Hot chocolate is milk warmed with cocoa or melted chocolate and a little sugar. It is a safe, comforting drink in pregnancy — almost caffeine-free and made with pasteurised milk — with sugar the only thing to keep an eye on.
Why it's good in pregnancy
A mug made with milk gives you calcium and protein for your baby's bones and growth, plus magnesium and a little iron from the cocoa. On a cold evening or a nauseous morning, a warm, mild drink can be easier to take than food, and this one brings nutrients with it.
Key nutrients
CalciumA mug made with 250 ml of milk gives around 300 mg of calcium, a third of your daily need.
ProteinMilk brings 8 g of protein per mug, supporting your baby's growing tissues.
MagnesiumCocoa is one of the richer sources of magnesium, which supports muscle and nerve function and may ease leg cramps.
Serving ideas
Cocoa powder whisked into hot milk with a little honey
Dark hot chocolate with a pinch of cinnamon
Oat milk hot chocolate on a cold morning
A small café hot chocolate without cream
Safety
Hot chocolate has only about 5 mg caffeine a cup — well within the limit.Make it with pasteurised milk and go easy on sugar and toppings.
Use pasteurised milk — all shop milk is — or a fortified oat or soy drink, and make it from cocoa powder or good chocolate rather than sugary instant mixes where you can, so you control the sweetness. A café hot chocolate with whipped cream and syrup can hold 40 g of sugar and 400 kcal, so ask for a small one without the extras. Caffeine is tiny, around 5 mg a cup, and a dark-chocolate version reaches perhaps 20 mg, still far below the limit. If heartburn is a problem, cocoa can relax the valve at the top of the stomach, so keep the mug small and not too close to bedtime.
Common questions
Can I drink hot chocolate while pregnant?Yes — it is made with pasteurised milk and carries only around 5 mg of caffeine, so the only thing to watch is sugar.
How much caffeine is in hot chocolate?About 5 mg in a standard mug, up to 20 mg for a dark-chocolate version, compared with 95 mg in a cup of coffee.
Is hot chocolate good for pregnancy nausea?A warm, mild, milky drink suits some people when food is hard to face, and it brings calcium and protein with it.
Did you know?
A mug of hot chocolate holds about 5 mg of caffeine, roughly a twentieth of a cup of coffee.
Cocoa contains theobromine, a gentler relative of caffeine that your body clears more easily.
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