There’s a reason Boursin cheese is popular in France and many parts of the world – it’s pretty tasty! But since some soft cheeses are considered unsafe during pregnancy, you might wonder – should it be in your fridge?
Boursin is made with pasteurized cultured milk and cream, which makes it a safe choice for pregnant women.
Read on to find out what varieties are available, where you can find them, and what nutrients Boursin cheese contains.
Is Boursin a Safe Cheese When Pregnant?
Boursin is a brand of French cheese made with Gournay cheese, herbs, and spices. It is made from soft cheese and fresh cream (source: Cheese).
According to the Boursin website, their products are made with pasteurized cultured milk and cream and are considered soft cheeses. Boursin cheese has a crumbly, soft texture (source: Boursin).
Soft cheeses or semi-hard cheeses are only safe for consumption by expecting mothers if they are made with pasteurized milk.
Popular Boursin flavors include:
They also have other flavors such as Cracked Black Pepper, Fig & Balsamic, Boursin Dairy-Free (a dairy-free option), Garlic & Fine Herbs Cooking Cream, and a bite-size option called Garlic & Fine Herbs Bites.
Aside from being flavorful and delicious, Boursin cheese is also a good source of protein, vitamin A, and calcium.
Protein is crucial in the baby’s growth and development and helps the baby gain a healthy birth weight.
Vitamin A also helps support the baby’s growth and development, as well as healthy metabolism for you.
Calcium helps build the baby’s bones and prevents maternal hypertension (source: Nutrients).
Remember that along with these nutrients, cheese also contains a considerable amount of fat and cholesterol, and Boursin is no exception. It also contains a lot of sodium.
Two tablespoons of the Boursin cheese (Garlic & Fine Herbs variant) has 12 g of fat, 30 mg cholesterol, and 180 mg sodium (source: Garlic & Fine Herbs Boursin Cheese)
According to a study, eating too much fat and cholesterol-containing foods can cause increased weight gain, hypercholesterolemia, and hyperleptinemia in the child later on in his or her life.
It could also negatively affect his or her brain function, cognition, and overall behavior (source: Nutrition Reviews).
High sodium intake during pregnancy not only increases your risk of having cardiovascular diseases but also that of your baby. It can also adversely impact your baby’s kidneys and overall renal functions and excretion (source: The Journal of Endocrinology).
Is Boursin Pasteurized?
Boursin is a cheese produced using pasteurized cultured milk and cream and is safe for pregnant women.
According to their website, apart from pasteurized milk, their cheese also undergoes high-temperature treatment. They send samples to a laboratory every day to guarantee that there are no pathogenic bacteria present in their cheeses.
When you’re not eating Boursin cheese, it’s best to refrigerate it. Outside the fridge, the cheese keeps for 2 to 4 hours. It would also be best to not go past the best-before date printed on the package (source: Boursin).
To keep Boursin cheese products fresh, they should be stored in the fridge between 33.8 °F (1 °C) and 39.2 °F (4 °C) (source: Boursin CA).
All Boursin cheese varieties are free from gluten, GMOs, and growth hormones. The Garlic & Fine Herbs variant is sometimes imported from France and could contain nuts (source: Boursin CA).
Boursin is available in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada. In the U.S. you can find Boursin products at Sam’s Club, Trader Joe’s, select Walmart and Costco stores, and many local grocery stores.
Whether you like to spread it on your crackers, add it to pasta or salads, or eat it on its own, Boursin cheese is safe to enjoy during pregnancy!
| This article has been reviewed and approved for publication in line with our editorial policy. |