Can you eat mince pies when pregnant?
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Hannah Weiss
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Find out if it's safe to eat mince pies during pregnancy, including mince pies made with brandy or other alcohol. Plus, precautions to take to keep you and your baby healthy.
The official advice on eating mince pies in pregnancy
Great news! It's safe to eat mince pies while you're pregnant, provided that they don't contain any alcohol.
Although mince pies are usually made with eggs, and often contain beef suet, they will be fully cooked by the time the mince pies are baked, so you don't need to worry about this.
However, it's worth noting that mince pies often contain lots of sugar, so it's best to enjoy them in moderation. Too much sugar could cause you to gain too much pregnancy weight, which isn't healthy for you or your baby.
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Research also suggests that having high levels of sugar during pregnancy can potentially have a negative impact on your baby’s brain development.
The NHS recommends enjoying healthy snacks and eating lots of fruit and vegetables while you're pregnant. Having enough fruit and vegetables will provide you and your growing baby with the vitamins and minerals you both need to stay well. But the occasional treat like a mince pie certainly won't do you any harm!
Eating mince pies with brandy and alcohol
Mince pies often contain brandy or other kinds of spirits. Mince pies made with alcohol are not safe to eat during pregnancy.
The NHS recommends avoiding all alcohol while you're pregnant, as even a tiny amount could harm your growing baby. This is because experts are uncertain how much alcohol, if any, is safe to have.
Even though mince pies are cooked, there's no guarantee that all of the alcohol will be cooked off. Anything cooked with alcohol can still contain it after cooking, so is best avoided while you're pregnant.
When you consume alcohol, it passes through the placenta to your baby. Your growing baby is unable to process the alcohol, because the liver is one of the last organs to develop.
Therefore having any alcohol when you're pregnant could potentially impact your baby's development. Drinking alcohol is linked to an increased risk of miscarriage, premature birth and low birthweight. Some research also suggests that drinking alcohol in pregnancy can lead to behavioural and learning difficulties in your child.
If you're worried about cutting out alcohol, take the time to talk to your midwife, who will be able to offer advice and support.
If you've accidentally eaten a mince pie containing alcohol, try not to worry. As a one-off, it's unlikely to do your baby any harm, though it's still best to avoid doing it again to be on the safe side. If you have any worries, mention them to your midwife at your next appointment.
Delicious mince pie recipes
Love mince pies? Why not try one of these great pregnancy-safe recipes?
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.
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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