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Why you should enjoy cheese with caution during pregnancy

As already announced, we continue today with our small series on nutrition during pregnancy. Today it is explicitly about the so controversial topic: cheese during pregnancy. You’ve probably heard the myth that is so widespread: “Keep your hands off cheese during pregnancy!” But is that really true and should mommies-to-be really give up cheese completely? We’ll get to the bottom of that today.

Enjoy cheese with caution

Eating raw milk cheeses actually poses risks, as raw milk cheeses in particular may contain the Liesteria bacterium. “Listeria monocytogenes”, may not be entirely harmless for you dear mom and your little one in the belly.

In the worst case, an infection could occur. This is usually harmless for the mother, but can have drastic consequences for the baby. This may sound scary to you, but don’t worry too much, because the risk of infection is extremely low. In 80,000 pregnancies, there are only about three cases of gestational listeriosis. Even in the case of infection, it can basically be treated well if detected early. Throughout Germany in 2016, for example, there were only 22 cases in total out of all pregnancies. Nevertheless, I strongly recommend you to pay attention to the right nutrition during pregnancy. So that you absolutely contain any risk of possible diseases of your little one.

How do I know which cheeses to avoid?

In principle, raw milk cheese and other raw milk products must be avoided! On the product packaging, these must be labeled “not pasteurized” or “made of raw milk”. If, on the other hand, you see a label with “pasteurized” or “heat-treated,” you can eat these varieties risk-free. With some you will find no indication, then these are also pasteurized. At least in Germany, the law only requires non-pasteurized products to be labeled as such.

I would also advise you not to eat soft cheeses such as Camembert, cheeses with surface smears or moldy cheeses in general. It is also advisable to cut off the rim of other cut cheeses before eating, especially if the cheese has been in the refrigerator for some time.

However, if you put cheese in the oven to bake, for example, you will kill the dangerous bacteria and you can enjoy the cheese. Some people have a real craving for oven cheese, so have a good conscience and a good appetite 🙂 The basic rule here is to heat the cheese to over 70°C for at least three minutes.

But also be careful when choosing sheep’s cheese and herb curd, while these from the shelf in the supermarket are usually not made from raw milk, you often get the fresh variety at a market. And it’s here that this little “bad guy” often hides for expectant moms.

The same goes for pickled cheese or fresh cheese from open containers: my beloved mozzarella, for example, as well as feta.

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Cheese as a nutrient source during pregnancy

On the other hand, if you explicitly pay attention to what kind of cheese you consume, it can even bring certain benefits for you to consume cheese.

By taking certain dairy products, including cheese, you support your body’s need for important nutrients such as vitamins A and B, valuable minerals and trace elements. These will benefit you during the strenuous pregnancy: support your energy balance and are basically essential for the development of your child.

Matured cheese contains a lot of vitamin B12, which is responsible for the formation of red blood cells, among other things, and is involved in many processes in the body. Among other things, it is also crucial for the development and protection of the nerve connections of our brain.

In addition, cheese is a great source of protein. Did you know that during pregnancy your body needs more protein? (We will cover this in more detail in an upcoming article). Cheese already does an important part to balance this out. In particular, cheeses with a fat content of 60% are ideal for this purpose.

Parmesan, for example, is very good for you because it provides you with protein and calcium. I advise you to grate the parmesan yourself, because it is difficult to detect traces of mold in already grated cheese, which in turn would bring bacterial risks.

As you can see, while certain cheeses are absolutely taboo during pregnancy, others should be very welcome on your Mom-To-Be menu. That’s good news for cheese lovers and pregnant women who suffer from cheese cravings in particular, isn’t it? 😉

And after a little exercise session like Mama’s Whole Body Shape Up or Mama’s Cardio Burn, it tastes twice as good.

 

With this in mind, bon appétit and

Keep it Moving,

Your Birte.

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