Can Pregnant Women Eat Goat Cheese? There is some confusion about whether pregnant women can eat goat cheese. Few variety of foods may be safe to eat under certain controlled conditions but unsafe under others conditions. Goat cheese is one such example. It is generally safe to eat when it is prepared from unpasteurized milk, but pregnant women should avoid eating raw goat cheese.
Can Pregnant Women Eat Goat Cheese?
Generally speaking, yes, although there are several types of goat cheese that should not be taken while pregnant. A hard and a soft variety of goat cheese are available. Pregnant women are generally safe eating hard goat cheese.
On the other hand, if you are pregnant, you should avoid soft cheeses. Because soft goat cheese is more likely to have an indentation when pressed by the finger, hard goat cheese is more likely to retain its shape. Check the expiration date and the type of cheese you’re getting when you buy goat cheese.
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Goat cheese can be eaten as a topping on pizza or spaghetti because boiling destroys all the toxic yeast and germs; therefore it’s safe to eat in this case, as well.
Types of Goat Cheese That Are Safe for Consumption during Pregnancy
Goat cheese is a type of cheese that is made from goat milk. There are three types of goat cheese that are safe to eat during pregnancy: hard, soft, and cream-based. The soft and cream-based types of goatees are the safest to eat because they have lower levels of casein, a protein found in most dairy products. Hard goat cheese has higher levels of casein, so it is not recommended to eat it during pregnancy.
Pregnancy-safe goat cheese includes the following varieties, which have a low risk of food poisoning.
- Hard goat cheese: Pregnant women can safely consume hard goat cheese because it is manufactured from pasteurized milk and also has a small amount of moisture. As a result, hard cheese has a very low risk of contamination because of its low moisture content. The eating of hardbound cheese, whether pasteurized or unpasteurized, is safe during pregnancy
- Pasteurized goat cheese: Pasteurized goat cheese is acceptable to consume during pregnancy, with the exception of those that have been exposed to air and become ripe on the surface. Pasteurization refers to the process of eliminating the bacteria, yeast, and mold found in raw milk
- Sheep’s milk cheeses: Sheep’s milk cheeses, such as feta and halloumi, are deemed safe for consumption during pregnancy. This is mostly due to the manufacturing process. For pregnant women, halloumi cheese, which has a semi-hard brined consistency, is a safe choice because bacteria contamination is less likely to occur in this form
Types of Goat Cheese That Are Unsafe During Pregnancy
Pregnant women should be aware of certain types of goat cheese and avoid because of the risk of food illness. Consuming the following goat cheeses while pregnant is a high concern.
- Soft cheese: Because soft cheese is prepared from raw and unpasteurized milk, which has a higher risk of bacterial contamination, it is generally considered dangerous during pregnancy.
- Chevre: Pregnant women should avoid eating chevre, a soft goat’s cheese with a white skin, often known as white rind cheese. Unlike brie and camembert, chevre is a type of goat’s cheese that is mold-ripened and can induce listeriosis.
- Pregnant women are advised to avoid all cheeses with a matured or mouldy surface.
- Raw milk goat cheese: Eating raw milk goat cheese, which contains listeria bacteria, poses the greatest risk of contracting listeriosis. Flu-like symptoms may accompany a fever, which may progress to blood infection or meningitis.
Benefits of Eating Pasteurized Milk Goat Cheese While Pregnant
If you consume the appropriate kind of goat cheese, eating goat cheese while pregnant is perfectly safe. Take a look at some of the advantages of eating cheese that is safe to consume during pregnancy because it is made of goat milk that has been pasteurized.
- It is a wonderful way to build strong bones and a rich supply of dairy at the same time.
- In comparison to the fat level of other types of cheese, goat cheese has a very unique composition of fat. Because the body stores this fat in a more gradual fashion, it does not lead to an immediate increase in weight.
- When compared to other types of cheese, goat cheese is easier to digest than ordinary cheese. It may even assist you in overcoming feelings of sickness and throwing up.
- The consumption of goat cheese, which is rich in a variety of essential minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorous, selenium, copper, and iron, is known to have a positive impact on a woman’s health during pregnancy.
- The large amount of protein that is included in goat cheese is beneficial for a child who is still growing.
- In addition to this, it possesses a wide variety of beneficial fats, such as short-chain fats and medium-chain fatty acids, mono-saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and medium-chain triglycerides, in addition to the amino acids that are required for survival.
- It contributes to the preservation of intestinal health.
- It has lower lactose content than other types of cheese, especially when compared to other forms of cheese.
- It is also abundant in a number of antioxidants, which assist in the fight against free radicals and in the maintenance of a healthy heart.
Tips on How to Safely Eat Goat Cheese When Pregnant
When you are pregnant, it is important to follow these guidelines when consuming goat cheese:
- Some varieties of cheese, such as brie, blue cheese, soft cheese, and others, can be rendered safe for human eating by baking or deep-frying them, respectively.
- It is generally accepted that pregnant women can safely ingest cheese when it is used as a topping on foods like pizza.
- Assuming that the cheese has been heated to a higher temperature than merely warm
- During pregnancy, it is perfectly fine to consume pizza even if it is still quite hot when it comes out of the oven.
- If you want to eat goat cheese, you should choose the sort of goat cheese that is not dangerous and consume it in a grilled shape. During your pregnancy, you are permitted to consume an occasional grilled cheese sandwich.
If you aren’t sure whether or not the cheese you want to eat is safe to consume, all you have to do is heat it up before eating it, and it will be fine.
Is it Safe during Breastfeeding?
Is it Okay to Do While I’m Still Breastfeeding? After giving birth, it is common for women to be able to resume eating the majority of the foods they were required to avoid while they were pregnant.
This holds true for each and every variety of cheese.
When a woman is breastfeeding, she should stay away from caffeine and alcohol, as well as fish that is high in mercury. In general, there are not too many items that should be avoided.
Having said that, the composition and flavor of your breast milk are influenced by the foods you eat. If you notice that your infant frequently feels irritable or unwell soon after eating, you should discuss the matter with a qualified medical practitioner.
Goats Cheese While Breastfeeding
Therefore, once you have completed the process of giving birth to your child, you are free to resume consuming cheese of any variety.
Including the cheese made from goats! In addition, the mother should steer clear of a select few meals while she is breastfeeding her child.
Caffeine, alcoholic beverages, and seafood with high levels of mercury are some examples of these foods.
However, if it seems as though anything in your diet is causing your newborn to become nauseous or fussy every time they feed, then you should discuss the matter with your infant’s primary care physician to see what might be wrong.
Conclusion
If you mistakenly consume goat cheese while you are pregnant, regardless of whether it is the safe variety or the harmful type, and you have symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, or food poisoning, you need to contact your midwife or your doctor as soon as possible.
When you are pregnant, you need to pay extra attention to what you eat. Before you add anything new to your diet, you should discuss your eating plans with your healthcare provider or a dietitian, especially if you want to consume foods that are not considered to be appropriate for pregnant women, such as goat cheese or other dairy products.
If you plan ahead, eat right, and exercise regularly, you should have a healthy and joyful pregnancy.
