Yes to pecorino cheese during pregnancy?

Yes to pecorino cheese during pregnancy? Sheep’s cheese is marketed in many varieties in developed countries. There is something for everyone, even pregnant women.

Yes to pecorino cheese during pregnancy?
Yes to pecorino cheese during pregnancy?

Pecorino Cheese During Pregnancy, Good or Bad? The stage of pregnancy can be one of the most unforgettable for a woman. The mother’s diet is an important issue for health so you should try to eat nutritious foods that help the baby’s development.

Pecorino Cheese: One of the Favorites

Made with sheep’s milk, pecorino cheese is considered as a hard cheese that is produced in Italian regions and gives a unique flavor to the food. There is even a special certification for pecorin cheeses known as “PDO” that allows the manufacturer to export the cheese around the world.

Among the main types of pecorino cheese you will find:

  • Pecorino Romano cheese
  • Pecorino Tuscan
  • And the Pecorino Sardinian cheese

Since this cheese comes from sheep’s milk and not from the cow, as you are probably used to, you should know that nutritional values tend to change. For example, the calories in pecorino cheese make a total of 387 per 100 g consumed. This cheese is also rich in casein, calcium, mineral salts and even phosphorus.

Pecorino cheese usually has a salty taste so experts have reached a consensus that it should be consumed moderately during pregnancy. Also, you should know that, being subjected to a special maturation process, pecorino cheese is usually free of bacteria and agents harmful to health.

Why is Pecorino Cheese not recommended during pregnancy?

There are those who consider that pregnancy should be a time of relaxation where you should not worry excessively about the figure. Even so, that does not mean that you should leave aside the vigilance of your diet since the baby needs to consume good nutrients to form properly completely. Therefore, it is good to be attentive to the components of the meals.

Pecorino cheese is rich in salt and fat so consuming it in low portions is the most recommended. The reason is that high salt contents can cause lithiasis in pregnant women. This can happen if they consume excessive amounts of pecorino cheese during pregnancy which can put the health of the future mother at risk.

Listeriosis and pregnancy

During the gestation period, mothers are exposed to many risks that can threaten the formation of their future child. Hygiene products and their chemicals, street hazards and even food, are factors capable of affecting the health of mother and baby.

Listeriosis is one of the biggest risks for pregnant women who consume a lot of pecorino cheese during their pregnancy. It usually occurs with an episode of isolated fever that, although it is not dangerous for the mother, it is for the fetus since it can accelerate labor or even cause an abortion.

Listeria poisoning is an infection caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. It is acquired by the consumption of certain foods, including pecorino cheese and parmesan. It becomes risky because it presents with flu and fever symptoms so the baby is exposed to risks.

In more severe cases, listeriosis can even cause meningitis with infections throughout the body so you have to treat the pregnant woman quickly to prevent any loss.

Say Yes to Pasteurized

Listeriosis can be easily prevented by using dairy products that have gone through a previous pasteurization process. As long as sheep’s cheese comes from pasteurized bovine milk there will be no risk of experiencing listeriosis-related problems.

On the other hand, pecorino cheese that has industrial origin is also safe for pregnant women to consume. The only thing to watch out for is the nutritional profile of that cheese.

Cheeses that have the production certification are usually matured between 5 – 8 months. That makes it lose more and more moisture and that can eliminate different bacteria that could have been growing inside. In case any are still growing, it will be in such a small amount that it will not be able to proliferate completely.

Cheeses that come from pasteurized milk are those that indicate it on the label. Otherwise, they often say “unpasteurized milk” or “made from raw milk.” During pregnancy, we suggest you refrain from buying and eating those cheeses as they can be harmful to your own health.

Is it good or not to eat pecorino cheese?

The truth is, we can’t give you a definitive answer to this question.

Everything in excess can hurt you so it is best to consume pecorino cheese very discreetly during the stage of pregnancy. It is best to eat it moderately so that you do not expose yourself to different dangers.

If you are a fan of this cheese, it is best to distribute it properly between meals so that you do not overdo it and expose yourself to listeriosis. Also, remember that cheese promotes the formation of crystals in the body which can lead to a long-term lithiasis that affects your urinary system.

Pregnant women should focus on having a balanced diet free of dangers for both themselves and their baby. We recommend you contact a nutritionist or even an OBSTETRICIAN-GYNECOLOGIST so that they can give you better advice on what you can eat and what you can’t. Try to maintain a high-protein diet where you are also consuming vitamin supplements that contribute much more to the formation of the fetus during the gestation period.

Read also: HCG Drops for Weight Loss; Purine Rich Foods; Restaurant Policies; Milk and uric acid; Foods to avoid breast cancer ; Food to increase uric acid

Editions 2021-22-23

External resource: Wikipedia

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