Getting Vitamin C The Low-Acid Way

by Bev Laumann

Ever wonder if you're getting enough Vitamin C? Vitamin C helps repair tissue and combat infection as well as assisting in the absorption of iron from plant sources such as spinach or kale. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant associated with a a reduced risk of cancer and cataracts. Yet most of us can't handle typical sources like orange juice or vitamin C pills. Of course, we can eat pears, but when it comes to Vitamin C, pears just don't measure up to acidic (but high-C) fruits like oranges or strawberries. Some people with super-sensitive bladders can't even handle vitamin C supplements in the milder buffered forms.  So, how to get plenty of this important nutrient while keeping your finicky bladder or stomach happy??

Here are three ways to sneak more vitamin C into your diet:

• TOP FOODS WITH RAW VEGGIES - Although most people don't realize it, raw broccoli and bell peppers are excellent sources of this important vitamin. In fact, according to the USDA, a half-cup of raw bell pepper has more Vitamin C than the same amount of fresh-squeezed orange juice. So chop up some raw broccoli or bell pepper and add it to salads, throw it on top of baked or mashed potatoes, top a bowl of soup, or add to scrambled eggs.
• EAT "HIGH C" COOKED VEGGIES - Though cooking destroys some of the vitamin, certain vegetables still provide adults with atleast 60 mg. of vitamin C (the amount you should consume daily). You could eat 2/3 cup of cooked kohlrabi or brussels sprouts; or you could have one cup of cooked sweet potato or green  peas. All these options get you the needed amount. 
• TRY LOWER ACID FRUITS - As fruits go, some are lower in acid than others. As you and your physician gradually gain control over your bladder smptoms, you may find these could be added back into your diet in small amouts:
  • Honeydew melons (31mg vitamin C per cup)
  • Bananas (13mg of vitamin C per cup)
  • Blueberries (14mg vitaminC per cup)
  • Watermelon (12mg vitamin C per cup)
  • Mango (60mg vitamin C per cup)

If these give you trouble, try taking 2 to 3 Prelief tablets right before you eat, adjust the amount of Prelief for your individual needs. Prelief often reduces the acid enough to make a noticeable difference. Give it a try!

 

Recipe Extras

Cuban Omelet with Bell Pepper - makes 2 servings

1 cup cooked black or pinquito beans, (rinsed and drained if canned)

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, divided

4 large eggs

1-1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (optional)

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1 medium red or green bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1-1/3 cups sliced mushrooms (about 5 ounces)

1 cup (packed) coarsely grated mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese (about 3 to 4 ounces)

   

    Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and sliced mushrooms to the skillet; stir until mushrooms are brown, about 7 or 8 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.

  In another bowl, whisk eggs, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until well blended. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add egg mixture. Cook without stirring until beginning to set, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with vegetables, grated cheese, and half the remaining chopped cilantro. Cover skillet and cook until cheese melts and eggs are set, about 2 minutes. Slide a large spatula under omelet to loosen. Fold omelet in half; turn out onto plate. Top omelet with warm bean mixture and sprinkle with remaining chopped cilantro before serving.

(Editors Note - Black beans can be higher in acid than some other beans so if you're sensitive, try using different beans, such as: pinquitos, white pinto beans, red pinto beans, garbanzo's, etc.)

About The Author

Bev Laumann authored the first formal cookbook for interstitial cystitis: A Taste of the Good Life – A Cookbook for an IC Diet which has helped thousands of patients navigate the complex dietary demands of IC. A former IC support group leader (Orange County, CA), Bev was one of the first to create a formal IC foods list and developed the three column format of “Safe” “Try It” and “Caution” food lists which, over the years, have been expanded greatly. Author of the “Fresh Tastes by Bev” IC Network feature column, she is one of the most knowledgeable and respected patient advocates in the USA.

Our Generous Sponsor

The IC Diet Project is made possible by the generous support of AkPharma, Makers of Prelief.  Prelief is an acid reducing food supplement that can help you enjoy some of the foods that you may be missing!  Prelief even takes the acid out of favorite foods containing “hidden” acid you aren’t aware of, like chocolate, baked beans, sherbets, yogurt and too many others to even name. Try Prelief for a week or two and see if there isn’t a difference you can feel. Buy it now!

 

The Simply Delicious Team

We admit it. We love to eat even though we all have IC. The authors know the in's and out's of eating low acid because we are fellow patients and activists, including:

• Julie Beyer RD, author of the Confident Choices: Customizing the IC Diet, Confident Choices: A Cookbook for IC and OAB & Interstitial Cystitis: A Guide for Nutrition Educators
• Bev Laumann, author of A  Taste of the Good Life: A Cookbook for an IC Diet & the Fresh Tastes by Bev feature column
• Jill Osborne, MA, president & founder the IC Network and author & editor of the 2012 Guide to the IC Diet & the ICN Food List iPhone Application

• © 2013 Interstitial Cystitis Network

Interstitial Cystitis Network, PO Box 2159 Healdsburg, CA 95448

A Division of J.H. Osborne, Inc.

Orders: 707-433-0413 Patient Assistance: 707-538-9442