Is Worcestershire sauce safe during pregnancy?
Can Worcestershire sauce, or flavoured foods, be a hazard in pregnancy, plus mums' experiences
In a nutshell
Yes, Worcestershire sauce is safe in pregnancy
The expert view
It is safe to eat – but bear in mind that it has a high salt content. Adults should eat no more than 6g of salt (2.4g of sodium) each day. A teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce contains 65mg – about 3% of the recommended maximum daily intake.
“It’s easy to have too much salt when you use Worcestershire or soya sauce, or if you make a pasta, stir-fry or curry with a ready-made sauce,” warns nutritionist Dr Rana Conway. “Whenever possible, go for other ingredients to flavour your food, such as lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, garlic, ginger and fresh or dried herbs.”
Mums in our forum say
“I never knew Worcestershire sauce was made from anchovies! I LOVE Worcester sauce but hate, hate, hate those little fishy anchovies!!” Nicolamumto3
Read more about pregnancy safety:
Are ready meals safe to eat when pregnant?
Authors
Magda Ibrahim is a freelance writer who has written for publications including The Times and Sunday Times, The Sun, Time Out, and the London Evening Standard, as well for MadeForMums.
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