Is Cooking Wine Safe During Pregnancy? (Updated 2026 Guide)
Updated March 25, 2026
The Answer
No - cooking wine should be avoided during pregnancy. Despite common belief, alcohol does not fully cook off during cooking, and no amount of alcohol is considered safe during pregnancy.
Cooking wine contains alcohol, and medical consensus is clear that no safe amount of alcohol exists during pregnancy. Alcohol can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), leading to lifelong physical and cognitive problems. Even when cooked, significant amounts of alcohol can remain in food depending on cooking time and method.
Pregnancy Safe is 100% independent and research driven. No companies pay to promote or sponsor products.
✓ What's Safe
- • Alcohol free cooking wine alternatives specifically labeled 'non alcoholic'
- • Grape juice or white grape juice as a substitute for white cooking wine
- • Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth as a savory liquid replacement
- • Apple cider vinegar mixed with water for acidity in recipes
- • Pomegranate or cranberry juice for red wine substitutes in sauces
✗ What to Avoid
- • All cooking wines including marsala, sherry, and rice wine (mirin)
- • Recipes claiming alcohol 'cooks off completely' - studies show 4-85% can remain
- • Dishes with short cooking times where alcohol has less time to evaporate
- • Flambéed dishes which retain approximately 75% of alcohol content
- • Sauces or marinades where wine is added near the end of cooking
Most Common Ingredients in Cooking Wine Products
We analyzed 135 cooking wine products. Here are the most common ingredients, ranked by how often they appear:
Ingredients to Watch Out For in Cooking Wine
These are the most common flagged ingredients across 135 cooking wine products we analyzed.
wine
CAUTION
Wine is an intoxicating substance in beverages. Causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorder with lifelong physical and cognitive problems. No safe level exists.
Found in 61 of 135 products (45%)
sherry wine
AVOID
Sherry wine is an intoxicating substance in beverages. Causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorder with lifelong physical and cognitive problems. No safe level exists.
Found in 10 of 135 products (7%)
neutral spirits
AVOID
Neutral spirits is an intoxicating substance in beverages. Causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorder with lifelong physical and cognitive problems. No safe level exists.
Found in 9 of 135 products (7%)
red wine
AVOID
Red wine is an intoxicating substance in beverages. Causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorder with lifelong physical and cognitive problems. No safe level exists.
Found in 9 of 135 products (7%)
alcohol
CAUTION
Alcohol is an intoxicating substance in beverages. Causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorder with lifelong physical and cognitive problems. No safe level exists.
Found in 8 of 135 products (6%)
white wine
AVOID
White wine is an intoxicating substance in beverages. Causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorder with lifelong physical and cognitive problems. No safe level exists.
Found in 7 of 135 products (5%)
marsala wine
AVOID
Marsala wine is an intoxicating substance in beverages. Causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorder with lifelong physical and cognitive problems. No safe level exists.
Found in 6 of 135 products (4%)
high fructose corn syrup
CAUTION
High fructose corn syrup is a sweetener derived from corn starch and widely used in processed foods and beverages. Has been associated with placental insufficiency, fetal growth restriction, and metabolic programming of offspring in animal studies, and with gestational diabetes and preeclampsia in epidemiological studies of humans.
Found in 4 of 135 products (3%)
Cooking Wine Products We've Analyzed
We graded 135 cooking wine products for pregnancy safety.
Your Questions Answered
Can pregnant women eat food cooked with wine?
Medical organizations recommend avoiding food cooked with wine during pregnancy. While cooking does reduce alcohol content, it doesn't eliminate it completely. Studies show that depending on cooking method and time, anywhere from 4% to 85% of alcohol can remain in the finished dish. Since no safe level of alcohol during pregnancy has been established, the safest approach is to avoid cooking wine entirely.
What are the risks of cooking wine during pregnancy?
The primary risk is fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which can cause lifelong physical and cognitive problems in children. Alcohol crosses the placenta and the developing fetus cannot process it as efficiently as an adult. Even small amounts of alcohol exposure during pregnancy have been associated with developmental issues. The CDC and other health organizations state there is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy.
How long does it take for alcohol to cook out of food?
Alcohol does not fully cook out of food regardless of cooking time. Research shows that after 15 minutes of cooking, about 40% of alcohol remains. After 1 hour, approximately 25% remains. After 2.5 hours of cooking, around 5% still remains. Cooking methods also matter - baked dishes retain more alcohol than stovetop preparations. This is why pregnant women are advised to avoid dishes made with cooking wine.
How can I make sure most of the alcohol has been cooked off?
While longer cooking times at higher temperatures reduce alcohol content, you cannot ensure complete removal. The safest approach during pregnancy is to use alcohol free substitutes instead. For white wine, try white grape juice or chicken broth. For red wine, use grape juice, pomegranate juice, or beef broth. For sherry or marsala, apple juice with a splash of vinegar works well. These alternatives provide similar flavor profiles without any alcohol risk.
What kind of alcohol free alternatives can I use for cooking wine?
Several safe substitutes work well in recipes calling for cooking wine. For white wine, use equal parts white grape juice or chicken broth with a teaspoon of lemon juice for acidity. For red wine, try grape juice, pomegranate juice, or beef broth. Rice vinegar diluted with water can replace rice wine (mirin). For sherry, apple cider mixed with a small amount of vinegar provides a similar depth of flavor. These alternatives are completely safe during pregnancy.
How Do We Score Products for Pregnancy Safety?
We analyze each product's ingredients and category to flag known risks and provide cautionary notices for general category safety concerns.
A - Safe
Excellent choice! All ingredients are considered safe during pregnancy.
What to do: Use with confidence.
B - Likely Safe
Pretty much safe with very minimal risk. Some ingredients may have limited pregnancy studies, but no significant safety concerns have been identified.
What to do: Use with confidence.
C - Limit
Contains ingredients with some pregnancy considerations. Research shows these ingredients may have limited safety data, potential for minor hormonal effects, or require caution based on animal studies.
What to do: Use sparingly and consider safer alternatives when available.
D - Caution
Similar to C grade but contains multiple cautionary ingredients. The combination increases overall concern.
What to do: Try to avoid if that makes you feel better. If you've already used it, no need to panic.
F - Avoid
Contains ingredients with established risks during pregnancy. Research shows these can cause birth defects, developmental harm, or serious maternal complications.
What to do: Do not use during pregnancy. If you've already used it, don't worry - contact your OBGYN if concerned.
People Also Checked
See our full guide to wine during pregnancy.
References
- https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol pregnancy/about/index.html
- https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping well/drinking alcohol while pregnant/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7061927/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7807528/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetal_alcohol_spectrum_disorder
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3297711/
- https://americanaddictioncenters.org/alcohol/risks effects dangers/pregnancy
- https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF Guide/Drinking Alcohol in Pregnancy Fetal Alcohol Effects-093.aspx
- https://www.nature.com/articles/pr200789
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases conditions/fetal alcohol syndrome/symptoms causes/syc-20352901
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15677-fetal alcohol syndrome
- https://thrivemarket.com/blog/heres a-convincing reason to avoid high fructose corn syrup during pregnancy
- https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2023.1203063/full
- https://www.nature.com/articles/srep25091
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0955286322000225
- https://www.orlandohealth.com/content hub/why you should not consume high fructose corn syrup if you are pregnant/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7441786/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35123000/
- https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/32/12/2314/25900/Dietary Risk Factors for Gestational Diabetes
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522034220
