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Anchovies

Also listed as: Anchovy, raw

Anchovies are high in purines or a known trigger. They are best avoided, especially during a flare. A typical 85 g serving has about 349 mg of purines, about 87% of a ~400 mg working daily target.

General information, not a substitute for advice from your doctor or dietitian.

Across forms of anchovy:DE· 258–349 mg per serving

How much can I eat?

Units

A typical serving is about 85 g, which delivers 349 mg of purines, or about 87% of a ~400 mg working daily target.

This serving
3 oz
85 g
Purine / serving
349 mg
% daily purine
87%
Purines in this serving349 mg · 87% of a day
0 mg~400 mg daily limit
1 oz6 oz

This food is very concentrated, so a small serving goes a long way; we don't suggest a larger amount.

Portion size is what matters most here, and it’s easy to misjudge by eye. A kitchen scale makes it simple.

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Why grade E

High in purines or a known trigger. Best avoided, especially during a flare.

Eating omega-3-rich fatty fish is associated with fewer recurrent gout flares, independent of purine intake; the benefit is from whole fish, not fish-oil supplements.

This benefit does not change the grade. Anchovies is still graded E on purine, so keep the portion small and occasional.

Per 100 g (for comparison)

Purines Moderate confidence
411 mg/100g
LowModerateHighVery high

Very high for gout (> 300 mg/100g).

Fructose High confidence
0 g/100g
LowModerateHighVery high

Low for gout (< 3 g/100g).

Processing: NOVA 1 of 4 (unprocessed or minimally processed). How processing affects the grade.

Eating anchovies as part of a bigger dish? The Dish Decoder grades the whole plate, ingredient by ingredient.

Make it safer

Reaching for Anchovies? These lower-risk picks scratch the same itch and grade better.

Other forms of anchovy

This is the most common form of "anchovy". Pick a specific form below if you mean one in particular.

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