Over 10 years ago, I was at the end of my rope trying to deal with gout attacks that had become frequent and severe.

I was taking prescriptions, but still having attacks at least twice a month. I also developed gouty tophi and required operations. I was miserable.

But just when I was ready to give up hope that anything could relieve my gout, I came across some intriguing information about diet.

I’ve been following this gout diet for over a decade now, and it has allowed me to live free of gout attacks ever since! Does it sound crazy that this diet includes chocolate?

In this quick guide, I will cover everything you need to know about chocolate and gout.

Chocolate and Gout?

If your doctor gave you a list of foods to avoid when you have gout, no doubt chocolate is near the top of the list.

This is because almost all chocolate available in grocery stores, and even health food stores, is simply candy that barely contains any real cacao, and often comes with other ingredients such as high-fructose-corn-syrup and artificial preservatives, which can be inflammation triggers.

And there’s another problem. Flavonoids in cacao can be destroyed when cacao is processed at high temperatures in order to turn it into cocoa powder, the main ingredient in most brands of chocolate.

Chocolate remains a “superfood” only if it contains a high percentage of pure raw cacao that was heated at low temperatures in order to preserve the flavonoids.

Unfortunately, many brands of dark chocolate have all undergone a very high heat treatment that has destroyed most of the flavonoids.

Chocolate produced with high heat does NOT have the medicinal potency you need for gout relief and is NOT part of an effective diet for gout!

What Is the best chocolate for gout?

Chocolate and gout are a perfect match…so much so that I believe medicinal-grade chocolate is an essential ingredient in an effective gout diet.

Not only is chocolate a “miracle food” when it comes to gout prevention, but it also knocks down the inflammation of an active gout flare.  And best of all…it serves as a healthy “comfort food” to help get you through the excruciating pain of a gout attack!

And I speak from experience. I used to have one gout attack right after another…this went on relentlessly for YEARS. 

But beware:  Most chocolate is simply another “bad-for-you” candy that should be high on your list of foods to avoid with gout.  The following data on “chocolate for gout relief” only applies to the highest quality chocolate, and I’ll show you below how to tell the difference.

Health Properties

Chocolate made from raw cacao is one of the most powerful gout foods you can eat, because it contains a huge number of plant-based nutrients called “flavonoids”, which provide the following health benefits:

  • Raw Cacao is one of highest sources of antioxidants among all foods known, due to its extremely high concentration of the classes of flavonoids called Catechins, Epicatechins, Proanthocyanidins, and Flanvan-3-ols.
  • Raw Cacao helps prevent chronic inflammation due it its favorable interaction with Leukotrienes, which goes a long way toward lasting gout relief.
  • Raw Cacao Flavonoids and Polyphenols help suppress the inflammatory response because they act as COX2 inhibitors (cyclooxygenase 2), which is the same way that many NSAIDs work.
  • Raw Cacao Flavonoids have measurable anti-inflammatory properties, as studies have shown them to be instrumental in dramatically reducing C-Reactive Protein levels.

A Potent Source of Antioxidants

Here are 4 scientific studies I found that document and confirm that chocolate is a powerful source of antioxidants.

  1. According to a study conducted at the University of California at Davis, the consumption of epicatechin-rich chocolate resulted in 36% higher levels of antioxidants in the blood, and 40% lower  levels of oxidative species (free radicals).
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  2. And according to another study done at the University of Barcelona, the epicatechins absorbed from chocolate can be measured in the urine, and these epicatechin metabolites give the urine an increased level of antioxidants.
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  3. Then, a study conducted by The Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition confirmed that the type of chocolate product affects the amount of epicatechin, flavanol and procyanidin content remaining in the final product, with pure cocoa powder and baking chocolate having the highest concentrations and chocolate syrup having the lowest.
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  4. Finally, a study conducted by Theo Chocolate Research and Development further confirmed that the way cacao beans are processed (fermentation, roasting and milling) have a large effect on the amount of antioxidants that remain in the final chocolate product.

Chocolate as a COX-2 Inhibitor for Gout

The last study mentioned above, by Theo Chocolate Research and Development, also found that cacao flavonoids have significant anti-inflammatory effects via reductions in platelet and blood vessel cell activation and a decrease in the expression of inflammatory mediators.

And, according to Dr. Steven Warren, Founder and Director of The Foundation for Flavonoid Research, the flavonoids in chocolate help reduce the inflammatory symptoms of gout as follows:

“Flavonoids or bioflavonoids (the old name was “tannins”) are compounds that give vegetables, fruits, grains, leaves, flowers and bark their color. The colors include the deep red, purple, mauve, blue and red. These compounds also protect the plants from disease, UV light and from predators.

Have you ever wondered why a chocolate bar left at room temperature never spoils? The reason is that cocoa/chocolate contains potent antioxidants. Cocoa powder is rich in the polyphenols, mainly flavonoids:  flavan-3-ols, flavonols (epicatechin and catechin), and procyanidins.

The bioflavonoids inhibit COX-2 enzymes in your body, the same strong anti-inflammatory action that many prescription drugs have. By blocking COX-2 enzymes your immune system works better, decreases pain in your joints, and stops further production of free radicals.”

How Chocolate Helps Gouty Arthritis

The word “Arthritis” comes from the joining of two Greek words: “joint” and “inflammation”.  There are over 100 forms of arthritis, all with different causes, and as you I know all too well…one of the most painful forms is “gouty arthritis”.

Chocolate can help both in the treating of active gout flares after they’ve begun, and also in the prevention of future gout attacks, in two ways:

  1. First, during an active gout attack, the strong anti-inflammatory properties of cacao can help interrupt the inflammatory response cycle, which if left unchecked can make a mild gout attack go ballistic on you.  This anti-inflammatory effect is created through the flavonoids and also the procyanidins present in raw cacao.
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  2. Second, in between gout attacks, the strong antioxidant properties help keep your body functioning at its best, and this includes the health of the kidneys which are critical in preventing future gout attacks.  The antioxidant effect of chocolate is provided primarily by the epicatechin flavonoids, since they are more bio-absorbable than the catechins and the other flavonoids.