  3. Fighting Gout Includes Addressing Racial, Cultural Disparities. Alliance for Gout Awareness. April 13, 2023.
  4. Gout Low Purine Diet. Cleveland Clinic. March 14, 2022.
  5. Rath L. Gout Diet Cheat Sheet. Arthritis Foundation. October 19, 2022.
  6. Gout Diet: What’s Allowed, What’s Not. Mayo Clinic. April 2, 2025.
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Kayli Anderson, RDN

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Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Kayli Anderson has over a decade of experience in nutrition, culinary education, and lifestyle medicine. She believes that eating well should be simple, pleasurable, and sustainabl...

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Fred Decker

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Fred Decker is a trained chef, former restaurateur, and freelance writer based in Canada. Decker has contributed thousands of articles to major online venues and has written about ...

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