Guinness Stout Beer is Rich in Iron - Good for Pregnancy

Guinness is known to have high levels of Iron, which can become depleted whilst pregnant.

I was told my by sister-in-law and her hubby that apparently, this type of Beer is what she used to drink when she was pregnant of Alfie! I then asked, but alcohol is bad for developing babies but why? They said that it has been prescribed by most doctors here in the UK, as it has reported to have been a good source of iron and vitamin B pregnant women should have.

"Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause physical and mental birth defects. Each year, up to 40,000 babies are born with some degree of alcohol-related damage. Although many women are aware that heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause birth defects, many do not realize that moderate—or even light—drinking also may harm the fetus".

I didn't believe it until my mother-in-law and one of their friends told me as well plus, I googled the same thing and have in yahoo answers re: Is guinness good for pregnant ladies?.

In fact, hollywood celebrity Gwyneth Paltrow was 5 months pregnant with her second child while she enjoyed a Guinness beer while out with her husband Chris Martin at a sushi bar one time.

What about the old wives tale about nursing mothers drinking Guinness?

Current medical research suggests that pregnant women and nursing mothers should totally abstain from any form of alcoholic beverage. In pregnancy, it can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, characterized by slow development. Alcohol does pass in the mother's milk, so nursing mother's should avoid Guinness and any other form of alcohol. I have received numerous comments from readers that I am being overly cautious and that Guinness is still given to nursing mothers in Ireland and brown ale to mothers in Belgium.

But why drinking alcohol content instead of eating foods rich in Iron?

Iron Rich Food The list below shows the calorie, fat and iron content of some iron-rich foods. Men and women over the age of 50 years should have 8.7mg iron daily; teenage girls and women under 50 years should have 14.8mg a day. Food Calories Fat (g) Iron (mg) Animal sources of iron Portion of fried lamb’s liver 237 12.9 10.9 125g can sardines in tomato sauce 221 14.5 5.8 8oz (raw weight) grilled rump steak 289 9.6 4.1 40g liver pate 126 11.6 2.8 2 thick slices lean roast beef 158 4.6 2.3 3 slices lean roast lamb 189 8.6 2.1 1 boiled egg 90 6.6 1.1 100g raw extra-lean minced beef 174 9.6 1.4 2 thick slices lean roast pork 164 5 1 2 grilled low-fat pork sausages 183 5.5 1 1 steamed salmon steak 197 13 0.8 Vegetable sources of iron 30g bowl branflakes 95 0.6 6 200g can baked beans in tomato sauce 168 1.2 2.8 30g bowl cornflakes 108 0.2 2 2 slices wholemeal bread 155 1.8 1.9 3tbsp garden peas 62 0.8 1.4 Average serving of spinach 17 0.7 1.4 2 slices white bread 156 0.9 1 2 spears of broccoli 22 0.7 0.9 10 Brussels sprouts 35 1.3 0.6 NB: these figures are based on a mixture of brands. Nutritional information may vary slightly from brand to brand.

Good for me that I eat almost of all the foods mentioned above, so I just concentrate on these foods rather than drinking any alcohol contest drink right?