Coffee

Are you desperate for coffee? Is your IC preventing you from having coffee? There are options you can try. With active IC it is recommended that you slowly work your way up using mild stuff that we know that is going to soothe your bladder then slowly work up to things that might be a little more irritating.

Coffee and Interstitial Cystitis - Is it safe to drink? (Interstitial Cystitis Network)




Suggested Hot Drinks (slowly work yourself up)

1. Hot water or milk (steamers)
2. Herbal Teas (peppermint, chamomile)
3. Roasted Carob Teas- Roastaroma, Almond Sunset, English Toffee
4. Herbal Coffees- Pero, Cafix, Kaffree, Roma, Teecino (can be on the bitter side so be prepared to use a little bit of milk or cream)

If you do well with the above try:
5. Low Acid Real Coffees- Euromild or Puroast (decaf preferred first because caffeine will irritate the nerves in your bladder)


*Remember, if you are having any symptoms at all, go back to the hot water and slowly work yourself up.



Questions about Low Acid Coffee
From ic-network.com.

• Not every IC patient can and should drink even low acid coffees. If you have, for example, Hunner’s ulcers, severe petechial hemorrhaging in your bladder or are currently in a major flare, you should only be drinking water, milk, chamomile tea and/or peppermint tea until your bladder has the opportunity to heal.

• Patients whose bladders are in better shape may find low acid coffees to be tolerable if used in modest quantities.



How to make a low acid IC friendly coffee

1. Start with naturally low acid beans, roasted to a darker roast! We suggest trying a DECAF before trying regular coffee.

2. Use a cold brew coffee maker. The Toddy Cold Brew Coffee Maker ($37.99) uses regular coffee but reduces the overall acidity by 67% when compared to hot brewing systems by using a unique, patented cold brew system.

3. Taking the OTC supplement, Prelief, beforehand may reduce/neutralize acidity levels.

4. Start with a small amount to determine if your bladder tolerates it well!

5. Don’t go to excess. One cup of coffee a day is plenty for our more sensitive bladders and if you start having bladder discomfort again, stop immediately to avoid irritating your bladder further.