In gout, an effective diet is important to avoid or to lower complications and expenses of drug treatment. Most important dietary measures are reduction of purine uptake and alcohol consumption and normalization of body weight. Purine content of food can be altered quantitatively and qualitatively by storage and cooking with consequences for digestion and absorption of purines. The modern concept of diet in gout takes into consideration the purine content of food per weight, per portion and per energy.