Benefits of GREEN Vegetables
Disclaimer: Please note I am not a vet or assistant, this info is from research I have done and things I have learned from my dogs. Since changing to raw and adding veg it has been a whole new world for us and them. But please remember to make an informed decision with your own pet. Consider all the options and if any health issues at all make sure you get proper advise.
Green Veggies for Dogs
Dark leafy green vegetables contain important minerals like calcium, potassium, and magnesium, as well as antioxidants and vitamins. They also possess cleansing and pH balancing properties, and they are an excellent source of fiber. But which are the best of the best when it comes to green foods for your dog?
#1 Spinach
This leafy vegetable is a powerhouse. Spinach contains vitamins A, B, C, and K, not to mention minerals like calcium, iron, fiber, manganese, folate, and potassium. It has almost twice as much iron as other sources), and it helps defend against inflammation, cardiovascular issues, and cancer. It can boost the immune system, heart health, energy levels, and vitality. While you can serve spinach raw, most dogs would prefer you cook it down and mix it in with their food.
#2 Broccoli
Broccoli is another great veggie. It’s an amazing source of fiber, calcium, beta-carotene, folate, and vitamins A and C. Dogs love it raw, baked, boiled, and/or frozen, though if your pup has some trouble digesting tough foods, you may want to steam and cool before serving. As a bone replacement, you can try giving your dog the stalk to chew on, too.
#3 Cucumber
Dogs love that satisfying crunch from a raw cucumber. Cucumbers contain little to no carbohydrates, fats, or oils, and they’re incredibly low in calories, so they make for a light, hydrating, and refreshing treat, especially for dogs who are managing their figures. They’re loaded with electrolytes, vitamins K, C, and B1, as well as potassium, copper, magnesium, and biotin. Get ready for one excited dog.
#4 Brussels Sprouts
Like broccoli, Brussels sprouts are full of essential nutrients and antioxidants that are great for both humans and dogs. Brussels sprouts can help reduce inflammation in the body and improve overall blood circulation, and they also contain manganese, folate, fiber, potassium, and vitamins A, B1, B6, K, and G. Brussels sprouts are great for cleaning out the colon and improving digestive health too, they can also make dogs a bit gassy. Remove the hard stem, slice them up, and cook them plain, and that should help your dog digest them thoroughly without clearing out the room. Brussel Sprouts should be used in moderation!!!
#5 Green Beans
Who doesn’t enjoy some fresh green beans? Chopped, steamed, or raw, green beans make excellent snacks for your dogs, and they’re also packed with plenty of fiber (without all the extra calories either). They contain magnesium, calcium, copper, fiber, folic acid, iron, niacin, manganese, potassium, riboflavin, thiamin, beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins A, C, and K. Give them out as treats, chop them up and add them to kibble, or use them in a delicious homemade meal for your furry friends, and your dogs will thank you with plenty of playtime and snuggles.
#6 Kale
Kale is everything, this leafy green is a powerhouse of a vegetable. Kale is incredibly high in beta-carotene, calcium, magnesium, potassium, as well as vitamins K and C. Try chopping up the leaves, steaming a batch, and mixing it with their food along with some blueberries. Just watch out for those dangerous wagging tails as they start eating.
#7 Peas
Peas contain lutein, an anti-oxidant good for skin, heart, and eye health. They are a great source of vitamins, including A, K, and the B vitamins. They're packed with minerals like iron, zinc, potassium, and magnesium. They're also rich in protein and high in fiber.
Veggies In Moderation
As a dog’s natural digestive system was designed for MEAT, BONE and Organs, vegetable can be a nice addition but in moderation. In the wild a dog would source out only the food it would need for proper digestion, can't imagine a dog making a salad of required daily heath plan vegetables, but they are important to digestion and nutrition for them.
If you feed frozen veg from a bag, you will notice what goes in comes out the same way, so peas and carrots when they poop it comes out the same way it went in!!
My suggestion and I do this with my dogs is I puree all veg combinations: peas, broccoli, spinach, kale, zucchini, celery, cauliflower, cucumber, green beans. Note some vegetable need to be cooked or steamed first for proper digestions: i.e. sweet potatoes if given raw contain trypsin inhibitors which can reduce your dog’s ability to digest proteins.
SO!! steam a pot full of veg any combination of the above and then puree them in a blender, pour into ice cube trays and freeze, add one frozen cube three times a week, but don't force any veg. We will sometimes use our veg cubes as treats in the summer!! cools them off, gives them awesome nutrients!! We find we that we start slow add a new veg every few days and then eventually they don't even know they are eating vegetable, but I know they are getting the nutrients they need.
