Five Gout-Friendly Desserts to Make When You’re Trying to Follow a Restrictive Diet

Give into your sweet cravings with these easy-to-make and healthy gout-friendly desserts that you can whip up in your kitchen when you’re on a restrictive diet.

Gout is a form of arthritis caused by the accumulation and crystallization of uric acid in the joints. The human body produces uric acid as a byproduct of breaking down purine, a substance that naturally occurs in various food items. Usually, uric acid is expelled through urine but an excess can lead to gout.

In addition to a prescribed treatment plan, following a gout-friendly diet is integral to reducing uric acid levels. It's crucial to note that a dietary change should not be considered a cure but rather a holistic approach to managing this condition. Always consult with a healthcare professional for the best advice that caters to your specific condition.

Some general diet tips recommended for those with gout include weight management, incorporating more complex carbs (whole grains, fruits and vegetables), avoiding foods with high sugar content, and limiting the intake of purine-rich vegetables.

Even though consuming sugary foods and desserts is restricted, creating sweet treats with whole foods and substituting them for store-bought options is crucial. It's not impossible to satiate your sweet tooth while being mindful of your dietary restrictions. Here is are three recipes that you can enjoy:

Simple Chia Pudding

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp of chia seeds
• ¾ cup of non-dairy milk
• Maple syrup or stevia (optional)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Chopped fruit

Instructions:

• Mix all the ingredients including the sweetener in a jar.
• Allow it to set in the fridge overnight until it reaches a pudding-like consistency.
• Have it with breakfast with a generous portion of your favorite seasonal fruits.

Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Greek yogurt
• Sweetener of choice (agave or maple syrup)
• Chopped nuts
• Your favorite fruits

Instructions:

• Sweeten the Greek yogurt with agave or maple syrup.
• Layer the yogurt with the fresh fruits, just like trifle pudding.
• Leave it to chill in the fridge for sometime and eat it with fruits for breakfast or as a post-meal or post-workout snack.

Baked Apples and Pears with Cinnamon

Ingredients:

• 1 sliced apple
• 1 sliced pear
• A dash of lemon juice
• 1 tsp of cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp of nutmeg

Instructions:

• Slice your apples and pears and toss them in some lemon juice to prevent them from browning.
• Sprinkle them with the spice powders.
• Bake till the fruit is tender. Serve with some chilled yogurt.

Carrot Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of instant oats
• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp of baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• ¾ cup of soft brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of milk
• ¼ cup of vegetable oil
• 2 cups of grated carrots
• 1 cup of raisins
• ½ cup of chopped walnuts or almonds

Instructions:

• Brush your muffin tin with butter or oil and preheat the oven to 350 F. Alternatively, you can also use muffin liners for easy extraction.
• Combine instant oats, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
• Then mix in the oil, grated carrots, egg, and milk separately.
• Combine the two but refrain from overmixing. Then fold in the walnuts or almonds.
• Then carefully pour the batter into the buttered muffin tins. Don’t overfill them.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes and you will notice the muffin crusts turn golden brown. If you want, you can shift the tray closer to the top most rack for slightly more chewy tops.
• Set them aside to cool down and then release them from the pan.

No-Bake Cherry Cake

Ingredients:

• A dozen of tea biscuits or digestives
• 4-5 tbsp of coconut oil
• 3 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup
• 3 cups of yogurt (dairy or non-dairy)
• 2 cups cherries

Instructions:

• Crumble the biscuits coarsely and then mix in the coconut oil.
• Layer this sandy biscuit blend on the bottom of a baking pan. Save some to sprinkle as garnish. Pop this in the fridge to firm up for half an hour.
• Pit the cherries, slice them into halves, and cook them in a saucepan with sugar or maple syrup. The cherries should release some juices and then thicken if you leave them on the heat for 7-10 minutes.
• Sweeten the yogurt with the remaining maple syrup.
• Create a layer of yogurt, followed by cherries, and then spoon the remaining yogurt on top.
• Refrigerate for an hour and then garnish with crushed biscuits before you serve.