Purine content of Spirits & liquor
Across the 4 spirits & liquor measurements in this database, purine content runs from 0 to 9.7 mg per 100 ml, with a median of 0.3 mg — a low-purine food.
Avoid or strictly limit — significant gout flare risk.
On this page (4)
Why the numbers vary
The alcoholic drinks measured here run from 0.2 mg to 8.3 mg per 100 g, so the category is a poor guide on its own — which specific food, and prepared how, decides almost everything.
All 4 measurements land within 10 mg of each other, so preparation makes little practical difference here — unusual, and convenient.
Every form of spirits & liquor measured (4)
Highest first, each with the preparation that was measured.
| Food as measured | Per 100 g | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoko-shu (Chinese liquor) | 9.7 mg | Low | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Brandy | 0.4 mg | Low | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Whiskey | 0.2 mg | Low | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Shochu (Japanese spirit liquor) | 0 mg | Low | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
Questions about spirits & liquor and purines
Is spirit high in purines?
Median 0.3 mg per 100 ml, spirit falls in the low band (under 30 mg per 100 ml) on the six-level scale used across this site. Individual measurements range from 0 to 9.7 mg.
How many purines are in a serving of spirit?
It depends entirely which preparation. Compared at the same 330 ml: about 0 mg for shochu (japanese spirit liquor), about 32 mg for shoko-shu (chinese liquor). 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 ml value is the fairer read. The table on this page lists both for every preparation measured.
Where does this spirit purine value come from?
USDA and ODS-NIH Database for the Purine Content of Foods, Release 2.0 (2025). Values are total purines in milligrams per 100 ml of the food as described, and nothing is estimated or averaged across sources.
How does spirit compare with other alcoholic drinks?
The median for alcoholic drinks in this database is 0.9 mg per 100 ml, with a range of 0.2 to 8.3 mg. Spirits & liquor is below that median.
Source
- 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.