Cheeses pregnant women should avoid
Many women worry about eating cheese during pregnancy and give it up altogether lest their unborn baby be harmed. Others think that if they only eat pasteurized cheese it will be fine, but in reality it is not.
What’s the problem with cheese?
Some cheeses contain the listeria bacteria that causes listeriosis. This results in an adult having flu-like symptoms a few weeks after eating the listeria in the cheese. It is not harmful to an adult, but it can cause serious damage to a fetus. It can cause a miscarriage or the 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 be avoided?
- Blue-veined cheeses are definitely out. Not stilton, gorgonzola, Wensleydale blue or Cheshire blue. Absolutely no blue cheese, either hard or soft.
- No soft cheeses like Brie, Camembert, Pont l’Eveque or Taleggio; yes, even this ancient cheese is blacklisted during pregnancy.
- Unpasteurized soft cheeses made from 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’re pasteurized, so they’re not worth the risk of eating them. There are plenty of cheeses that you can eat with impunity.
What cheeses are safe?
Hard cheeses are generally safe, even if they are unpasteurized, as they generally have little listeria bacteria and the amounts make them safe to eat. You can use them in cooking to ensure that the cheese is fully cooked and browned, not just melted. This is true of Taleggio as well, as long as it’s cooked well it should be fine and this goes for the blue veined ones as well, but perhaps it’s best to avoid them entirely to be on the safe side.
Greek, halloumi, and feta cheeses are good, as are smoked cheddar and other hard smoked cheeses. Parmesan is good too.
Soft cheeses are also good, cottage cheese, processed cheese spreads, ricotta, and a garlic and herb roll.
You can also eat yogurt, sour cream, crème fraiche, and fromage frais. During pregnancy you need a lot of calcium and cheese is a good source of it as are other dairy products. They’re 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 may put your unborn child at risk.
