Can you drink cooking wine while pregnant?
Not advisedNever drink cooking wine while pregnant, because it is alcohol, often at a higher strength than table wine. Using a splash in a dish that then simmers for a long time is a different matter and is generally considered fine.
Why
Cooking wine is simply wine with added salt, usually 10 to 17 percent alcohol by volume, and the NHS advises that the safest approach in pregnancy is to drink no alcohol at all, since alcohol passes through the placenta and can affect how the baby's brain and organs develop. There is no known safe amount to drink, so a glass or a swig straight from the bottle is out, whatever the label says about being for cooking. Alcohol used in cooking behaves differently: in a dish that is brought to a simmer and held there, most of the alcohol evaporates and what remains is a trace amount spread across several servings, so a sauce, braise, or stir-fry made with a splash of cooking wine is not a cause for worry.
Safer alternatives
- Chicken or vegetable stock in place of white cooking wine
- Verjus or a splash of white grape juice with lemon for acidity
- Rice vinegar mixed with a little sugar instead of mirin or Shaoxing wine
- Alcohol-free cooking wine, which is widely sold in supermarkets
Sources
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/drinking-alcohol-while-pregnant/
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/
Every verdict follows our sourcing methodology: official health guidelines only, most cautious position when they differ.
Last reviewed by the pregAI editorial team.
Frequently asked questions
Is cooking wine stronger than regular wine?
Often, yes. Many cooking wines and cooking sherries sit between 10 and 17 percent alcohol, similar to or above table wine, with salt added. That makes drinking it no safer than drinking any other alcohol in pregnancy.
Does the alcohol cook off in my sauce?
Most of it does when the dish is simmered or baked for a reasonable time with the lid off, and the small residue is divided among the servings. Add the wine early rather than at the end, and let the dish bubble for at least several minutes. A flambe or a sauce finished with wine off the heat keeps more alcohol.
I drank cooking wine before I knew I was pregnant, should I worry?
The risk from a single small amount early on is thought to be low. Stopping now is the thing that matters, and the NHS advice is to drink no alcohol for the rest of the pregnancy. Mention it at your next appointment so it is on the record and you can stop turning it over.
Related foods
All drinks verdicts for pregnancy Browse all foods: can I eat this while pregnant?Get instant verdicts on any food
pregAI scans any dish, product or menu and answers in seconds, grounded in the same official sources.
Get instant verdicts on any foodpregAI is informational only and is not medical advice. Always check with your doctor or midwife about anything specific to your pregnancy.