Can you drink Horlicks when pregnant?

Find out if it's safe to drink Horlicks during pregnancy, plus precautions to take to keep you and your baby healthy.

The official advice on drinking Horlicks in pregnancy

Good news! Horlicks is considered safe to drink in pregnancy, including chocolate Horlicks.

Horlicks is made with malted wheat and barley – which are fine to eat in pregnancy – although take care if you have any allergies. Horlicks is also fortified with calcium, zinc and vitamins C, D and B12.

These are highly beneficial for you and your growing baby. According to the NHS:

• Vitamin D and calcium work together to build strong bones and teeth.
• Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that boosts your body's natural defences.
• Vitamin B12 keeps your blood cells healthy.
• Zinc is an essential mineral that supports cell growth and keeps your immune system strong.

It is worth noting though that Horlicks can be high in sugar. The NHS recommends eating a balanced diet during pregnancy, so consider enjoying Horlicks alongside healthy drinks like water or milk.

Does Horlicks contain caffeine?

It does contain a tiny amount, but there's no need to worry. According to the Horlicks website:

• Traditional Horlicks contains less than 1.25mg per 25g serving
• Light Instant Horlicks contains less than 1.6mg per 32g serving
• Light Instant Chocolate Horlicks contains 2.56mg per 32g serving (because of the caffeine naturally present in cocoa)

The NHS advice is to limit the amount of caffeine you have in pregnancy to no more than 200mg a day. So you'd need to drink a LOT of Horlicks to reach your limit! It's worth bearing in mind if you have lots of other caffeine-containing foods or drinks, though.

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Delicious pregnancy-safe drink recipes

Love Horlicks? Why not try one of these great pregnancy-safe recipes?

• Hot chocolate
• Blueberry smoothie
• Berry spring cooler
• Banana & mango smoothie

The Day-by-Day Pregnancy Book: Count Down Your Pregnancy Day by Day by Dr Maggie Blott is packed full of advice from a team of experts to help guide you through your pregnancy from conception to birth. See more details here at Amazon.

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Looking for more pregnancy diet info? Check out our articles below, or swap tips with other mums-to-be in our forum.

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