Should I avoid using footnotes in a statement of purpose? I intend to use some footnotes (in a restricted manner) in my statement of purpose for PhD applications, but I am not sure if doing so is suitable.

Though I cannot see any reason against doing so, for safety I still want to ask here for the advices from more experienced you.
Personally, I am a big believer of footnotes. They enable additional information to be added, without distracting the reader from the main argument. However, others will not share my position. One test I like to apply before adding a footnote is: can I include the footnote text in the main body? If I can do so without hindering the reader, then I tend to do so.