Instant Oats and Uric Acid: A Kidney-Friendly Discussion

Question
Dear Tanya

I couldn't find the nearest category to this, hopefully you can help me with this.

I would like to ask whether does instant oats (only apply to instant oats, not rolled oats) contain very high uric acid?

Thank you. Your reply is very much appreciated.

Eddie

Answer
Hi Eddie,

Oats of any kind does not contain uric acid. However, all oats contain naturally-occurring substances called purines that can be broken down to form uric acid. Because of that, people with kidney problems or gout should be careful about eating excess oats.

The difference between instant oats and any other oat products is in their greater readiness to be digested: all substances in the instant oats absorb faster than they do in whole grain oats or even rolled oats, purines including.

Hope it helps,

Tanya Zilberter, PhD