Pregnancy is a challenging time in terms of knowing what you can and cannot eat.
There are so many rules and recommendations that it's hard to know what's true and myth.
One of the foods I am commonly asked about is cheese and whether or not it is safe to
eat while pregnant.
So, if you're a cheese lover like me, and are asking yourself 'can I eat cheese while pregnant?'
Stay tuned to find out!
Hi, my name is Melanie McGrice and I'm a fertility and prenatal dietitian.
I help people have healthy babies by helping them to eat well during and in the lead up
to pregnancy.
When it comes to eating cheese during pregnancy, I've got some good news and some bad news
for you.
Let's start with the good.
There are some cheeses that are perfectly safe to eat during pregnancy (woohoo!).
Hard cheeses are the safer option to consume during pregnancy and can even help you reach
your daily calcium goals.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming two and a half serves of dairy per
day for pregnant women, with 40g of hard cheese equating to one serve of dairy.
Hard cheese varieties that are safe during pregnancy include: Cheddar, Parmesan, Gouda,
Edam, Swiss, Gruyere, Halloumi, Manchego and Stilton.
These types of cheese are considered safe because they have a low moisture content and
therefore don't provide adequate conditions for harmful bacteria, like listeria, to grow in.
But make sure the milk was pasteurised.
Which brings me to the bad news.
Unfortunately, you will need to avoid some types of cheese during your pregnancy.
Soft cheeses, whilst delicious, can be a carrier of nasty bacteria.
Soft cheeses have a higher moister content which means they can be an ideal environment
for bacteria, like listeria, to grow and therefore they are not recommended during pregnancy.
Soft cheese varieties that should be avoided during pregnancy include: Feta, Brie, Camembert,
Ricotta, Goat's and sheep's cheeses, Cottage cheese, Mozzarella and Blue-veined cheeses
such as Danish blue, gorgonzola and Roquefort.
You also need to avoid unpasteurised cheeses, which may come from goats, sheep or cows.
There is one exception to the rule...
And that is, you can safely consume the soft and blue-veined cheeses I just mentioned IF they are cooked
at a temperature above 65C and eaten when hot.
The high heat helps kill any bacteria meaning the risk of listeria infection is reduced.
So, the bottom line is...
Cheese is a great source of calcium which is an important nutrient for maintaining your
muscle and bone strength during pregnancy and also vital for the development of your
baby's muscles and bones.
Therefore, I don't recommend completely cutting out cheese from your diet during pregnancy,
but rather take some extra caution when it comes to which varieties you consume, your
portion sizes and the cooking temperatures.
While the risk of listeria is very low if you follow good food hygiene practices, doing
everything you can to avoid it is critical to your baby's health.
So if you are concerned about listeria risk during your pregnancy and would like some
more information and tips on how to avoid infection, make sure you check out my YouTube
clip on 'how to avoid listeria during pregnancy'.
For more help with your pregnancy diet, be sure to download my free pregnancy meal plan
at www.melaniemcgrice.com/pregnancy.
And make sure you hit the subscribe button, so you don't miss any of my weekly videos.
See you in my next video!