Can you eat rum cake when pregnant?
In this brief guide, we will discuss the following question, “can you eat rum cake when pregnant?”, and other queries related to this topic.
Can you eat rum cake when pregnant?
No, you can not eat rum cake when pregnant because rum is a type of alcohol and all kinds of alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is harmful to the baby and can lead to several health problems.
However, the alcohol content in some recipes depends on the cooking method. The more the cooking time of cakes or recipes containing alcohol, the lower the alcohol content will be at the end. Generally, if you cook your cake or your dish for at least two hours the alcohol will evaporate.
Moreover, the higher the alcohol percentage in the alcohol chosen the more your cooking time will be longer to get rid completely of alcohol.
Usually, wine and beer have a low alcohol content so if your recipe requires alcohol addition choose these types of hard liquor.
So, for example, sauces made from wine which in most cases contain 12% alcohol by volume can be consumed. Since cooking will reduce the alcohol percentage to a very low level. Additionally, you will not add the whole prepared sauce to your steak so a small quantity will not harm you.
Rum, whiskey, and bailey are very concentrated in alcohol. So, it is advised to avoid dishes containing such types of alcohol because we can not know their degree of safety and their alcohol content. Hence, if you want to eat such dishes, avoid those containing non cooked alcohol.
Furthermore, you should not cut out all types of desserts during pregnancy but try to choose desserts like cakes, cookies, pudding, and other types that do not contain any trace of alcohol or alcohol is not an essential ingredient in its making.
Additionally, avoid all desserts made from unpasteurized milk or cream or those containing raw eggs. Because these desserts might put you at the risk of developing food poisoning since they might be contaminated with Listeria, a harmful bacteria for the mother and the baby.
What are the threats to the fetus from eating rum cake while pregnant?
The alcohol present in the rum that is added to the cake when the baking process is done is a major threat to pregnant women. The rum is poured onto the cake when it is done. So, the alcohol is not evaporated during the baking at a high temperature.
However, you will be eating a small piece but this might be risky since alcohol can pass from the blood circulation of the mother to the baby through the placenta.
The baby can not digest or detoxify the alcohol like an adult because his liver is not fully mature to do the detoxifying process.
So, when the baby is exposed to alcohol his growth and development might be affected and impaired. This condition is known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder or FASD. This disorder is characterized by learning difficulty, hyperactivity, and speech problems.
Moreover, it can lead to some physical defects characterized by some facial features like small eyes, upturned nose, thin upper lip, joint deformities, hearing and visual problems, small brain size, small head circumference, and heart and kidney problems.
In addition, to these long-term effects of the fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, alcohol can pose the mother at the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, or even preterm birth. The amount of alcohol recommended during pregnancy is not known, so better to be completely avoided.
Furthermore, women who are trying to get pregnant should avoid drinking alcohol in the phase preceding the pregnancy occurrence.
The more the pregnant woman is consuming alcohol before and during pregnancy the more she puts her baby at risk of developing health problems.
How to minimize the alcohol content of food?
Generally, alcohol like wine is added to food to enhance its flavor. To minimize its content in the food you should add it to your dish while cooking it.
Like that you give the alcohol the needed time to evaporate. The alcohol will not completely evaporate but the majority of it will do.
Moreover, if your recipe calls for alcohol do not add the whole recommended amount to reduce the quantity you might consume. Also, substitute alcohol with broth, tomato juice, apple vinegar, or balsamic vinegar.
Other FAQs about Rum that you may be interested in.
Can you keep rum in the refrigerator?
Does rum go bad in the fridge?
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we will discuss the following question, “can you eat rum cake when pregnant?”, and other queries related to this topic.
