Can You Eat Goat Cheese During Pregnant? Safety & Benefits

What is new with a pregnancy diet? Proper nutrition is critical during pregnancy to ensure you and your baby’s well-being. With evolving guidelines, staying informed about what’s safe to eat will immensely benefit you.

If you’re updating your pregnancy diet, you might wonder about specific foods, like whether feta cheese is safe or not. Should it be avoided? Questions like this are not limited to feta cheese but also to a whole range of other types of food. 

In this article, we will help you tick off items on your list by looking at goat cheese during pregnancy and whether you can eat it or not. This is one of the ways you can make informed choices for a healthy pregnancy.

Goat Cheese Is Safe During Pregnancy

Goat cheese, also known as chèvre, is a type of cheese made from goat’s milk. It has quite a creamy texture, which can vary from soft and spreadable to firm and crumbly, depending on the aging process. 

The process of making goat cheese begins with collecting fresh goat’s milk. The quality and flavor of the milk are based on the goats’ diet, breed, and environment. Commercially produced cheese goes through an extra pasteurization step by heating it to a specific temperature to kill harmful bacteria.

Next, the milk is fermented with the addition of starter cultures. A coagulant, like rennet, is put it, and this forms the curds. Finally, the curds are shaped.

Is goat cheese safe during pregnancy? It depends on the type, and it all comes down to pasteurization. Unpasteurized goat cheese is unsafe to eat during pregnancy because of the risk of bacteria contamination, which is especially common in surface-ripened goat cheese. 

A side effect of eating unpasteurized goat cheese is Listeriosis, which is a foodborne illness. Its symptoms include fever, flu, and fatigue in the parent. For the baby, it may lead to meningitis, blood infection, or death. Pregnant people are ten to twenty times likelier to contract listeriosis. Research has also shown a strong association between soft cheese consumption and outbreak-related illnesses like listeriosis.

Can You Eat Goat Cheese During Pregnancy?

Yes, you can eat goat cheese without the white rind during pregnancy, but you should take some precautions. Only eat ones made from pasteurized milk. They do not contain bacteria like Listeria, which can harm both the mother and the baby. It’s also a good idea to opt for hard cheese heated to over 165°F.

Here are some benefits of eating goat cheese during pregnancy:

Rich In Nutrients

Pregnant people need all the nutrients they can get. Goat cheese is a good source of many essential nutrients that support the health of the parent and the baby. Here is a full nutritional profile for one serving or  50 grams of hard goat cheese (1.78 ounces);

• Water – 24.5 grams.
• Calories – 226 kcal.
• Carbohydrate – 1.09 grams.
• Protein – 15.25 grams.
• Fat – 17.8 grams.
• Calcium – 447.5 milligrams.
• Iron – 0.94 milligrams.
• Magnesium – 27 milligrams.
• Potassium – 24 milligrams.
• Phosphorus  – 214.5 milligrams.
• Vitamin A – 493 I.U.

Compared to cow cheese, goat cheese provides a variety of essential nutrients while often being easier to digest and lower in calories. This makes it a nutritious and beneficial option. It also contains many vitamins. 

For one, vitamin A is important for vision, immune function, and skin health. It also contains vitamin B2, which plays a key role in energy production, and vitamin B12, which helps with red blood cell formation, neurological function, and DNA synthesis.

Easy To Digest

Goat cheese is easier to digest. One reason is that goat milk’s fat globules are smaller than cow milk’s. The digestive system can more easily break down smaller fat globules.

Goat milk and, consequently, goat cheese typically contain lower lactose levels than cow milk products. Lactose is the sugar in milk that some people have difficulty digesting due to intolerance. This is important to keep in mind if you’re lactose intolerant.

Good Source Of Probiotics

Some aged goat cheese has probiotics, which help maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria in your body, and in doing so, support digestion and nutrient absorption.

A healthy gut also translates to a stronger immune system. Probiotics have been studied for their potential to alleviate symptoms of digestive disorders like diarrhea and constipation, too.

Heart Health

Goat cheese includes beneficial fats that can benefit the heart, primarily through its composition of fatty acids. Compared to cow’s milk cheese, goat cheese contains more medium-chain fatty acids.

Compared to long-chain fatty acids found in many other dairy products, MCFAs are more easily absorbed so they can be utilized for energy rather than stored as fat. This helps with weight management and reduces the related risk of cardiovascular concerns.

Moreover, some goat cheeses may contain small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. These are known to be quite beneficial for the heart.

What Cheese Can I Eat While Pregnant?

Here are some safe options during pregnancy:

• Hard cheeses: These are made with pasteurized milk and have a lower moisture content, so they are generally safe to eat while pregnant.
• Processed cheeses: Processed cheeses, including spreads and products like cream cheese and cottage cheese, are safe if made from pasteurized milk.
• Soft cheeses: Soft cheeses like mozzarella, feta, paneer, and ricotta from pasteurized milk are safe during pregnancy.

What Cheese To Avoid When Pregnant?

To avoid food poisoning during pregnancy, here are the cheeses you should’t eat when pregnant:

• Unpasteurized cheeses: Cheeses from unpasteurized milk or raw milk like Brie, Camembert, blue cheese, queso fresco, and certain types of goat cheese are a no-no.
• Mold-ripened cheeses: Cheeses with a mold-ripened rind should be avoided unless made with pasteurized milk.
• Blue-veined cheeses: Roquefort, Gorgonzola, and Danish blue should be avoided unless made from pasteurized milk.

To avoid falling prey to unpasteurized cheese, here are some things you should keep in mind:

• Always check labels to ensure that cheeses are made from pasteurized milk.
• Avoid cheeses served in restaurants or delis where you can’t confirm the pasteurization status.
• If you are unsure of their safety, heat cheeses until they are thoroughly melted if you are uncertain of their safety.
• Avoid cheeses sliced in the deli.

Conclusion

Cheese can be a nutritious addition to a pregnancy diet. However, it’s crucial to prioritize safety by opting for varieties made from pasteurized milk. Pasteurization helps eliminate harmful bacteria like Listeria, which can pose significant risks to both expecting parents and their babies. 

Always check labels and follow recommended food safety practices so your pregnancy stays safe and healthy. If you have specific concerns or questions, it’s best to consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian for personalized advice.