Cheese and Lunch meats?

Question

I heard that "soft cheese" and lunch meat were not safe food to eat during pregnancy. Is this true? Also, what exactly is soft cheese? Is that like Velveeta?

Answer 1

Soft cheese does not mean sliced American cheese, it means avoid soft cheeses including Brie, Camembert Danish Blue, Feta (goat cheese), Roquefort, Stilton "because these cheeses are more inclined to allow growth of bacteria, such as listeria, which can harm your unborn child."

Lunch meat is pretty broad. Try to avoid overly-processed lunch meats, especially those with nitrates. Stay away from hot dogs, pate and canned meat spreads. Stick with a brand like Boar's Head that makes completely natural luncheon meats.

Answer 2

These days, the recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is to make sure any soft cheese you eat has a label clearly stating that it's made from pasteurized milk.
Raw milk and any cheeses or other dairy products made from it can carry disease-causing organisms, including a potentially deadly bacterium called listeria monocytogenes.
infection can be devastating or even lethal for their babies. Soft cheeses are thought to be particularly good hosts for listeria. But the pasteurization process kills the bacteria and a whole host of other organisms.
Cottage cheese, ricotta, cream cheese, processed cheeses (such as American) and hard cheeses (such as cheddar and parmesan), as well as cultured dairy products like yogurt and buttermilk, are generally considered to be safe. And most dairy products made in the US are pasteurized anyway. But since there's no guarantee, it's best to check the label and make sure that any dairy product you consume during pregnancy is made with pasteurized milk.

Answer 3

I honestly do not know what's wrong with soft cheeses (maybe listeria), but I do know about lunch meats. There are really two reasons: 1. There is WAY too much sodium in lunch meats and 2. Listeria is a potential problem in ready to eat meat products. Listeria is very hardy, and can still be present in luncheon meats. If you do wish to consume them (and stuff like hot dogs), you should cook them to kill any possible Listeria.

*Listeria causes abortions/fetus death

Answer 4

Velveeta is not cheese. It is "pasturized processed cheese food product", with cheese as one of many ingredients.

It is not soft cheese as such, but UNPASTURIZED soft cheeses.

ALL cheese manufactured in this country is pasturized. However, it is occasionally possible to find certain imported specialty cheeses made from unpasturized milk.

Because they're unpasturized, they could potentially contain dangerous bacteria. But they're not something you're going to obtain by accident. You will have to look very, very hard to find unpasturized cheese. (Again, the law requires all cheeses in this country to be made from pasturized milk.)

Soft cheeses include things like brie, camembert (which I can't spell), etc. These are expensive specialty cheeses, and you're not going to buy them by accident.


Lunch meats are considered unsafe because they contain nitrates -- a known carcinogen.

Answer 5

The issue is with proccessed products--lunch meat or cheeses (kraft, velveeta) and I would even be weary of packaged cheese at the store. You don't have to completely cut it out, just eat it in moderation. =)

Answer 6

I don't know what soft chesse is but, regular cheese is fine to eat while you are pregnant, actually it is very nutritius.
Lunch meat, I asked my doctor the same question because, I heard it to but, he said if you sit there and eat a whole bunch at one time it could harmful, but, it could be even if you aren't pregnant.
So just don't eat it all the time and you should be alright.
Good luck & Congrats!

Answer 7

soft cheeses like brie and feta, ceasar dressing, and lunch meats are unsafe to eat during pregnancy because they cause listeriosis which can lead to miscarriage and still birth. Lunch meats can be eaten only if they have been heated up to steaming (fully cooked). Go to babyzone.com or just google listeriosis so that you can have all the info you need and not just hearsay. good luck

Answer 8

It's true not to eat lunch meats or soft cheeses, as well as hot dogs, spam, vienna sasuages, or potteed meat. It casues a disease called listeroisis. My friend sent me a flyer that her doctor gave her. But if you cook it, such as boil the hot dogs, or grill the lunch meat it kills the bacteria that causes the disease.

Answer 9

Cheese like brie. Not sure about lunch meat except I would think roast beef unless it's cooked all the way.

Answer 10

never heard of such a thing the only thing that isn't really safe to eat and i do not know why is fish and seafood. like i said not sure why but that is what they say. i craved cheese all the time with my youngest nd lived on sandwiches with both of my boys so they are safe enough for me. i think that it is untrue that they are safe for you to eat while pregnant.