How much Fermented Sardine (Heshiko) can I eat with gout?

A typical serving is about 113 g, which delivers 131 mg of purines, or about 33% of a ~400 mg working daily target. Stick to one normal portion and skip seconds, especially during a flare.

Is Fermented Sardine (Heshiko) high in purines?

Fermented Sardine (Heshiko) is moderate in purines by weight: about 116 mg per 100 g. A typical 113 g serving works out to about 131 mg, or about 33% of a ~400 mg working daily target.

Does Fermented Sardine (Heshiko) cause gout?

No single food causes gout; it develops from high uric acid over time. Fermented Sardine (Heshiko) is graded C: a normal portion is fine, but it counts against your daily total, so it is the second helping and the frequency that matter.

Fermented Sardine (Heshiko)

Fermented Sardine (Heshiko) is fine in moderation. Watch your portion size, especially during a flare. A typical 113 g serving has about 131 mg of purines, about 33% of a ~400 mg working daily target.

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

Across forms of sardine:CE· 131–451 mg per serving

How much can I eat?

Units

A typical serving is about 113 g, which delivers 131 mg of purines, or about 33% of a ~400 mg working daily target.

This serving

4 oz

113 g

Purine / serving

131 mg

% daily purine

33%

Purines in this serving131 mg · 33% of a day

0 mg~400 mg daily limit

Adjust the serving

1 oz12 oz

You could have up to about 6 oz (170 g) before this reaches half a ~400 mg working daily purine target.

Fermented Sardine (Heshiko) fits in moderation, so portion is the thing to get right.

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Why grade C

Fine in moderation. Mind your portion size, especially during a flare.

Per 100 g (for comparison)

Purines Moderate confidence

116 mg/100g

LowModerateHighVery high

Moderate for gout (50–150 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 fermented sardine (heshiko) as part of a bigger dish? The Dish Decoder grades the whole plate, ingredient by ingredient.

Grade a dish or browse every food rating

Sources

1. Purine data: USDA Purine Database 2025 - Table 2 (International) Evidence tier: Peer-reviewed literature Replication: 1 sample International literature sources
2. Fructose data: Biochemical Certainty (fructose = 0) Evidence tier: Lab-verified Animal products (meat, seafood, eggs, plain dairy) contain no fructose by biochemical composition.

Values are per 100g unless a note says otherwise, rounded to three significant figures; per-serving figures are calculated from the unrounded measurement, so recomputing from the rounded number can differ by a milligram or so. A single determination is normal in food composition tables, not a defect. Last reviewed July 18, 2026.

How we grade foods

Grades combine purine and fructose data with known gout triggers and benefits. We show our confidence on every food.

Other forms of sardine

Different cuts, species, or preparations vary in purines. The most common form of "sardine" is shown first below.

Sardine

Sardine, raw

Purine 210.7 mg Fructose 0 g per 100 g

Limit Fish

Sardine (baby, dried)

Purine 746 mg Fructose 0 g per 100 g

Limit Fish serving 20 g

Canned Sardines

Sardine, canned

Purine 399 mg Fructose 0 g per 100 g

Avoid Fish

Sardine (half-dried)

Purine 305.3 mg Fructose 0 g per 100 g

Avoid Fish

Fermented Sardine (Heshiko)

How much can I eat?

Why grade C

Other forms of sardine

Sardine

Sardine (baby, dried)

Canned Sardines

Sardine (half-dried)

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