Raclette is the star of our winter evenings. Yet many pregnant women do not know whether or not they are allowed to use it. From the different types of cheese to the conditions to meet to eat a raclette, including the charcuterie to choose, we answer this famous question downright vital!
Raclette. A farandole of various cheeses and cold meats, in a sumptuous and exquisite mixture, which offers the taste buds a wonderful taste journey and an awakening of happiness. Accompanied by pickles and trusty potatoes, raclette is a heartwarming endorphin rush on winter evenings. With its fondue and tartiflette sisters, the three of them are the best friends of the cold. Tasty recipes that for some have become winter traditions.
However, raclette cheese and cold meats, while delicious, have a significant calorie intake. It is not recommended to consume too much and be careful, because the effervescence of this dish leads to a certain addiction. As with alcohol, its abuse is bad for your health.
Eating raclette, in addition to causing controversy at the heart of a balanced diet and healthy nutrition, plays the mystery card for pregnant women. We all know, and remember, that drinking alcohol is prohibited, that eating rare meat and sushi are strongly discouraged. But what about raclette during pregnancy? Are there any risks with cheese? What are the authorized meats? Many questions arise, and we will answer them for you. There is nothing worse than being in the dark about processed cheese. In addition to this, you need to know more about it.
The different types of cheese
There are several categories of cheeses, made up of different bacteria and fermented with milk variants. Unfortunately, and this is terrible news, pregnant women cannot consume cheese in all its forms.
It is strictly forbidden to consume this type of cheese when you are pregnant. Why ? For the simple reason that they are full of bacteria that are bad for the body and for the baby. By eating it, pregnant women increase the risk of toxoplasmosis, an infection caused by a parasite (yum). In humans, it usually goes unnoticed. But in pregnant women, it can be fatal for the fetus. It can also cause eye damage and neurological sequelae in the latter. We know that goat is good, but for now, it is better to abstain.
Cheeses with a bloomy rind such as Camembert, Brie and Coulommiers are also to be banned from your diet. The crust is bacteria's best friend. In addition, all these cheeses are classified in the “wet” category, which further proliferates all kinds of dangerous molecules.
Now let's take a look at blue cheese. They are filled with fungi very condensed in bacteria, in particular that of listeria. Very harmful for babies, it can be harmful to pregnancy. It is also the cause of listeriosis, a bacterial disease that can lead to premature childbirth, respiratory infections, sepsis, or even death in utero. As for Bleu d'Auvergne and Roquefort, we will avoid eating them!
We still want to reassure you: if you have consumed it before knowing all this, do not panic! Cases of bacterial infections are very rare. But from now on, be careful!
© Who Wants Cheese
- Hard or pasteurized cheeses
Good news for raclette fans! During pregnancy, it is allowed to consume certain dairy products. Hard cheese is one of them! And those even if it has not been pasteurized. Yes yes, you heard that right! It is therefore possible to swallow cheddar, gouda, Emmental, Gruyère, Parmesan (they are rarely used in raclette, but it's always good to know), without moderation (a little anyway) ! Whether grated, whole, multiple, or melted and you're pregnant, they're for you. If you're a mozzarella fan, eat full! This cheese is made from pasteurized milk, in most cases.
If you still want to be tough and like soft cheeses way too much, you can eat them ONLY if they were made from pasteurized milk. It is very important to check. As for the crust, we remove it again and again.
© current woman
Raclette de Savoie and Beaufort, although they have a hard cheese appearance, are made from raw milk. Yes we know … it's awful. But wait ! There is a solution! If you heat your cheese over 70 degrees, bacteria are eliminated! It seems that listeria doesn't like the heat too much.
A world of countless runny cheeses awaits you. If you are too hungry for a tartiflette, then melt your reblochon! A Mont D’or is also accepted, if it is warm enough. Nothing separates you from a good raclette!
Stop the rumors, eating cheese when you are pregnant is absolutely possible! There are no risks in well-cooked raclette cheese.
A slew of delicious recipes is finally delivered to pregnant women!
© current woman
What to choose in terms of cold cuts?
What would a raclette be without its charcuterie? Always a raclette yes, but much less nice. To know if it is safe to eat cold meats, it all starts with toxoplasmosis. A name that is not very appetizing, but nevertheless very important. This bacterial disease is transmitted by a parasite present in nature, and which wanders a little where it wants. And unfortunately, she loves raw meat. Contracting this parasite while pregnant, as we said above, is extremely dangerous for the baby.
However, some people are immune to toxoplasmosis. The test should be done early in pregnancy.
If you are lucky and have immunity, you can eat any type of cold meats, in any way and in any combination. Awesome, isn't it? We would not have imagined devouring processed cheese without its small slice of raw ham. Be careful though, pâtés, foie gras and other jellied products are still banned as much as possible for pregnant women, because of their risk of transmission of listeria (yes yes, again her).
If you are one of the non-immune, it is perfectly fine to eat cooked cold meats such as ham, chicken ham, mortadella, cervelas or smoked products, only if they are cooked. On the other hand, you must absolutely ban from your diet raw meats, uncooked cold meats such as cured ham or sausage (sorry…). Pates and different rillettes are just as much prohibited for you as immune women.
If we don't have our glass of white wine, we can have a slice of white ham…!
The conditions for eating a raclette
If you bought hard, pasteurized cheese, or pasteurized soft cheese, than you have removed the rind; that the meats suitable for your immunity are in your basket; that the potatoes are cooked and the pickle jar open, all the conditions are right to devour the most beautiful raclette of the year!
We take out the appropriate accessories, its superb raclette T, we set the table and voila! Nothing will make you back down!
Rumors and hostilities on the Internet love to make us believe that pregnant women are fragile little beings that should not be rushed too much. We often hear that pregnant women should not eat this, not eat that… and that the only important thing is the health of their baby. A pregnant woman is above all a woman, who also has health and desires. Let’s not forget that they give birth to babies sometimes weighing 5 kg. It’s not a piece of Beaufort (cooked!) Or a slice of ham that will kill her!
We cannot repeat it enough, but a pregnant woman has the right to eat raclette cheese.
Let them live and learn more!