Purine content of Kidney (offal)
across 4 measured preparations · median 221.9 mg · spans high to very high
Across the 4 kidney (offal) measurements in this database, purine content runs from 195 to 239 mg per 100 g, with a median of 221.9 mg — a very high-purine food.
Avoid or strictly limit — significant gout flare risk.
On this page (5)
Lower-purine meats
Why the numbers vary
The meats measured here run from 49.9 mg to 252 mg per 100 g, so the category is a poor guide on its own — which specific food, and prepared how, decides almost everything.
Preparation matters more than the food's name. Pork kidney measures 239 mg, while Pork kidney, raw measures 195 mg — a difference of 44 mg. Drying and grilling remove water and concentrate what is left; boiling can move purines into water that is then poured away.
Every form of kidney (offal) measured (4)
Highest first, each with the preparation that was measured.
| Food as measured | Per 100 g | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pork kidney | 239 mg | Very high | NHC 2024 |
| Beef kidney, cooked | 230.8 mg | Very high | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Beef kidney, raw | 213 mg | Very high | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Pork kidney, raw | 195 mg | High | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
Questions about kidney (offal) and purines
Is kidney (offal) high in purines?
Median 221.9 mg per 100 g, kidney (offal) falls in the very high band (200–300 mg per 100 g) on the six-level scale used across this site. Individual measurements range from 195 to 239 mg.
How many purines are in a serving of kidney (offal)?
It depends entirely which preparation. Compared at the same 150 g: about 293 mg for pork kidney, raw, about 359 mg for pork kidney. That upper figure is a like-for-like comparison rather than a serving — dried and concentrated foods are normally used by the spoonful, so their per-100 g value is the fairer read. The table on this page lists both for every preparation measured.
Does cooking change the purine content of kidney (offal)?
Substantially. In this database Pork kidney measures 239 mg while Pork kidney, raw measures 195 mg per 100 g. Drying and grilling concentrate purines by removing water; boiling can leach some into the cooking liquid.
Where does this kidney (offal) purine value come from?
Dietary Guideline for Adults with Hyperuricaemia and Gout (2024 Edition) and USDA and ODS-NIH Database for the Purine Content of Foods, Release 2.0 (2025). Values are total purines in milligrams per 100 g of the food as described, and nothing is estimated or averaged across sources.
How does kidney (offal) compare with other meats?
The median for meats in this database is 121.2 mg per 100 g, with a range of 49.9 to 252 mg. Kidney (offal) is above that median.
Source
- Dietary Guideline for Adults with Hyperuricaemia and Gout (2024 Edition) — National Health Commission of China, appendix 1. Issued February 2024.
- USDA and ODS-NIH Database for the Purine Content of Foods, Release 2.0 (2025) — Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Reference information only. Purine values describe foods, not people: they cannot tell you what is safe for you to eat, and nothing here diagnoses or treats gout. Talk to your doctor or dietitian about your own diet and medication.