Pom-Bear

With moderation

Puffed potato snack: purine content is low, but high salt, refined starch and fried oil make it a limited-treat food for gout.

Good

Potato base is very low in purines
Contains no alcohol and no fructose-sweetened ingredients
Small portions are unlikely to provoke a flare on their own
Fine as an occasional treat if weight and blood pressure are controlled

Bad

High sodium — a small bag can supply a noticeable share of daily salt
Fried, calorie-dense refined starch encourages weight gain
Prawn cocktail and cheese/onion variants may contain shrimp powder or yeast extract
Easy to overeat, and they displace low-purine whole foods

What it is

Pom-Bear is a light, bear-shaped puffed potato snack made by Intersnack/KP Snacks. The base is potato starch, potato flour and granules, sunflower oil and salt; flavour variants add cheese, onion, vinegar or prawn cocktail seasoning. Potatoes are low-purine, so the snack is not a classic gout trigger in the way offal, anchovies or beer are.

Gout-relevant points

Sodium. A typical 25 g bag carries roughly 0.4–0.7 g of salt. Two or three bags get close to a sensible daily limit, and high salt intake is tied to hypertension, a common companion to gout.

Energy and refined starch. Each small bag supplies around 120–140 kcal with very little fibre. Regular eating promotes weight gain and insulin resistance, both of which push uric acid upward.

Flavourings. Cheese & onion and prawn cocktail versions may include yeast extract or shrimp-derived flavouring, which contain small amounts of purines. This is far less than a shellfish meal, but worth noting if you are sensitive.

Practical advice

Keep to one small bag now and then, choose plainer flavours when possible, drink water alongside, and avoid pairing with beer. During a flare, skip them altogether. This is general information, not medical advice.

AI-researched information — not medical advice. Ask a qualified clinician before changing your diet or treatment.

What it is

Gout-relevant points

Sodium. A typical 25 g bag carries roughly 0.4–0.7 g of salt. Two or three bags get close to a sensible daily limit, and high salt intake is tied to hypertension, a common companion to gout.

Energy and refined starch. Each small bag supplies around 120–140 kcal with very little fibre. Regular eating promotes weight gain and insulin resistance, both of which push uric acid upward.