For education only, not medical advice. Ask your doctor before you change your diet or any medication.

Purines in Plant Based Foods

31 plant foods ranked by purines per 100 g. Search a food, pick a food group or keep whole foods only.

  • 31 plant based foods with purine data
  • 135 total foods in dataset
  • Source: USDA/ODS-NIH Purine Database, Release 2 (March 2025)
  • Units: mg total purines per 100 g

Top 26 of 26 whole foods (31 with the switch off), per 100 g unless marked.

# Group
1 Blackeye peas, dried, raw Legumes 23077803241
2 Lentils, dried, raw Legumes 222104822016
3 Beans, great northern, dried, raw Legumes 21356682564
4 Beans, small white, dried, raw Legumes 20259742544
5 Peas, split, dried, raw Legumes 19588741122
6 Beans, pinto, dried, raw Legumes 17157541644
7 Beans, adzuki, dried, raw Legumes 16254511542
8 Lima beans, large, dried, raw Legumes 14942411452
9 Beans, cranberry, dried, raw Legumes 7521192312
10 Peas, green, sweet, canned5 Legumes 7235370.60.2
11 Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), dried, raw Legumes 561714187
12 Mushrooms (not further specified), raw Vegetables 47192701
13 Brussels sprouts, raw Vegetables 39172100.8
14 Blackeye peas, canned5 Legumes 3516180.30.3
15 Cauliflower, raw Vegetables 33151800.3
16 Collards, raw Vegetables 26121400.8
17 Beans, pinto, canned5 Legumes 2513120.20.3
18 Mushrooms, canned Vegetables 25121300
19 Beans, black, canned5 Legumes 2413110.10.2
20 Beans, kidney, dark red, canned5 Legumes 2312110.30.3
21 Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), canned5 Legumes 2211100.20.4
22 Beans, navy, canned5 Legumes 2111100.090.2
23 Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), cooked Legumes 11730.60
24 Cabbage, bok choy, raw Vegetables 105500
25 Squash, winter, butternut, raw Vegetables 95400.2
26 Rice, white, cooked Grains 62300.6

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Good to know

Gout & plant based diets

Plant based purines are associated with lower gout risk than animal purines, even at similar total intake. Legumes — once restricted for gout — are now considered safe by current rheumatology guidelines. Ranking sorted by total purines (adenine + guanine + hypoxanthine + xanthine).

Questions

What are purines and why do they matter?

Purines are nitrogen-containing bases found in DNA and RNA of all living cells. When cells die or are digested, purines are broken down to uric acid. When uric acid production exceeds the kidneys' excretory capacity, serum uric acid rises (hyperuricemia). If uric acid crystallizes in joints — typically the big toe, ankle, or knee — the result is gout, an acutely painful inflammatory arthritis. Dietary purine intake is one modifiable component of uric acid management, alongside hydration, alcohol, high-fructose corn syrup, body weight, and kidney function.

Does cooking reduce purine content in plant foods?

Yes — boiling and blanching reduce purine content meaningfully because purines are water-soluble. Studies show boiling meats can reduce purine content by 50–75%; similar (though less dramatic) reductions occur in plant foods. Practical implications: discarding the water used to boil lentils or vegetables removes a portion of their purines. Rinsing canned legumes likely reduces available purines slightly. Roasting or dry-frying concentrates purines rather than reducing them. If actively managing hyperuricemia, boiling with water (and discarding the liquid) is the best cooking method for high-purine vegetables and legumes.

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