Mum-to-be Diary: The best non alcoholic drinks for pregnancy (and Dry January!)
18 weeks and counting…
Last week in my first Mum-to-be Diary I mentioned how I have discovered that pregnancy means forgoing many of my favourite foods and drinks. Gone are the days of feasting on deliciously gooey brie, while sipping a glass of cool, crisp white Burgundy!
While I envy everyone around me who is able to explore the full scope of their palette in relation to food, this month I have been joined on the ‘non alcohol’ journey by quite a few of my friends, who are opting to complete the Dry January challenge. Most of them are moaning about the lack of choice when it comes to alternative beverages. However, this is a market that I have been studying for the last four months and I have learnt a lot in that time!
So, this week I wanted to highlight some of my favourite drinks for pregnant women and these are also on the menu for everyone who is enjoying a teetotal start to 2017…
Best soft drink
Belvoir Fruit Farms’ Ginger Cordial with sparkling water
Ginger is supposed to be great for pregnant ladies who are suffering from morning sickness. Luckily I escaped this symptom but ginger is still surprisingly delicious, nonetheless. Belvoir Fruit Farms’ Ginger Cordial is a best-selling cordial for a reason. It has a brilliant spicy kick and this is achieved by cooking fresh root ginger. If you mix it with sparkling water, you create a ginger beer style of drink, which probably has less sugar than some of the ginger beers you will find bottled at a bar.
Best mocktail
Virgin Mojito
Talking about sugar, if you want a real treat then a mocktail is the way forward. I find that some cocktails don’t work as mocktails because they just end up tasting like a mixed up load of fruit juice. However, a Virgin Mojito is incredible and almost tastes better than the real thing. I have been impressed by the amount of bars and pubs that have a mocktail menu and it is a great option if you are not drinking but still want to feel like you are taking part in all the fun.
Best non-alcoholic spirit
Seedlip Gin
If you were a fan of gin and tonic before you were pregnant then you will love the Seedlip non-alcoholic version of this tipple. Seedlip consists of the distillates of six unique botanicals. These are all blended together without any alcohol or sugar. There are two different versions and I prefer the Garden blend. This is quite a floral gin alternative and less punchy than their Spice 94 mix.
Best non-alcoholic beer
Nanny State Ale
‘Nanny State Alcohol Free Hoppy Ale’ is a brilliant beer and an excellent choice for the Dry January crew. It tastes very close to the real thing and is best served out of a cold glass with a bit of head on top, as opposed to straight from the bottle. There is one point that should be noted for pregnant ladies. According to UK laws this is technically not entirely free of alcohol and contains 0.5% or the equivalent of 0.165 units. I have asked advice about whether it is ok to consume this on occasions and apparently there are similar traces of alcohol in other products, so this type of value is not a huge concern. That said, it is the choice of each individual to seek their own guidance on the matter and decide if they are happy or not with a 0.5% product. Becks Blue is another alternative and contains no alcohol for pregnant ladies.
Best non-alcoholic champagne
Sainsbury’s Non-alcoholic Sparkling Wine
If you are looking to join in a champagne toast during a dinner party, Sainsbury’s have a non-alcoholic sparkling wine that is a great substitute for champagne. It is definitely not the same as the real thing, but if you serve it very chilled it is a pleasant drink to sip. It tastes quite sweet but the bubbles last as long as some of the leading champagne brands.
Best non-alcoholic white wine
Sainsbury’s Non-alcoholic White Wine
From all of the non-alcoholic wines I have tried, Sainsbury’s comes out top. The non-alcoholic white wine is excellent. Again, I think it is best to serve it very chilled. In fact, I add a few ice cubes to my glass in order to bring the temperature right down. It tastes quite sweet but this version is by far the best on the market.
Best non-alcoholic red wine
None!
This drink has definitely not been mastered yet. The red wine alternatives just taste like nasty, stale fruit juice and they lack the depth and body of real wine. I would avoid at all costs!
Best winter warmer
TeaPigs
Mint tea, camomile tea, ginger tea and super berry tea are all top of my hit list at the moment for a winter warmer. I have fallen in love with the brand Teapigs and they do an amazing selection of teas that you can drink at any time of the day. The tea bags are also presented in a luxury way and it feels like a treat just brewing your favourite cuppa. Pregnant ladies should avoid caffeine if possible, so green teas are off the menu but there are plenty of other caffeine free options available.
Happy drinking!
Love your resident Mum-to-be x
