Purine content of Brain & sweetbreads
across 3 measured preparations · median 162 mg · spans fairly high to very high
Across the 3 brain & sweetbreads measurements in this database, purine content runs from 140 to 227 mg per 100 g, with a median of 162 mg — a 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. Duck brain (cooked) measures 227 mg, while Goose brain (cooked) measures 140 mg — a difference of 87 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 brain & sweetbreads measured (3)
Highest first, each with the preparation that was measured.
| Food as measured | Per 100 g | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duck brain (cooked) | 227 mg | Very high | NHC 2024 |
| Beef brain, raw | 162 mg | High | ODS-NIH 2.0 |
| Goose brain (cooked) | 140 mg | Fairly high | NHC 2024 |
Questions about brain & sweetbreads and purines
Is brain high in purines?
Median 162 mg per 100 g, brain falls in the high band (150–200 mg per 100 g) on the six-level scale used across this site. Individual measurements range from 140 to 227 mg.
How many purines are in a serving of brain?
It depends entirely which preparation. Compared at the same 150 g: about 210 mg for goose brain (cooked), about 341 mg for duck brain (cooked). 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 brain?
Substantially. In this database Duck brain (cooked) measures 227 mg while Goose brain (cooked) measures 140 mg per 100 g. Drying and grilling concentrate purines by removing water; boiling can leach some into the cooking liquid.
Where does this brain 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 brain 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. Brain & sweetbreads 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.