Many women worry about eating cheese during pregnancy and abandon it entirely so that their unborn baby is not harmed. Others think that if they only eat pasteurized cheese it will be fine, but in reality this is not the case.
What is the problem with the cheese?
Some cheeses contain the listeria bacteria that cause listeriosis. This results in an adult having flu-like symptoms a few weeks after ingesting the listeria in cheese. It is not harmful to an adult but can cause serious harm to the fetus. It can result in miscarriage or death of the child at birth. Therefore, it is best to avoid cheese that is known to contain bacteria such as listeria.
What cheeses should you avoid?
- Blue-grain cheeses are definitely out of the question. No stilton, gorgonzola, blue Wensleydale or Blue Cheshire. Absolutely no blue cheese, whether hard or soft.
- There are no soft cheeses like Brie, Camembert, Pont l’Eveque or Taleggio, yes, even this ancient cheese is blacklisted during pregnancy.
- Unpasteurized soft cheeses made with any type of milk, including sheep’s milk and goat’s milk, are not allowed.
These soft, blue-veined cheeses have a moisture that provides an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, even if they are pasteurized, so they are not worth the risk of eating. There are many cheeses that can be eaten with impunity.
What cheeses are safe?
Hard cheeses are generally safe, even if they are not pasteurized, as they generally contain little listeria bacteria and the amounts make them safe to eat. You can use them for cooking to make sure the cheese is cooked through and browned, not just melted. This is true for Taleggio too, as long as it’s cooked through it should be fine and this goes for blue-veined ones as well, but maybe it’s best to avoid them altogether to be safe.
Greek, halloumi, and feta cheeses are good, as are smoked cheddar and other hard smoked cheeses. Parmesan is good too.
Soft cheeses are good too, cottage cheese, processed cheese spreads, ricotta, and a garlic herb roll.
You can also eat yogurt, sour cream, fresh cream, and fresh cheese. You need a lot of calcium during pregnancy, and cheese is a good source of it, as are other dairy products. They are also good sources of protein and vitamins A and D. You don’t have to give up cheese entirely; just don’t eat the varieties that can put your fetus at risk.