Can you eat manchego when pregnant?

In this article we are going to answer: can you eat manchego when pregnant, what is manchego, if manchego cheese is healthy to eat when pregnant, what cheese you can and can’t eat when pregnant, and what happens if you eat unpasteurized cheese when pregnant. 

Can you eat manchego when pregnant?

Yes, manchego is considered a safe cheese to eat when pregnant. According to the NHS, manchego is part of the category of cheese that has a very low risk of food poisoning even if made with unpasteurized milk. Manchego cheese is aged and has a low moisture content which makes it harder for bacteria to grow. 

What is manchego?

Manchego is a type of cheese that is rooted in the region of La Mancha in Central Spain. It is a type of semi-hard cheese that is identified by its distinctive herringbone rind and sweet savor.  Manchego is made from sheep’s milk from the Manchega breed. It is aged between 60 days to 2 years. 

It has a firm and compact consistency and a distinct buttery taste. Sometimes it contains small distributed air pockets. It tends to be an ivory-yellow color with an indelible brown rid. 

Manchego cheese or queso manchego is protected under Spain’s and European Union Protected Designation of origin. These requirements need to be satisfied to be called manchego

  • Produce in Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca, or Toledo
  • It can only be made with whole milk of sheep of the Manchega breed from registered farms
  • Aged for a minimum of 60 days of a maximum of 2 years
  • It has to be produced pressing in a cylindrical mold of maximum 12 cm of height and a maximum diameter of 22 cm. 

It can be made with pasteurized or unpasteurized milk. The only additives it can have are rennet or salt. There are 4 varieties of manchego cheese

  • Fresco: aged for 2 weeks, does not have PDO and it can only be found in Spain
  • Semicurado: semi firm cheese that has been aged for 3 weeks to 3-4 months
  • Curado: semi firm cheese aged for 3 to 6 months
  • Viejo: aged for 1 to 2 years

Is manchego the same as Iberico cheese?

No, they are not the same, they both have a very similar flavor. Manchego cheese is made from sheep’s milk only and is aged for longer periods while Iberico Cheese is made from goat, sheep, and cow’s milk.  Also, manchego cheese is protected under Spain’s Designation of Origin regulations.

Is manchego cheese healthy to eat when pregnant?

Yes, as long as you moderate your intake, manchego can be part of your balanced and healthy diet. 100 grams of Manchego Cheese contains:

100 grams
Calories452 calories
Protein31 grams
Fats36 grams
Saturated Fat25 grams
Cholesterol105 mg
Carbohydrates2.2 grams
Sodium423 mg

71% of its total calories come from fat, 27% from protein and 2% from carbohydrates. It can be considered a good source of fat. Just don’t overeat and eat manchego cheese because it contains too much sodium. Also, it is easy to add calories because of its fat content. 

The bottom line is manchego is healthy, it is a good source of calcium, fat, and protein. Just moderate your intake and add it to your healthy and balanced diet. 

What cheese can you eat when pregnant?

According to the NHS, you can eat all hard cheese made with pasteurized or unpasteurized milk because they have low water content which makes it harder for bacteria to grow.

  • Cheddar
  • Gouda
  • Gruyere
  • Parmesan
  • Provolone
  • Havarti
  • Manchego
  • Edam
  • Emmental

The NHS also recommends that soft cheese as long as it is made from pasteurized milk is safe to eat when pregnant. 

  • Cottage cheese
  • Cream cheese
  • Goat cheese
  • Ricotta
  • Mozzarella
  • Feta
  • Prepared cheese spreads

What cheese should you avoid when pregnant?

You should not eat any soft cheese, mold-ripened or blue-veined. They are strictly out of limits when pregnant. 

  • Brie
  • Camembert
  • Goat cheese with the rind
  • Chevre
  • Danish Blue
  • Gorgonzola
  • Roquefort
  • Queso Blanco or queso fresco

What happens if I eat unpasteurized cheese?

The risk of food poisoning with unpasteurized Manchego cheese is not that usual but you still need to be careful. 

Pregnant women are too susceptible to food poisoning. They are 20 times more susceptible to having worse side effects. The FDA says that soft cheese, unpasteurized, is 50 to 160 times more prone to be contaminated with bacteria, especially Listeria monocytogenes. 

The main side effects you can experience with a foodborne illness:

  • Blood or brain infections
  • Seizures
  • Diarrhea 
  • Vomiting
  • Miscarriage
  • Preterm labor
  • Headaches
  • Muscle pain
  • Fever

How to add Manchego to your diet?

Manchego can be eaten with your favorite scrambled egg or add it to your cheese board with fruit. You can also eat it as a snack with crackers and fruit. Here is a list of the best manchego cheese brands. 

Other FAQs about Cheese that you may be interested in.

Can I use halloumi instead of mozzarella?

Can I use Monterey Jack instead of mozzarella for lasagna

Can you freeze queso fresco?

Conclusion

In this article we answered can you eat manchego when pregnant, what is manchego, if manchego cheese is healthy to eat when pregnant, what cheese you can and can’t eat when pregnant, and what happens if you eat unpasteurized cheese when pregnant. 

Citation

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/cheese-eat-pregnant

In this article we are going to answer: can you eat manchego when pregnant, what is manchego, if manchego cheese is healthy to eat when pregnant, what cheese you can and can’t eat when pregnant, and what happens if you eat unpasteurized cheese when pregnant. 

Can you eat manchego when pregnant?

Yes, manchego is considered a safe cheese to eat when pregnant. According to the NHS, manchego is part of the category of cheese that has a very low risk of food poisoning even if made with unpasteurized milk. Manchego cheese is aged and has a low moisture content which makes it harder for bacteria to grow. 

What is manchego?

Manchego is a type of cheese that is rooted in the region of La Mancha in Central Spain. It is a type of semi-hard cheese that is identified by its distinctive herringbone rind and sweet savor.  Manchego is made from sheep’s milk from the Manchega breed. It is aged between 60 days to 2 years. 

It has a firm and compact consistency and a distinct buttery taste. Sometimes it contains small distributed air pockets. It tends to be an ivory-yellow color with an indelible brown rid. 

Manchego cheese or queso manchego is protected under Spain’s and European Union Protected Designation of origin. These requirements need to be satisfied to be called manchego

  • Produce in Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca, or Toledo
  • It can only be made with whole milk of sheep of the Manchega breed from registered farms
  • Aged for a minimum of 60 days of a maximum of 2 years
  • It has to be produced pressing in a cylindrical mold of maximum 12 cm of height and a maximum diameter of 22 cm. 

It can be made with pasteurized or unpasteurized milk. The only additives it can have are rennet or salt. There are 4 varieties of manchego cheese

  • Fresco: aged for 2 weeks, does not have PDO and it can only be found in Spain
  • Semicurado: semi firm cheese that has been aged for 3 weeks to 3-4 months
  • Curado: semi firm cheese aged for 3 to 6 months
  • Viejo: aged for 1 to 2 years

Is manchego the same as Iberico cheese?

No, they are not the same, they both have a very similar flavor. Manchego cheese is made from sheep’s milk only and is aged for longer periods while Iberico Cheese is made from goat, sheep, and cow’s milk.  Also, manchego cheese is protected under Spain’s Designation of Origin regulations.

Is manchego cheese healthy to eat when pregnant?

Yes, as long as you moderate your intake, manchego can be part of your balanced and healthy diet. 100 grams of Manchego Cheese contains:

100 grams
Calories452 calories
Protein31 grams
Fats36 grams
Saturated Fat25 grams
Cholesterol105 mg
Carbohydrates2.2 grams
Sodium423 mg

71% of its total calories come from fat, 27% from protein and 2% from carbohydrates. It can be considered a good source of fat. Just don’t overeat and eat manchego cheese because it contains too much sodium. Also, it is easy to add calories because of its fat content. 

The bottom line is manchego is healthy, it is a good source of calcium, fat, and protein. Just moderate your intake and add it to your healthy and balanced diet. 

What cheese can you eat when pregnant?

According to the NHS, you can eat all hard cheese made with pasteurized or unpasteurized milk because they have low water content which makes it harder for bacteria to grow.

  • Cheddar
  • Gouda
  • Gruyere
  • Parmesan
  • Provolone
  • Havarti
  • Manchego
  • Edam
  • Emmental

The NHS also recommends that soft cheese as long as it is made from pasteurized milk is safe to eat when pregnant. 

  • Cottage cheese
  • Cream cheese
  • Goat cheese
  • Ricotta
  • Mozzarella
  • Feta
  • Prepared cheese spreads

What cheese should you avoid when pregnant?

You should not eat any soft cheese, mold-ripened or blue-veined. They are strictly out of limits when pregnant. 

  • Brie
  • Camembert
  • Goat cheese with the rind
  • Chevre
  • Danish Blue
  • Gorgonzola
  • Roquefort
  • Queso Blanco or queso fresco

What happens if I eat unpasteurized cheese?

The risk of food poisoning with unpasteurized Manchego cheese is not that usual but you still need to be careful. 

Pregnant women are too susceptible to food poisoning. They are 20 times more susceptible to having worse side effects. The FDA says that soft cheese, unpasteurized, is 50 to 160 times more prone to be contaminated with bacteria, especially Listeria monocytogenes. 

The main side effects you can experience with a foodborne illness:

  • Blood or brain infections
  • Seizures
  • Diarrhea 
  • Vomiting
  • Miscarriage
  • Preterm labor
  • Headaches
  • Muscle pain
  • Fever

How to add Manchego to your diet?

Manchego can be eaten with your favorite scrambled egg or add it to your cheese board with fruit. You can also eat it as a snack with crackers and fruit. Here is a list of the best manchego cheese brands. 

Conclusion

In this article we answered can you eat manchego when pregnant, what is manchego, if manchego cheese is healthy to eat when pregnant, what cheese you can and can’t eat when pregnant, and what happens if you eat unpasteurized cheese when pregnant. 

Citation

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/cheese-eat-pregnant

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