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The question of whether to eat feta cheese while pregnant can be a tricky one. Can it affect the baby in any way? Is there a difference between pasteurised and unpasteurised milk? Can feta cheese contain listeria, which is harmful to pregnant women? There are many questions that come into play when deciding if feta cheese should be eaten while pregnant, but this article will answer all your questions!
What is feta cheese?
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Feta cheese is a white, crumbly and salty cheese. It can be used as an ingredient in salads, pies or sandwiches. The feta cheese most commonly eaten today was first produced by the ancient Greeks from sheep’s milk. Sheep’s milk has been known to contain more nutrients than cows’ milk for centuries!
How is feta cheese made?
Feta cheese is made by adding salt to sheep’s or goat’s milk. The mixture is then poured into a container and stirred for up to 20 hours until it forms curds (solid parts) and whey (liquid parts). This creates the crumbly texture of feta cheese that we are familiar with today!
Why do people think they can’t have feta cheese when they’re pregnant?
Pregnant people are naturally careful about what they consume. There are hundreds of thousands of searches per day on topics concerning what pregnant women can eat safely, feta cheese is one of them.
There’s nothing obvious about why people wonder about feta but behind it there is a legitimate thing to consider before an expectant mother consumed this type of cheese.
Can you eat feta cheese while pregnant?
A pregnant woman can eat feta cheese while pregnant. However, she should think about the type of milk that has been used to produce it first.
There are two kinds of milk – pasteurized and unpasteurised. Pasteurized feta cheese will have no listeria in it because the bacteria is killed by heating. Unpasteurized feta cheese could have listeria in it. If you’re pregnant, avoid unpasteurized milk products because of the risk of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
Listeriosis is a rare infection that can lead to miscarriage or stillbirths when contracted during pregnancy. Therefore, making sure any feta cheese consumed is pasteurized is important.
Is feta cheese healthy?
It can be argued that no cheese is truly healthy because they all contain high levels of saturated fat. That said, feta cheese is one of the less-unhealthy cheeses around.
Feta cheese contains roughly 2.8 grams of saturated fat per 28 gram (1 oz.) serving, which is less than other types like goat or cream cheese (3-5 grams). It also hasa bout 291 mg of sodium and 296 calories per serving.
Therefore, no, it is not overly healthy but there are much worse things you could eat out there!
How to serve feta cheese when pregnant
Enjoy your cheese as a side dish. For the most part, it’s best to keep feta consumption to a minimum when pregnant or trying to become pregnant. When you do have some though, don’t go for large quantities. Serve small servings as a side dish with something healthy and filling like fresh fruit or whole grain crackers along with ahealthy dose of veggies.
Try a vegan feta cheese. You can find a vegan version of feta cheese at most health food stores if you’re worried about the high salt content in regular varieties. Just keep in mind that many types have oil as an additional ingredient, so double check the label before buying.
If none of these work foryou and you miss the saltiness of feta cheese, try limiting your intake to a few times a week. Eating it in moderation shouldn’t be much of a problem when pregnant and if everything else is okay just remember that this cheese has its health benefits too.
Remember that moderation is key to enjoying food when pregnant.
