Over the years, dogs have evolved so much from their wild wolf ancestors, changing their outward appearance, but their digestive and productive system is still the same. Technically, this is to mean that by nature, dogs are carnivorous, with most experts agreeing that meat is predominant in a dog’s diet.
A balanced diet for your best friend includes meat together with vegetables and fruits. This makes them more omnivorous than carnivorous.
When it comes to vegetables for dogs, it can get controversial. Most people don’t think that dogs need vegetables. In fact, they believe that feeding dogs an all-meat diet is enough, but the truth is that the acidity nature of meat is balanced by the alkaline nature of vegetables.
So, can dogs eat vegetables? the answer is Yes. Vegetables are a great addition to your diet since they offer a wide range of benefits that improve your health and well-being.
Here are the top five:
1. Provide Vital Phytonutrients That Help Support General Health
Vegetables are loaded with phytonutrients that are not present in meat. Phytonutrients are the most important nutrients everyone should give their dog. Phytonutrients are only found in fruits and vegetables—kale and broccoli are the richest in phytonutrients. They are natural compounds that give plants their vibrant green color.
So, if you’re a dog parent who thinks that meat alone is enough, then your dog is missing a lot of essential benefits. Phytonutrients offer significant antioxidant effects that help fight many dog-related health problems-from age-related issues to chronic issues like cancer.
Previously, research has shown that vegetables protect people from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and even more. All these health benefits come from these phytonutrients. Phytonutrients can kill cancer cells, promote gut health, reduce inflammation and support a healthy liver.
Dogs that consume vegetables at least three times a week, in addition to their kibbles, reduce the chances of cancer by 69-88% compared to dogs eating kibble alone.
2. Vegetables Are Rich In Important Vitamins For Dogs
Giving the right amount of vegetables rich in various vitamins helps your dog’s body repair and grow itself. Without a proper balance of these vital vitamins, your dog’s body will not be able to grow and repair properly.
Even for humans, vegetables are an excellent source of the important vitamin. However, it is good to note that certain vitamins can be bad for your dog’s health. An assortment of these essential vitamins includes;
Vitamin A – this vitamin is also known as retinol. Retinol is a fat-soluble vitamin found in many vegetables. Dogs store this vitamin in fat cells, where it aids mucus production, cell growth, and division, among other benefits. In short, this vitamin helps to maintain nearly all organs.
Dogs need vitamin A in all stages of life. This vital vitamin is responsible for brain and skeletal development and supports eyesight and skin health.
Vegetables rich in vitamin A are carrots and broccoli.
B Vitamins – these vitamins are essential for energy (through breaking complex carbs and sugars), enzyme and proper nervous system function, immune response, and metabolism. These vitamins also play an important role in cognitive and neurological function and are key to your pup’s mental health.
Vitamin E – vitamin E is good for dogs and is essential for any dog food. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that prevents diseases like cancer and promotes healthy skin and hair. It also promotes a healthy heart, liver, and muscles.
Vitamin K – vitamin k is a fat-soluble nutrient that aids blood clotting. These vitamins play a vital role in bone formation and repair and also improve liver function. Vegetables rich in nutrients include broccoli, brussels sprouts, green peas, green beans, and cabbage.
3. Vegetables Are a Source Of Hydration
Just like it is crucial for us to drink water every day, it is also the same for your best friend to stay hydrated for them to stay in optimum good health.
After a long walk or a strenuous play time, your pup will probably head over to the water bowl. You can always supplement the daily water bowl with a treat of one or two vegetables.
Most vegetables contain high water content, which is an excellent source of hydration, and they’re also packed with essential nutrients. Especially for dogs who eat kibble. Kibble is the major cause of dehydration in dogs.
Vegetables like cucumbers, lettuce, and brussels sprouts are more than 85% water. Therefore, you should give these vegetables to your dog once in a while in small quantities. To spice up things more, you can freeze them or mash them and make popsicles for that hot summer day.
Complications such as kidney stones or kidney disease are most likely to occur if your dog feeds on kibble alone and not fed on veggies. Here are signs of dehydration to look out for in your dog;
- Dry gums and tongue
- Dry nose
- Thick ropey saliva
- Lethargy
- Loss of skin elasticity
- Vomiting
4. Vegetables Enable Dogs to Maintain A State of Homeostasis
Homeostasis is the state of balance within all physical systems needed for a body to function properly and survive is homeostasis. In a state of homeostasis, body levels are constantly adjusting in response to changes outside and inside the body.
The balance of acids and alkanes in your dog’s body is essential to maintain a state of homeostasis and maintain proper health. Some internal organs in a dog’s body function better under more alkaline conditions. This includes vital organs such as the liver, heart, kidneys, and pancreas. An alkaline environment is also crucial for the production, balance, and proper functioning of hormones in a dog.
Maintaining a balance of acids and alkalines is important not only for homeostasis but also for the sake of your dog’s health. High acidity in dogs can cause inflammation and, in turn, trigger various chronic diseases.
Proteins found in meat can raise acidity levels in your dog. Feeding your dog veggies is important to balance this out. Vegetables have an alkalinizing effect on dogs. Regularly feeding your dog veggies will enable them to maintain a state of homeostasis.
The following veggies have an alkalinizing effect in dogs;
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Asparagus
- Lettuce
- Parsley
- Celery
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Carrots
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Melons (water melon, cantaloupe, and honeydew)
- Mangoes
- Papayas
You can feed your pooch either fresh or canned fruits and veggies. However, fresh produce has the best impact.
Remember to feed your dog these veggies in moderation. As they say, too much of anything is poisonous, and so excess vegetables can be dangerous for dogs.
5. Vegetables Help Prevent Chronic Diseases in Dogs
Vegetables provide dogs with a wide array of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibers, all of which play an instrumental role in strengthening a dog’s immunity and preventing diseases.
Vegetables have been found to help prevent cancer in dogs. Pups who eat dark leafy green, orange, or yellow veggies have a 90% decreased risk of developing cancer. For example, the antioxidants found in most veggies that dogs can eat help control free radicals in the dog’s body and prevent them from growing out of control.
Besides antioxidants, other nutrients dogs get from consuming vegetables also help in reducing the risk of cancer. This includes fibers, vitamins, and minerals.
Vegetables also help prevent other chronic diseases. The underlying development of most chronic diseases in dogs involves the accumulation of oxidative stress, altered immune function, and chronic low-grade inflammation. These underlying causes are eliminated by the consumption of the right amount of vegetables.
Eating vegetables also supports a dog’s gut health. Gut health is essential to overall health. About 90% of a dog’s immune system lives in his/her gut. The gut takes in and digests food and absorbs essential nutrients from this food. An unhealthy gut would mean decreased function, which would put the entire body at risk. Feeding your dog veggies enables them to have diverse gut bacteria that strengthen gut health and, thus, your dog’s ability to fight diseases and illness.
The Takeaway
Not only can dogs eat vegetables, but they also need them. Veggies have been a part of a dog’s diet for thousands of years. Vegetables provide dogs with a wide range of nutrients, all of which play a crucial role in maintaining the dog’s health.
If you’re wondering if you can replace vegetable nutrients with multivitamins, it’s not possible. Most nutrient supplements are synthetic and just don’t have the same benefits as fresh veggies do.
So, the next time you go grocery shopping, put extra veggies into your cart for your furry friend back home.
