Is Butter safe during pregnancy?
Milk, cheese & dairy
Safe when pasteurised
The NHS lists pasteurised butter as safe and unpasteurised butter as a food to avoid in pregnancy.[1,2]
What official sources say
NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy
- Cheese, milk and other dairy › Safe to eat: Pasteurised milk, butter, yoghurt, cream and ice cream, from cows, sheep or goats, are safe in pregnancy.[1]
- Cheese, milk and other dairy › Foods to avoid: Unpasteurised milk, cream, yoghurt, butter and ice cream, from cows, sheep or goats, are on the list of foods to avoid in pregnancy.[1]
NHS: Have a healthy diet in pregnancy
- Foods that are high in fat, sugar, or both, include: All spreading fats, such as butter, are counted among foods high in fat, sugar or both.[2]
Related general rules
ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024
- Intake of cooking oils and of saturated fats such as butter and ghee should be limited, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (vanaspati) avoided. (p. 10) (general-population advice, not specific to pregnancy)[3]
Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)
| Energy | 717 kcal |
| Protein | 0.85 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Sugars | 0.06 g |
| Iron | 0.02 mg |
| Calcium | 24 mg |
| Folate (DFE) | 3 µg |
| Folate, total | 3 µg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 684 µg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.17 µg |
| Choline | 18.8 mg |
| DHA (omega-3) | 0 g |
| EPA (omega-3) | 0 g |
| Caffeine | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 643 mg |
USDA FoodData Central: Butter, salted (FDC ID 173410), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.
Sources
- NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy · nhs.uk. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). Not endorsed by the NHS.
- NHS: Have a healthy diet in pregnancy · nhs.uk. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). Not endorsed by the NHS.
- ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 · nin.res.in. Printed page 10. Paraphrased and cited by printed page; the text is not reproduced.
Sources checked 26 September 2026.
Quotes are checked word for word against each source page, and paraphrases against the original text. Official bodies are named as sources only: none of them reviewed or endorses this page.
Educational information, not medical advice. Your own doctor or midwife may advise differently for you — follow their advice.