What vegetables are good for dogs gut health

What Vegetables Can Dogs Eat?

Broccoli

Broccoliis full of fiber, but be aware that it can cause flatulence. This vegetable also has antioxidants, digestible plant protein, and vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and K, potassium, folic acid, magnesium, sodium, and chromium.

Celery

Celery has a high water content, and its high in fiber and low in calories. It contains vitamins A, B, C, and K, plus folate, potassium, and manganese. However, celery must be de-stringed before you give it to your dog.

Green Beans

Green beanscontain vitamins A, B6, C, and K, along with protein, iron, calcium, and fiber. They are low in calories but help your dog feel full, and (bonus!) most dogs like this veggies natural sweetness. Just make sure the green beans are unsalted, as salt can harm your pup.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is high in fiber that, while safe for your pup, can cause your dog to be extra gassy. It also contains vitamins C and K, calcium, potassium, and folate. Cauliflower is low in calories and makes for a healthy, dog-safe treat.

Lettuce

Lettuce is a dog-friendly vegetable thats low in calories, full of fiber, and 90% waterso its great for hydration. Romaine, arugula, and iceberg lettuce are all fine for your dog, but spinach and kale can be harmful in large amounts.

Carrots

Carrotsare a great choice for a healthy dog treat, but they must be given in moderation because they are high in sugar. Carrots are high in fiber and low in calories, and they contain beta-carotene, which produces vitamin A. They are also fun for dogs to crunch, and most dogs will love them because of their natural sweetness.

Bell Peppers

Any color of bell pepper is safe and healthy for your dog. Bell peppers are filled with vitamins A, B6, and E, lutein, and antioxidants like vitamin C and beta-carotene. They can help promote skin, coat, and eye health for your dog.

Zucchini

Plain raw, steamed, or cooked zucchini is safe for dogs to eat in small pieces. Zucchini is low in calories, fat, and cholesterol. Its full of fiber, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins A, C, B6, and K.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are full of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins A, B1, B6, C, and K. But beware that too many can cause flatulence and other stomach issues, like an upset stomach or diarrhea.

Cabbage

Cabbage is full of antioxidants and fiber, which helps your dogs digestive system. It also contains folate, protein, potassium, calcium, manganese, magnesium, iron, riboflavin, and vitamins A, B6, C, and K. However, cabbage can also cause increased flatulence.

Spinach

Spinach is safe for healthy dogs in small amounts. However, this leafy green contains oxalates, which can lead to kidney stones and bladder stones in susceptible dogs if eaten in large quantities. It also has isothiocyanates, which can cause severe gastric irritation in large amounts.

Mushrooms

Regular white mushrooms from the grocery storewhen completely plain and washedare safe for dogs. Do not give your dog mushrooms that are cooked with seasonings and other ingredients that are unhealthy or even toxic to dogs, such as garlic or onions. Dogs should also never eat any mushroom that you dont buy from the store.

What Vegetables Are Bad for Dogs?

The following vegetables are toxic to dogs. If your dog does eat them or a food in which they are ingredientsespecially a large amountcontact your veterinarian immediately.

Onions

Onions, leeks,garlic, and chives are all part of the Allium plant family and are toxic to dogs and cats alike. Eating onions can cause vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and nausea. It can also make your dogs red blood cells rupture. If your dog eats any onions, contact your veterinarian right away.

Wild Mushrooms

Any wild mushroom should always be avoided. There are at least 50,000 different species of mushrooms in the world, and around 100 of them are poisonous to dogs. Be careful to check your backyard for mushrooms if your dog tends to forage. If you stumble across some wild mushrooms, keep your dog far away from them.

Feed your gut

Nourish the healthy bacteria in your digestive tract with a mix of probiotics and prebiotics.

If you want a healthy gut, you have to feed it well. This nourishment should include both probiotics and prebiotics two dietary components that are increasingly being recognized as essential to your intestinal and overall health, says Teresa Fung, adjunct professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Theres been a lot of buzz recently about the need to eat probiotics living microorganisms found in foods such as yogurt and fermented vegetables. Probiotics add to your gut microbiota, the collection of 100 trillion or so bacteria and other critters living in your gut. Having a healthy microbiota may help foster a healthy immune system and reduce damaging inflammation in the body. Eating probiotics regularly may also help to prevent the intestinal environment from being overrun by unhealthy bacteria, which have been linked to everything from mood disorders and obesity to diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases.

But probiotics are much like pets, says Fung. Its not enough to just get one; you also have to take care of it, she says. This means feeding the population of microorganisms with prebiotics foods that will help all of these desirable gut bugs grow and thrive inside your digestive tract.

Understanding your gut

To understand how to keep your intestinal environment healthy, its important to understand how your microbiota evolves. Everyone has a unique mix of microorganisms living inside them. Some of these come from your mother, conferred during pregnancy, delivery, and, potentially, breastfeeding. Others are introduced by the foods you eat, and your environment.

Probiotics found in fermented foods and drinks such as yogurt, cheese, kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut can add desirable organisms to your gut. But not all varieties of these foods have probiotics; it depends on how they are processed. Sometimes foods that naturally contain probiotics are then cooked or heated, killing the microorganisms and any potential health benefits along with them, says Fung.

Slipping an occasional food with probiotics into your diet wont do much to help you improve your microbiota, says Fung.

"Eating probiotics needs to be a regular thing," she says. (Research hasnt yet determined the ideal frequency.)

Try adding them into one or more daily meals for the biggest benefit. Sip a yogurt smoothie for breakfast, or put a forkful or two of sauerkraut alongside your sandwich at lunch.

The need for prebiotics

Even if you eat a lot of foods that contain probiotics, it wont do you much good if your intestinal environment doesnt allow them to prosper, says Fung.

Research has shown that a traditional Western diet heavy on fat, sugar, and animal meat creates a toxic environment for healthy microbes and can even change the proportion of different types of bacteria inside your body, she says. In short, your healthy gut microbes will suffer on a diet of hot dogs and French fries.

What beneficial bacteria love, says Fung, is fiber. When fiber enters your digestive system, enzymes from the microbiota help to break it down, producing substances called short-chain fatty acids. Experts think that having more of these fatty acids changes the pH inside your colon, making it less hospitable to some damaging types of microorganisms.

Some good prebiotic options are beans and whole grains.

"Whole grains can include everything from oats to wheat," says Fung.

Vegetables and fruits also contain healthy fiber. Other good prebiotic sources include garlic, bananas, onions, asparagus, and seaweed.

Over all, the goal should be to make sure your diet contains a good balance of probiotics and prebiotics. If you feed your gut well, it may repay you in better health.

Image: SDI Productions/Getty Images

13 Best Vegetables for Dogs and the Reasons Why They Should Eat Them

Yes, dogs can also eat vegetables! Theyre not strictly carnivores, so you can absolutely include grains, fruits, and veggies in their diet. The best vegetables for dogs should contain the essential vitamins, minerals, as well as fiber that can boost their health.

Sure, youre probably more used to seeing dogs munch on kibble or canned wet food (which by the way can really supply their nutritional needs), but a treat, a little serving of this or that, or sharing your food can be alright as well if properly done.

When giving your dog treats, you may want to opt for homemade dog treats (these can now be easily ordered online). Go for the ones with all-natural ingredients. A common pitfall for dog parents is to overindulge their dogs with treats (I know, how can you not, right?). So, to avoid pumping them with calorie-rich not-so-healthy commercialized dog treats, always go for the all-natural and homemade ones.

If you got the time, then feel free to give making dog treats at home a try. There are a lot of recipes available online. And dont worry, theyre pretty easy. One quick and very simple dog treat idea would be a slice of vegetables or fruits. In fact, chilled cucumber bits are actually a great treat during hot weather.

A little serving is the key, keep in mind that whatever it is youre offering to your dog is just to supplement the nutrition theyre already getting from their dry kibble or wet food. These dog foods, the high-quality ones, are supposed to contain and be able to generally provide your dogs needed requirements.

But of course, not all dogs are built the same, some may have particular needs that they may not get if their diet consists solely of dog foods. This is why some are prescribed supplements or are given a particular diet plan to match their physical needs. All these, of course, can be properly determined by your dogs vet.

Sharing your food with your fur baby is okay as long as you know which human food you can and cant share with them. And also, were talking about human food here that is prepared or intended for them and not necessarily food scraps. For instance, turkey is okay for dogs, but not exactly the one you prepped for yourself especially when its heavily seasoned with garlic.

Although theres still a debate on whether to feed dogs table scraps (exactly whats on the table, leftovers) a safety measure would be, sure if youre eating healthy yourself and you know which ingredients are not good for your dog. For instance, it wont be wise to give your leftover fried food to your dog. Same thing with pizza and mostly fast food take-outs. But, lets say, its vegetable and chicken stir fry with minimal oil and spices or roasted beef with some green beans then feel free to share it with your pooch.

Keep in mind that even healthy foods when given in excess can lead to canine obesity or other health concerns. Its best that you know the specific nutritional requirements for your dog based on their age. Feeding your puppy is absolutely different from feeding your adult, senior, or overweight dogs.

A growing puppy needs specific nutrition that will support their physical development which is happening really fast during their first few months. The same thing with older dogs, depending on their health condition, their nutritional needs can also vary. And dealing with overweight dogs is also another thing. This should be dealt with as soon as possible before irreversible health issues arise from it. All of these make it the more important that you check in with your vet regularly.

Given all things are normal, with no health issues whatsoever, your dog can meet its nutritional needs from a combination of plant and animal foods diet. Theyre omnivores so they can eat both meat and plants. In fact, many commercial dog foods also contain veggies and fruits.

That said, it wont harm them either to have an extra serving of real or fresh vegetables and fruits in their everyday meal. And itll help you greatly if you know which ones are the best vegetables for dogs. Heres a list to give you some ideas before you start working on a meal plan for your pet.

Best Vegetables for Dogs

Zucchini

Zucchinis are actually quite a favorite ingredient in many dog food recipes because of their B vitamins and fiber content. Not to mention that its mostly water, so perfect for keeping your dog hydrated.

Zucchinis are packed with antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin. Its also rich in folate, potassium, and vitamin A

Sweetcorn

You can serve sweetcorn occasionally to your dog because although its fiber-rich, it also contains sugar and carbohydrates. You can simply sprinkle or mix corn kernels with their usual dog food or use it in your homemade ones. Just make sure that you dont serve them on the cob, as cobs dont digest in a dogs stomach.

Sweetcorn is rich in vitamins B1, B5, and C, phosphorus, manganese, and folate. It also contains very beneficial dietary fiber.

Sweet potatoes

As long as its cooked, sweet potatoes are good for your dog. Its also better if you peel them as the skin tends to be a challenge to digest. You can cut them into small pieces or mash or grate them into their food.

Sweet potatoes are relatively high in carbohydrates but it packs a lot of vitamin A. It also contains vitamins C and D, B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, thiamin, zinc, and phosphorus.

Spinach

You can serve spinach both raw or cook and your dog should be fine. Just keep in mind that dogs react differently to food. For instance, raw spinach is completely fine with some while others may not like its slightly bitter taste. You can try mixing it with their food or as an ingredient to homemade dog foods.

Spinach aside from fiber is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, folate, iron, and potassium. Its also one of the leafy vegetables that are great for an anti-cancer diet for dogs.

Pumpkin

Aside from aiding constipation and firming up diarrhea, pumpkins can also improve red pigment in your dogs coat. You can simply roast sliced pumpkin in your oven and then just scoop out the flesh and dispose of the rind.

Pumpkins are low in calories yet packed with antioxidants, iron, manganese, potassium, and vitamins A, B2, C, and E.

Peas

Peas like sugar snap peas, mange tout, and garden peas are in the clear. However, avoid canned peas as it tends to have quite a high amount of sodium. Its best to go for fresh or frozen peas.

Peas in addition to their fiber content are also a good source of plant protein. It also contains vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and antioxidants.

Green beans

Green beans are an excellent vegetable choice to feed your dog to keep him or her feeling full for a longer period of time. This is particularly helpful if your pet has an incessant appetite and you dont want to overfeed them.

Green beans are actually an inexpensive source of healthy carbs, protein, and fiber. It also has folate, calcium, thiamine, niacin, iron, and vitamins A, C, and K.

Cucumber

Cucumbers are actually a crunchy, refreshing, and healthy treat for dogs. Its low-calorie and low sugar. You can simply slice them into thick pieces and refrigerate them to make for a cool and hydrating snack, especially during summer.

Cucumbers are packed with phytonutrients and vitamin K. Its also a good source of pantothenic acid and molybdenum. It also contains potassium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins B1 and C.

Celery

Another ideal crunchy and water-rich vegetable treat for dogs is celery. Its actually recommended as a weight-loss treatment. Just cut them into short pieces. You can serve them raw or cook, see which one your dog prefers.

Celery is high in fiber but low in calories and is fat-free. It also contains folate, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and K. Its electrolytes content will surely keep your dog hydrated.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower can be served plainly in bite-size pieces either raw or cooked. You can simply steam, boil, or bake them. Aside from supporting your dogs digestive health, cauliflowers antioxidant contents may also help reduce inflammation and help older dogs with arthritis.

Cauliflower contains minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, and magnesium which supports your dogs fluid balance, cell function, nervous system, muscle function, and skeletal structure.

Carrots

Carrots, whether cooked or raw help in improving the red pigments in your pets fur. Giving your dog raw carrot treats also helps in cleaning your dogs teeth.

Aside from the fiber, vitamin A, and beta carotene content of carrots, it also contains calcium, vitamin K, vitamin B6, biotin, and potassium. In addition to beta carotene, other plant compounds in carrots include alpha-carotene, lutein, lycopene, polyacetylenes, and anthocyanins.

Brussels sprouts

The fiber and antioxidants in Brussels sprouts actually help in reducing inflammation, improving blood circulation, and boosting digestion in dogs. Depending on your dogs preference, you may serve Brussels sprouts raw or cook. Dont get discouraged if they reject raw ones (a lot of dogs do), simply try the alternative. Bake, steam, or simply boil them.

Brussels sprouts are rich in Vitamin C and vitamin K. It has moderate amounts of folate and vitamin B6. It also contains iron, potassium, thiamine, magnesium, and phosphorus.

Broccoli

Broccoli whether cooked or raw, in small amounts, are good for dogs. Moderation is the key because the isothiocyanates in the florets can cause gastric irritation in dogs. That said, its vitamin K contents help in promoting strong bones. The fiber also ensures that your dogs digestive system is moving along just fine.

Broccoli, in addition to its high fiber content, is also packed with vitamin C that boosts your dogs immune system. It also has folic acid which helps produce and maintain healthy cells especially with pregnant dogs. It also contains minerals like magnesium, chromium potassium, and sodium.

Reasons Why Your Dog Should Eat Vegetables

You can serve raw, boiled, or steam veggies to your dog. Make sure to cut them into bite-sized pieces to avoid choking. You can also try grating or mashing them to add to their regular food. Keep in mind, too, to serve in moderation what appears as little for you can be a lot for them.

To further convince you to add vegetables to your dogs diet, here are four reasons why they should eat vegetables.

The fiber can boost dogs gut and overall health

Aside from ensuring dogs gut health, the fiber content of veggies also has antioxidative properties that clear toxins, and can also reduce the risk of cancer. And just like in humans, the fiber also adds a feeling of fullness especially for dogs with incessant appetite. This reduces the risk of overfeeding them which can lead to obesity.

Dogs need phytonutrients, too

Phytonutrients are vital to your dogs health and they cant get them from a strict meat diet. Aside from the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants content of veggies, it also contains phytonutrients. So, youll be doing your dog a favor if you serve them vegetables and fruits as part of their healthy diet.

Veggies can help in keeping your dog hydrated

This is especially true with their kibble-rich diet because theyre in a chronic state of dehydration which can lead to kidney disease or bladder stone formation. Aside from making sure your dogs water bowl doesnt run empty, adding veggies to their diet will also help in keeping them hydrated since vegetables are excellent sources of water as well.

Dogs are not pure carnivores like cats

Unlike cats, dogs are not pure carnivores. And unlike cows, theyre not herbivores either. Again, as mentioned above, they eat both meat and plants. In fact, dogs and other wild canids have been eating vegetables for thousands of years.