For gout and uric acid · Updated November 2026
Is pad thai bad for gout?
Yes, a full plate of shrimp pad thai is bad for a gout diet. Sources: Cloche’s estimate for the plate and the purine ceiling in Japan’s gout guidance.
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| 395 mg | Purines, 99% of 400 mg, a sample amount for a day, not your target |
|---|---|
| 0 g | Alcohol, 0% of 14 g, a sample amount for a day, not your target |
| 32 mg | Vitamin C, 36% of 90 mg, a sample amount for a day, not your target |
A sample reading from Cloche’s estimates. See how we check them against USDA reference foods.
Key takeaways
- A full plate of shrimp pad thai comes close to a full day’s purine ceiling. Sources: Cloche’s estimate and Japan’s gout guidance.
- Half a plate comes to about half of that ceiling. Source: Cloche’s estimate.
- Raw shrimp measures 182 to 234 mg per 100 g in the USDA and NIH purine tables, and raw tofu 20 to 31 mg.
- One plate also carries more sodium than a bowl of ramen, by Cloche’s estimate.
How many purines are in one plate of pad thai?
Cloche’s estimate covers one plate of shrimp pad thai with peanuts and bean sprouts. Half a plate carries half of that estimate.
| Portion | Estimated purines | Share of the sample amount |
|---|---|---|
| One plate | 395 mg | 99% of 400 mg for a day |
| Half a plate | 198 mg | 99% of 200 mg for one meal |
The American College of Rheumatology’s 2020 gout guideline recommends limiting purines without setting a number. Japan’s gout guidance sets 400 mg a day. This page uses that for a day and half of it for one meal. They are sample amounts for reading a plate, not your target.
Which pad thai carries the fewest purines?
Tofu pad thai likely carries the fewest. The USDA and NIH purine tables measure raw tofu at 20 to 31 mg per 100 g and raw shrimp at 182 to 234 mg. Raw chicken breast runs from 131 to 289 mg, so chicken pad thai may carry about as many purines as shrimp.
| Food | Purines per 100 g | Samples |
|---|---|---|
| Shrimp | 182 to 234 mg | All |
| Chicken breast | 131 to 289 mg | All |
| Peanuts | 49 mg | Japan |
| Bean sprouts | 35 to 57 mg | Japan |
| Tofu | 20 to 31 mg | Japan |
Pad thai carries more purines than ramen or fried rice, and fewer than a salmon poke bowl.
| Plate | Portion | Estimated purines | Of 400 mg reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon Poke Bowl | 1 bowl, rice, salmon, veggies | 506 mg | 126% |
| Burrito Bowl | 1 bowl | 461 mg | 115% |
| Pad Thai | 1 plate | 395 mg | 99% |
| Chicken Curry with Rice | 1 plate | 381 mg | 95% |
| Chicken Fried Rice | 1 plate | 318 mg | 80% |
| Tuna Poke Bowl | 1 bowl | 312 mg | 78% |
| Ramen | 1 bowl | 277 mg | 69% |
| Tofu Stir Fry | 1 plate | 158 mg | 39% |
| Sushi Roll | 8 pieces | 25 mg | 6% |
One plate of pad thai carries an estimated 2,320 mg of sodium.
| Plate | Portion | Estimated sodium |
|---|---|---|
| Pad thai | 1 plate | 2,320 mg |
| Ramen | 1 bowl | 1,848 mg |
| Chicken fried rice | 1 plate | 1,523 mg |
What makes a pad thai order easier on a gout diet?
Gout diets build the plate around vegetables, with eggs or dairy for protein and seafood or meat as a side. For pad thai, you can ask for tofu or egg in place of shrimp, ask for more bean sprouts, or box up half the plate. The USDA and NIH purine tables measure boiled egg white and yolk at under 1 mg per 100 g.
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases names alcohol, sweet drinks and purine-rich food as the three to limit. Beer adds purines from the yeast on top of its alcohol, and Cloche counts both. What fits your diet is a question for your clinician.
Log your own pad thai and see its purines.
Tell Cloche what you ate or take a photo, and it shows the purines in the plate next to your day so far. Cloche is free to download on the App Store. To check one meal right now, type “pad thai with shrimp and a beer” into the free purine calculator.
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