Pregnant, what cheese can I eat?

Already... what's the problem?

Rich in protein and calcium, cheese is necessary for pregnant women. But, with those made from raw milk, you can come across bacteria, such as those that cause listeriosis, with serious consequences for the fetus.

Which cheese do we avoid?

Raw milk cheeses:brie, camembert, coulommiers… Not to mention those with blue cheese (bleu d’Auvergne, roquefort). Too moist, bacteria love them. No to soft cheeses, such as goat's and sheep's cheese (Chabichou, pyramid). If you're addicted, you have to cook them first.

That, we can!

Hard (therefore cooked) and pasteurized cheeses:pasteurized versions of cheddar, emmental, gouda, gruyère, cantal… But we remove the rind! Soft and cooked cheeses (mascarpone, mozzarella, spreadable cheese, ricotta, etc.) are also allowed.

How do I do it?

We trust the labels:some cheeses can be raw milk or not, mozzarella, for example! Some varieties too:the tomme noire from the Pyrenees is made from pasteurized cow's milk, and the tomme de Savoie, in principle from raw milk.

Thanks to Jean-Michel Lecerf, head of the nutrition department at the Institut Pasteur de Lille.