Simply Delicious: Low Acid Eating Made Simple is a fun, new blog & e-newsletter created by the IC Network for patients with interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel, GERD and anyone sensitive to acidic foods. We would like to thank AkPharma, Makers of Prelief for their sponsorship and helping countless patients eat more comfortably! Please share this newsletter with your friends and LIKE PRELIEF today at: http://www.facebook.com/prelief/

Cool & Quenching Summer Drinks

In the sweltering heat of summer, there's nothing quite like an iced sweet tea or soda to quench your thirst. The problem, of course, is that our tender stomachs or bladders simply don't tolerate the high acid content of black and green tea and most commercial sodas. Yes, that frappuccino looks tasty, but is it really worth a night of discomfort? Fear not my friends! You can enjoy cool, iced drinks again that are, by far, much healthier, low calorie and more bladder & stomach friendly! Infused Spa Waters, Italian Sodas and

Infused, Spa Waters

Restaurants & spas do it, why not you? Placing fresh herbs and/or fruit in a gallon of water and leaving it in the refrigerator overnight is a great way to add flavor and reduce the boredom of drinking plain water.  In fact, the "Classic Spa Water" is simply chilled spring water with a few sprigs of mint, rosemary and cucumber.

Looking for some soda fizz? Low sodium mineral water, such as San Pellegrino, works perfectly!

Need a little extra sweetness? No artificial sugars should be used. Use a little bit of honey to taste!

 There are many flavor combinations that you can play with using the fresh, simple ingredients, such as:

  • HERBS - a few sprigs of fresh mint, rosemary or sage
  • FRUITS -  pears, apples, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, watermelon, honeydew
  • PEELS - lemon or lime peel has a fraction of the acid that the juice would have.
  • SPICES - cinnamon, cloves, vanilla beans & ginger root

Ready to experiment?? Try these flavorful combinations

  • fresh mint, rosemary or sage leaves
  • fresh cucumber & mint
  • sliced pears & a cinnamon stick
  • blackberries, fresh mint & lime peel
  • raspberries & lemon peel
  • strawberries & mint
  • peaches & vanilla bean
  • gingerroot, mint & lemon peel
  • blueberries & pomegranate seeds
  • cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew & mint

Enjoy A Soda Again, Italian Style!

Not interested in the fuss? Want a simpler drink? Make an Italian Soda using a low sodium mineral water (i.e. San Pellegrino) & a fruit syrup! You'll might be surprised to learn that there are dozens of flavors available at specialty markets and on-line. Obviously, you'll need to avoid sugar free syrups and strong citrus flavors like lemon, lime and orange.

Try these flavors!

  • raspberry (& blue raspberry)
  • blackberry
  • blueberry
  • cherry
  • coconut
  • melon
  • blueberry
  • mango
  • peach

Just remember that an Italian soda should have a pale blush of color, roughly one shot of flavoring per glass of water. If it's dark, you've used too much flavoring and are getting an overdose of sugar! These sodas are lighter and much more refreshing! Serve with plenty of crushed ice!

You can't go wrong with Flavorganics Raspberry Syrup with a sprig of mint on top! Torani syrups are quite popular but contain more citric acid and colorings! Use these in very small quantities, diluted with plenty of water!


Fresh, Herbal Sun Teas

Sun tea today is a far cry from the sun teas made popular by Lipton years ago. Using fresh herbs and fruits, you can create fabulous ice teas that will quench your thirst during the hottest days of summer. All you need is a large glass jar with a tight cover, fresh water and the herbs and fruit of your choice. 

It takes 1 to 1-1/2 cups of fresh herbs per gallon of water. Clean the herbs and water container carefully. Place the herbs at the bottom and fill the container with water. Screw the lid on and give it a few shakes. Set the container in a sunny place for several hours.  The longer the brew, the stronger the flavor.

At the end of the day, the tea should be warm and have a rich, clear color. Shake some more and pour through a strainer to remove the herbs. While still warm, add honey or sugar to taste and stir well. This is an ideal time to add a little bit of lemon peel if you like that flavor.  Refrigerate immediately! 

Herbal Tea Flavor Combinations:

Cruising the web, you'll find many recipes to experiment with. Here are some combinations that could work well!

  • peppermint, rosemary leaves with a hint of honey!
  • peppermint and pineapple sage
  • lavender, sage and rosemary
  • chamomile and mint
  • licorice root and flax seed

You can also use your favorite herbal teas such as Davidson's roobios herbal teas that we've found to be bladder friendly, such as Carob Mint or Raspberry Cream Caramel.

 


A Few More Tips & Suggestions

  • If you're worried about acid, take a Prelief!
  • Use sun teas as a base for smoothies or punches
  • Experiment with sparkling water, pear or blueberry juices
  • Add frozen fruits to your drinks, such as blueberries, blackberries or raspberries
  • Freeze fruit or edible flowers (nasturtiums, rose petals, organic violets, etc. ) in ice cubes
  • Enjoy a real afternoon tea by serving with special "tea" treats, such as scones, cookies or mini sandwiches!
  • If you're worried about bacterial growth and would prefer not to make it sun tea, simply pour boiling water of your herbs of choice.


About The Author

Jill Osborne is the president and founder of the Interstitial Cystitis Network, a health education company dedicated to interstitial cystitis, bladder pain syndrome and other pelvic pain disorders. Representing the IC community, she has appeared radio and TV shows including the PBS “Healthy Body Healthy Mind” television series. She serves as editor of the IC Optimist quarterly magazine and has authored dozens of articles on IC. She spends the majority of her time developing new, internet based educational and support tools for IC patients, including the “Living with IC” video series currently on YouTube and the ICN Food List smartphone app!

Our Generous Sponsor

Prelief Reduces Acid in Food

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: