Drinking alcoholic wine when pregnant is not advised as it’s known to cause adverse effects on the baby in the development stage. But what about non-alcoholic wine?
Making informed choices about anything when you’re pregnant is essential. Whether it’s food, drink or movement, it’s wise to understand what your body can and can’t handle when you’re carrying your little one.
Understanding Non-Alcoholic Wine
Alcohol-free wine is as it says on the tin - wine without alcohol. They taste similar, look similar and are bottled similarly to alcoholic wine, but are alcohol-free.
Most alcohol-free wine follows a very similar production process to alcoholic wine, however, towards the end of the process the alcohol is removed using vacuum distillation, reverse osmosis or spinning cone technology.
Spinning cone technology is a rather complex procedure but more effective at keeping the taste than the other two.
Most alcohol-free wines are classed as alcohol-free as they have an alcohol content of less than 0.5%, meaning your body can metabolise the alcohol quicker than feeling an effect when at that level. All the alcohol-free wines we sell at Zero.Zilch.Zip. are 0.5% alcohol content or less.
For context, ripe bananas are known to have up to 0.5 alcohol content, Kombucha is known to have anything from 0.5% upwards and Kefir is similar due to their fermentation processes.
The Safety Question
When you consume alcohol, it travels from your bloodstream through the placenta to your baby, potentially causing significant disruptions in its development.
Since your baby's liver is not fully developed, it lacks the capability to metabolise alcohol effectively. Consuming alcohol while pregnant raises the chances of miscarriage, preterm birth, and your baby being born with low birth weight. Additionally, it can exert postnatal effects on your baby.
But all of this begs the question, is alcohol-free wine safe to drink when you’re pregnant even though alcoholic wine isn’t? The internet will tell you many different things. Some say it’s safe, some say it’s not.
Our advice is similar to that of the NHS’ which states that you shouldn’t consume any level of alcohol when you’re pregnant, this includes most alcohol-free wine even though the content is 0.5% or less.
If, however, the drink isn’t created using one of the three de-alcoholisation techniques listed at the start and is simply a mix of non-alcoholic ingredients, you will be fine to drink it when pregnant. Read on to see the options we sell at Zero.Zilch.Zip.
As with everything like this, it’s best to consult your doctor before you make a decision, just to make sure you’re making the right one.
4 Delicious Alternatives
All of these alternatives have an alcohol content of 0.0% and no more, meaning they’re all safe to drink when pregnant, driving or having a night off the booze. Plus, they don’t just taste like grape juice, they’ve been chosen specifically for our site due to their likeliness to alcoholic wine.
1. Tread Softly Everything Except Non-Alcoholic Pinot Grigio White Wine 2022 0.0%
Everything Except from Tread Softly unveils itself as a distinct Pinot Grigio, presenting fragrances of pear and freshly sliced apple intertwined with vibrant floral and citrus undertones.
The palate exudes a refreshing dryness, adorned with the purity of lemon peel and nashi pear tastes, culminating in a finale marked by refreshing acidity.
2. Plus & Minus Alcohol Free Rosé Wine (0.5% ABV)
Plus & Minus represents a modern series of Australian wines crafted to be abundant in antioxidants while excluding alcohol. Within this collection, their exquisite Chardonnay emerges from the exceptional 2021 harvest in Adelaide Hills.
The wine's pale yellow hue conceals a profusion of essential fruit fragrances, encompassing notes of stone fruit, melon, and refreshing apple, all complemented by a subtle touch of seamlessly integrated oak.
3. Plus Minus Non-Alcoholic Shiraz Red Wine 2022 0.0%
Within this Plus Minus Shiraz, you'll encounter the timeless scents characteristic of Shiraz, accentuated by deep-hued berries, delicate notes of chocolate and vanilla, and subtle oak undertones.
As traces of vanilla intermingle with an unforeseen touch of sweetness, revel in the satisfaction of indulging in this quintessential South Australian alcohol-free wine.
4. Plus Minus Non-Alcoholic Pinot Noir Red Wine 2022 0.0%
With an authentic Pinot presence on the aroma, Plus Minus Pinot Noir delivers the renowned essence of a profound and intricate red within the realm of alcohol-free wines.
Deep and rich, featuring a subtle sweetness, an interplay of herbs and spices alongside innate fruitiness converge harmoniously, creating a flavour that elevates with each indulgent sip.
Head here for the rest of our alcohol-free wine selection.
3 BIG Benefits of Non-Alcoholic Wine
Alongside affecting your baby in a negative way, drinking alcohol has been linked to several adult health conditions including cancer, depression and high blood pressure.
As well as health problems, there are other issues related to drinking alcohol including misuse and anti-social behaviour, meaning more and more people are choosing to stay off the booze as we move into an era of mindful drinkers.
Alcohol-free wine eradicates these issues as it obviously doesn’t contain alcohol, but what are the positives to drinking de-alcoholised wine?
Let’s find out.
1. Fewer calories - Alcohol-free wine generally has fewer calories than its alcoholic counterpart. Alcohol has as many calories per gram as fat, meaning switching to non-alcoholic wine is a health-conscious choice.
2. No hangovers or hangxiety - We all know that horrible anxious feeling after a night on the bevs. Switching to alcohol-free wine removes this feeling as well as the need to wear sunglasses all day due to your hangover. Is it ever really worth it?!
3. Better sleep - Even the smallest amount of alcohol is known to affect your sleep, and good sleep is essential to a healthy lifestyle and improved well-being, meaning swapping alcoholic wine for alcohol-free is a good choice for those who want a good kip.
As well as these stand-out benefits, switching to alcohol-free wine can improve your self-control qualities and day-to-day mood as well as reduce stress, all of which sound rather convincing, especially if you’re thinking about having a baby in the near future and want to be as healthy as possible.
3 Potential risks
Just like everything, drinking too much alcohol-free wine has its risks, and it’s best to be enjoyed in moderation.
1. As it has to be made to taste like wine, some ingredients used may not agree with you so best to check the ingredient list before sipping, especially if you have a baby on the way and choose to have a glass one night.
2. As it isn’t exactly water, some alcohol-free wines have a higher calorie and sugar content than other soft drinks, meaning it’s best to be mindful before you crack a bottle.
3. Some processing techniques can remove the flavours you associate with alcoholic wine, meaning it’s best to go into a sip with an open mind as it may taste different to what you’re used to.
We’re not saying don't enjoy a glass, but just best to be aware of the listed risks.
Expert opinions
Medical professionals such as obstetricians, gynaecologists, and other healthcare providers commonly recommend that pregnant individuals steer clear of any type of alcohol, including alcohol-free wine.
This precaution is due to the possibility that even minimal alcohol traces could cross the placenta and impact the growth of the fetus. Here are some more expert medical opinions.
The World Health Organization (WHO) strongly advises refraining from alcohol entirely during pregnancy. They emphasize that the dangers associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy, which include cognitive and developmental issues in the child, are firmly established.
The National Library of Medicine also states that no established safe amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy exists. Refraining from all alcoholic beverages would completely remove the risk of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
While it's probable that consuming non-alcoholic beverages moderately wouldn't harm breastfed infants, waiting briefly before breastfeeding after having such drinks would guarantee the infant remains unexposed to alcohol.
As stated previously, the NHS also advises no alcohol should be consumed when pregnant, this is why it’s best to stick to the completely 0% options as we listed earlier in the article.
Conclusion
To conclude, consuming any level of alcohol when pregnant has its risks, even wines with a 0.05% to 0.5% content like many we sell here at Zero.Zilch.Zip. Luckily, many wines we sell have a completely 0% level, meaning they would be safe to consume when carrying a baby.
However, as with anything health-related when pregnant, it’s best to consult your doctor for the best guidelines, as they know your body and what is best for you and your baby.
For more alcohol-free insights, head to our blog or read ‘Can you drink non-alcoholic beer when pregnant?’.
