Don’t dessert and drive! Foodies are warned not to scoff too much Christmas pudding, tiramisu and sherry trifle in case the boozy treats put them over the drink drive limit

• Two portions of Christmas cake or Italian tiramisu could put drivers over the limit
• And as few as three helpings of sherry trifle could have the same effect
• More people are caught drink driving by police over the Christmas period 

Foodies have been warned not to scoff too much Christmas pudding, tiramisu and sherry trifle over the Christmas holidays in case the boozy treats put them over the drink drive limit.

Just two slices of the brandy-soaked festive pudding could put drivers over the limit, while two portions of the Italian dessert and three portions of the sherry trifle could have the same effect.

Ten per cent more people were caught drink driving in the run up to Christmas last year than the year before, with 48,800 positive tests on Britain’s roads, a freedom of information request has revealed. 

Foodies have been warned not to scoff too much Christmas pudding, tiramisu and sherry trifle over the Christmas holidays (Picture: Stock image showing a woman receiving a breath test. There is no suggestion that this woman has been caught drink driving)

Just two portions of either Christmas cake, left, or tiramisu, right, can put a driver over the limit. They were ranked as the two most dangerous Christmas puddings for drivers (stock images)

Cranberry and port sauce, which can contain up to four glasses of the Portuguese drink, should not be taken in excess of four portions for drivers the research carried out by a car sales company also warned. 

Christmas lovers were also advised to avoid more than five portions of Christmas pudding, six glasses of eggnog and seven slabs of brandy butter if they are planning to drive.

Boozy chocolates filled with alcohol such as Bailey’s or cherry liquor, should also not be consumed in excess – with drivers warned they should not scoff more than 30.

A limit of 20 mince pies on Christmas day was also set, as scoffing any more could put a driver over the limit.  

For those considering a more extravagant Christmas dinner, peppercorn sauce and chicken marsala were also placed on the warning list.

The tasty steak sauce contains around 100ml of brandy, meaning that just four servings can put a driver over the limit.

Additionally a four-person dish of chicken marsala, which contains around 250ml of Sicilian wine marsala, was also placed on the list.

Briton’s consume 40 per cent more alcohol than usual in the run-up to Christmas day, research has shown, with alcohol and boozy desserts being a significant factor.  

Scottish drivers have been warned to watch their alcohol consumption moire closely this Christmas, with the drink drive limit in the country lowered to 22 micrograms in 100ml of breath in 2014. 

In the rest of the UK it remains 35 micrograms in 100ml of breath.

Three portions of sherry trifle, left, could also put a driver over the limit. Five portions of Christmas pudding, right, could have the same effect. (stock images)

Christmas pudding was rated the fifth most dangerous pudding for drivers, although five portions were needed before the effects were felt. And eggnog was rated the sixth most dangerous (Although drivers needed to have six glasses before feeling the effects). (stock images)

Vehicle sales company All Car Leasing, based in Cheshire, carried out the research ahead of the Christmas period. 

Company spokesman Chris Taylor said: ‘Christmas is nearly upon us, and across the UK people are scribbling out shopping lists and braving the supermarkets to stock up on food and drink for the festive season.

‘You’re unlikely to get through 20 portions of mince pies, but three portions of sherry trifle? It’s plausible…as we all know that family member who enjoys a second or third helping of their dinner. 

‘Remember this doesn’t apply for those living in Scotland, as on 5th December 2014 Scotland applied stricter alcohol limits for drivers, which is considered a lot less than the UK’S drink-drive limit – so be sure to double-check the unit levels of your next indulgent meal when travelling up north.

‘While this was done as a light-hearted study, we felt people may want to know that some foods could add to their alcohol intake more than first thought.’

The National Police Chiefs’ Council will launch their drink-driving campaign on December 11.

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