In 2012 the updated guidelines for the treatment of gout were published by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), which underline the necessity of comprehensive treatment in this condition. According to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), treatment of comorbidities, lifestyle modifications and proper diet may be of significant importance. In the primary care settings in Poland there is virtually no access to qualified dieticians. The nutritional counseling is sometimes implemented--usually to a very limited extent--by primary care physicians. It is believed that proper diet may improve the prognosis and quality of life in patients with gout. The aim of the work is to present the principles of nutrition therapy in gout and hyperuricemia, in the context of their pathogenesis. The key principles of nutrition therapy in the above mentioned conditions include a restriction of purine amount in the diet and reaching the proper body weight. Optimal hydration and alcohol elimination are also beneficial. Furthermore, some food ingredients can affect the plasma level of uric acid in the mechanisms irrelevant of their purine load.