Pregnancy is a fascinating journey in a woman’s life. Eating right during this period is important for the health of the mother as well as her baby. However during pregnancy, an expectant mother can even get unusual cravings for particular foods. One of them can even be parmesan cheese. If you have the same craving and need to know can pregnant women eat parmesan cheese, continue reading this post to get satisfactory answers. Parmesan cheese like other forms of cheese is extremely nutritious and one of the super foods during pregnancy. However there are some varieties of cheese that are marked unsafe for pregnant women. It is therefore important to stay informed about the choices that you make to ensure good health of your baby through the pregnancy period.
Benefits of Parmesan Cheese During Pregnancy:
Parmesan cheese is a powerhouse of calcium that is vital for bone and teeth formation of your growing baby. It is also very important nutrient for the pregnant mothers as the foetus is totally dependant on the mother for calcium requirement. Lack of calcium in the body can lead to demineralization of bones, thereby increasing the risks of fractures.
Parmesan cheese is a rich source of protein that is very important for the growth of the baby. Besides, protein during pregnancy also aids in the proper functioning of the circulatory system by accelerating the production of red blood cells.
Risks Associated:
Most of the expectant mother’s looks for the answer to can you eat parmesan cheese when pregnant? This is because of the increased susceptibility to bacterial infection. Listeria is a very common bacterium that is found in specific types of cheese and cause pose serious harm to the health of the mother and her baby. During pregnancy the expectant mother is at relatively higher risk of contracting listeriosis as her immune system is weakened. It was found that listeriosis during pregnancy can lead to food poisoning and in some cases, even miscarriage. Therefore to ensure safety of your baby’s health make sure that while you eat parmesan cheese during pregnancy it is properly cooked. Cooking implies rendering the cheese piping hot and not just melting. This destroys the traces of listeria infection, if present, in the parmesan cheese and you can safely add it your regular pregnancy diet.
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Various studies have revealed that listeria infection is more likely to be present in cheeses made from unpasteurized milk. Hence they must be avoided during pregnancy. Yet hard cheeses made from pasteurized or unpasteurized milk is considered safe for pregnant women as they are cooked at very high temperature that is sufficient to kill any bacteria. Some of types of cheese that you must avoid during pregnancy are:
• Soft cheeses like blue brie, chaumes, cambozola, chevre, taleggio, pont l’eveque and vacherin fribourgeois.
• Unpasteurized and soft cheeses such as goat cheese, torta del casar, pyramid and chabichou.
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• Blue-veined cheeses such as blue wensleydale, dolcelatte, bergader, roncal, tomme, Danish blue and Roquefort.
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So you have learned about the benefits as well as risk factors associated with eating parmesan cheese during pregnancy. parmesan cheese being an extremely good source of essential vitamins and minerals is highly beneficial for the baby and her mother. Therefore generously add parmesan cheese to your foods to enhance its flavour along with gaining multiple health benefits. If you still have any doubts about the kind of cheese to eat during pregnancy, feel free to contact your doctor.
