High uric acid and gout · United States
Can I drink soda or sparkling water with gout?
“Soda” can mean a sweet soft drink or plain carbonated water. Start with the ingredients and sugar lines so you know which drink you are choosing.
Short answer
Avoid sugar-sweetened drinks as part of gout dietary care. Plain, unsweetened sparkling water can be an alternative. Check ingredients and total sugars in soda water, tonic water and flavored drinks.
These food recommendations concern diagnosed gout. High uric acid alone is a separate situation; dietary changes do not replace treatment during a flare.
What to check before eating
- How many servings will you drink?
- Does the ingredient list include sugar, syrup or honey?
- Is the drink unsweetened, or does it only say no added sugar?
Guidance sources: American College of Rheumatology [1], FDA [2], Mayo Clinic [3], FDA [4], NIH NIAMS [5], CDC [6]
How to compare drink labels
Match the serving to your bottle
Read serving size first. Here is a label example: 20 g total sugars per 250 mL becomes 40 g if you drink 500 mL. Use your bottle’s figures to make the same calculation.
Guidance sources: FDA [4]
Read both sugar lines correctly
Added sugars are part of total sugars, so do not add the two figures. No added sugar does not mean sugar-free; fruit juice still needs attention in a gout diet.
Guidance sources: FDA [2], Mayo Clinic [3]
Make the replacement
Replace sugary soda with water or an unsweetened drink. A lower-sugar choice is a dietary change, not a way to treat joint pain or stop a flare.
Guidance sources: American College of Rheumatology [1], NIH NIAMS [5]
Continue reading: Can I drink coffee with high uric acid or gout?
Four drinks that need different label checks
Bubbles do not tell you whether a drink contains sugar.
| Drink | Read this | How to use the information |
|---|---|---|
| Regular soda or sweetened tea | Added sugars and the amount in the whole bottle | Replace it with water or an unsweetened drink. Guidance sources: NIH NIAMS [5], FDA [4] |
| Plain sparkling water or soda water | No sugar or syrup in the ingredients | An unsweetened option; if you have a sodium limit, check sodium too. |
| Tonic water or a flavored fizzy drink | The actual sugar lines, not its clear appearance | Some contain sugar. Compare the label before using it as your replacement. Guidance sources: FDA [4] |
| Juice marked no added sugar | Total sugars and the serving size | No added sugar does not make it sugar-free; limit fruit juice in a gout diet. Guidance sources: FDA [2], Mayo Clinic [3] |
If your care team has set a fluid limit, follow that plan when choosing how much to drink.
Food and drink questions
Does no added sugar mean sugar-free?
No. Total sugars include naturally occurring sugars and added sugars. A no-added-sugar juice can still contain sugar; Mayo Clinic advises limiting fruit juice even without added sugar.
Guidance sources: FDA [2], Mayo Clinic [3]
Does removing sugar make a drink a gout treatment?
No. An unsweetened choice can help you follow dietary advice, but it does not diagnose, treat or guarantee prevention of a gout flare.
Guidance sources: American College of Rheumatology [1]
Does sparkling water lower uric acid?
Use it as an unsweetened replacement, not as a treatment. Choosing water supports the eating plan; it does not replace gout medicines.
Guidance sources: NIH NIAMS [5], CDC [6]
Who this guidance is for and further context
High uric acid and gout are different situations
An elevated uric acid result does not by itself mean gout. If you have high uric acid without a gout diagnosis, discuss your overall diet and lab results with your clinician. The gout-specific advice below is for diagnosed gout. During a flare, food changes support your care plan; they do not treat the attack.
Guidance sources: NIH NIAMS [7], American College of Rheumatology [1]
Background and other choices
What matters for soda and sweetened drinks
- ACR advises avoiding drinks high in sugar or fructose.
- Added sugars are already included in total sugars; do not add the two numbers together.
- A bottle can contain more than the serving used on its label.
Practical next steps
- Compare drinks at the same serving size.
- Use the label to work out sugar for the full amount you drink.
- Pick plain water when a drink’s ingredients are unclear.
When to speak with your clinician
Ask your clinician about new or worsening joint pain, your uric acid results, or dietary limits related to kidney disease. Follow your treatment plan during a flare; a food guide cannot diagnose symptoms or change medicines.
Sources and editorial context
The food advice and preparation steps draw on the references below. Follow the links if you would like to read the original guidance in full.
Can I Eat Editorial Team. Published for readers in United States. Sources last checked 2026-09-15.
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General dietary information, not diagnosis or treatment. Your clinician’s advice and any kidney-related dietary limits take priority.