I was asked and didn’t know the answer.
So tried to see if I could find out. There doesn’t seem to be a single conclusive answer. Its origins seem connected to the fact of the tomato being an acidic food. i.e it has a low pH. The pH of most tomatoes is under 5.
The pH of a food – whether it is alkaline or acid – is something I guess we don’t normally consider.
It did have its moment. From my bookselling days, I recall it as a key feature of the huge bestseller The Hay Diet, the principles of which were Food Combining for Health and not eating Foods that Fight !!
My very limited understanding of gout is that it is a form of arthritis and is caused by high blood levels of uric acid. A condition known as Hyperuricemin. When levels are too high, the uric acid collects and crystallizes as deposits in the bone joints. This is the cause of the pain.
I don’t know how direct the connection is between acidic foods and the exacerbation of uric acid conditions. It would also seem that reactions vary by individual sufferer.
In addition not all tomatoes are created equally acid. Small cherry type tomatoes are more likely to have a pH of around 4 where as larger and especially paste tomatoes like Roma and San Marzano, usually grown for use in sauces and cooking will more likely have a pH or 5.1 or 5.2.
So does Gout mean no more tomatoes ? – it might but it might not – which isn’t really an answer but at least I know the reason for the question.
