Can you eat haggis while pregnant?
Not advisedNo, skip traditional haggis during pregnancy, because it is made with sheep's liver. Liver is very high in vitamin A, which the NHS warns can harm your baby.
Why
Traditional haggis is sheep's heart, liver, and lungs mixed with oatmeal, suet, and spices, so it counts as a liver product. The NHS tells pregnant women to avoid liver and foods that contain liver. The reason is their high level of retinol, the form of vitamin A that can harm a developing baby. Its healthy diet guidance for pregnancy says the same thing: meat is a good source of protein, but avoid liver. The problem is the vitamin A itself, not germs, so cooking haggis thoroughly does not change the verdict. Vegetarian haggis has no liver, so you can still have haggis on your Burns Night plate.
Safer alternatives
- Vegetarian haggis, such as Macsween Vegetarian Haggis, heated until steaming hot
- Lamb shepherd's pie cooked until piping hot
- Well-cooked lamb sausages with neeps and tatties
Sources
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/have-a-healthy-diet/
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 vegetarian haggis safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Vegetarian haggis is made from oats, beans or lentils, and vegetables, with no liver, so the vitamin A concern does not apply. Heat it until steaming hot all the way through and serve it with neeps and tatties.
I ate haggis before I knew I was pregnant. Should I worry?
Try not to. The concern is high intakes of vitamin A from liver, and one serving of haggis is unlikely to have caused harm. Stop eating it from now on and switch to the vegetarian version.
Does canned or American haggis contain liver?
Often, yes. US-made haggis leaves out the lungs, which cannot be sold as food in the US, but many recipes still use liver, and traditional Scottish haggis, canned or fresh, includes it. Check the ingredients: if liver is listed, do not eat it.
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