Congratulations on your positive pregnancy test – Now you’re probably trying to find out what you should pay attention to in your diet and are also wondering whether curd and pregnancy go together?
There are approximately 700,000 births in Germany each year. While most pregnancies proceed well, there is a small fraction of cases of listeriosis and toxoplasmosis, which have serious consequences for the unborn child and can lead to premature births and miscarriages.
These diseases are the reason why pregnant women should avoid certain foods as a precaution .
In this article, I explain how these diseases are triggered and whether you can eat quark during pregnancy.
Buffalo mozzarella during pregnancy – Similar to the case of cream cheese made from buffalo milk, I have good news for you when it comes to quark: you don’t have to do without quark.
You should only stay away from products that are not packaged but can be bought at the fresh food counter or in the pastry shop.
Quark Pregnancy – What is Toxoplasmosis?
This is a disease caused by toxoplasma or parasites that are commonly found in meat and soil, but can also be transmitted by cats and their feces.
Under normal circumstances, toxoplasmosis is a harmless disease, but during pregnancy the parasites can penetrate the placental barrier and cause eye and nerve damage in the fetus and lead to miscarriage.
It is therefore essential to ensure that meat is sufficiently cooked, that all food is thoroughly washed and peeled, and that great care is taken when in contact with cats (please do not clean the litter box yourself).
However, there is a risk of infection with listeriosis when consuming certain types of cheese and dairy products, even though these foods are valuable sources of protein.
However, soft cheese made from pasteurized milk and even hard cheese made from raw milk (cut off the rind!) can be eaten.
Quark Pregnancy – What is Listeriosis?
Listeriosis is caused by bacteria called Listeria.
They can be found in soil, water, and plants, meaning both humans and animals can transmit this disease.
The most common way to become infected is through contaminated food, such as meat and other animal products, including dairy products.
Since infected people do not necessarily feel sick, listeriosis is particularly insidious in pregnant women, who have a 20-fold higher risk of infection, and can lead to miscarriage or serious health problems in the newborn, such as meningitis.
Before you worry about whether you might be infected, it’s best to consult your gynecologist, who can diagnose such an infection with a blood test and, if necessary, use antibiotics to prevent infection in the unborn child.
Quark pregnancy – can I eat it?
Quark is one of the types of fresh cheese that pregnant women are warned to be careful about, but the good news is that in Germany it is usually made from pasteurized milk.
Cheese is pasteurized when it is heated at a high temperature so that bacteria, parasites and germs have no chance of surviving.
Raw milk products, on the other hand, are heated at low temperatures of up to 40 degrees, which the microorganisms can survive, which is why it is better to stay away from products made from raw milk.
If you’re worried about how to tell the difference between pasteurized and raw milk products, I can reassure you that foods made with unpasteurized milk must be labeled accordingly on the packaging: “made with raw milk” or “made with unpasteurized milk.”
Herbal curd during pregnancy – With curd and herbal curd you will notice for yourself that this is not the case, so you can enjoy eating curd without any worries, but with fruit or cream curd or sweets with curd filling you should be sure how the milk was processed.
Quark pregnancy – what should you keep in mind when consuming it?
Since microorganisms can easily settle and multiply in open containers and fresh food counters, it is best to avoid open goods and only buy packaged goods.
You should also continue to be careful at home and eat the contents of opened packages immediately and not leave them in the refrigerator, as listeria can grow even at cool temperatures.
Also, don’t forget to always check the best-before date, both in the supermarket and at home, and consume or process the quark in good time before the expiration date.
Fruit and cream curds are also usually made from pasteurized milk, and here too, it is important to pay close attention to the information on the packaging and check whether raw milk was used for the cream, which must be noted in any case.
By the way, don’t worry if you don’t find any mention of “pasteurized,” as there is no legal labeling requirement in this regard.
The absence of any indication that a product was made from raw milk is enough to ensure that the milk was indeed heated to high temperatures during processing.
To enjoy high-quality fruit curd, it is better to prepare it yourself with some portions of fruit, because industrially produced fruit curd often contains colorings and flavorings among its ingredients, which are unhealthy.
Because quark is so versatile, it is often used in confectionery, but it is better to avoid eating such products because you cannot determine whether raw milk or raw eggs were used in the production.
Quark Pregnancy – Why this food is so healthy
Quark was already known to the ancient Greeks and Germanic peoples.
It is not difficult to make quark because the milk is skimmed and fermented with lactic acid bacteria, and the resulting whey and curd are passed through a sieve.
Sometimes cream is added to the resulting quark to refine it.
The many nutrients in quark are good for a balanced diet, including vitamins, proteins and minerals.
The B vitamins and calcium it contains are particularly important during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• Calcium: Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers have a higher need for calcium because the baby’s bones are being built and growing in the womb.
A daily intake of 1200 mg of calcium is recommended. 100 grams of quark provides around 90 mg of calcium.
• Proteins: These building blocks of life contribute to the healthy development of body cells and also produce hormones that control body functions and also balance blood sugar.
Foods rich in protein provide you with the energy your body needs to nourish your baby.
• Vitamin B9: This vitamin is also called folate and is known in its synthetic form as folic acid.
Folate and folic acid are very important when trying to conceive , and an adequate supply during pregnancy contributes significantly to the development of the embryo and protects the unborn child from malformations.
Even during breastfeeding, the little one needs this vitamin for the formation of brain cells.
• Vitamin B5: It is also called pantothenic acid, which is important for the formation of proteins and the proper development of the baby.
Vitamin B5 also ensures the formation of hemoglobin and is involved in metabolism.
• Vitamin B2: Quark contains a lot of this vitamin, which is important for energy and protein metabolism.
It is important so that fatty acid can be converted into energy and so that other vitamins such as folic acid and iron can be processed.
Quark Pregnancy – The ingredients at a glance
Quark is a very healthy food that promotes muscle building and prevents muscle mass from being lost instead of fat. It is particularly good for the figure as low-fat quark and is easily tolerated and digestible.
Here you can find an overview of all ingredients (per 100 grams of quark):
• Vitamin B1 43 μg
• Vitamin B3 150 μg
• Vitamin B6 100 μg
• Vitamin B9 16 μg
• Vitamin B2 300 μg
• Vitamin B5 740 μg
• Vitamin B7 7 μg
• Vitamin B12 0,9 μg
• Potassium 140 mg
• Phosphor 190 mg
• Vitamin A 2 μg
• Calcium 70 – 90 mg
• Magnesium 11 mg
Final thoughts
In Germany, quark is usually made from pasteurized milk, which is why you can safely consume it during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
The fact that you need to be careful with certain foods or avoid them completely is related to the risk of diseases such as listeriosis and toxoplasmosis.
In general, you should not eat anything raw when you are pregnant and should stay well away from cheeses made from raw milk.
You should also avoid foods that are available in open containers and at the fresh food counter, as microorganisms have free rein to settle there.
An exception are hard cheeses that have a long ripening period, but you should definitely cut off the rind because listeria can accumulate there.
Pregnant & Quark – In this article, I explained to you why quark is an all-rounder, which healthy and important ingredients it contains, and what you should consider when choosing different types of quark.
So always check the packaging and don’t leave the product in the fridge for long.
Read on to find out whether yogurt is allowed during pregnancy and whether cream can be dangerous during this time .
I hope you enjoy your meal and enjoy your meal!
