Curious about whether dogs can eat quinoa? We hear so much these days about the health benefits offered by quinoa. So, if quinoa is healthy for humans, it should be just as healthy for our dogs, right? Yes, dogs can have quinoa as a treat, and it is even an ingredient in some of the best high-end dry dog foods. Quinoa is a much healthier alternative to wheat, corn, or soy products, which are often used to produce lower-grade dog kibble. In fact, some pets even develop allergies to these grains, which is why you’ve been seeing so many grain-free dog foods being marketed as good for dogs.
However, like anything else in life, moderation is key. For instance, saponin is a chemical naturally found in quinoa and can be toxic in large quantities. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry all that much about whether quinoa is safe or dangerous for dogs because there isn’t enough of this bad ingredient in quinoa to affect your dog. Even though your dog’s digestive system is generally more sensitive than a human’s, you would need to feed your dog quinoa at every meal to begin to trigger negative symptoms.
Let’s explore why quinoa is good for dogs, how adding it to your dogs’ diets can be beneficial for their health, and whether there is a difference in giving your puppy black or red quinoa.
Nutritional Benefits of Quinoa
While there are a fair number of calories in quinoa, with just 100 grams of it containing 372 calories, you can rest assured that these aren’t just empty calories. Quinoa is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are necessary for a balanced, healthy dog diet. Quinoa has riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, iron, protein, and calcium. It also has healthy fat, which dogs need, as well as healthy carbohydrates.
Quinoa is considered to be a super food, and it is gluten-free. It also has several essential amino acids that you won’t find in many other foods. If your vet has recommended a high protein/high complex carbohydrate diet for your dogs, ask about adding quinoa to their diets.
There are several health benefits that your dogs can enjoy by eating quinoa. They include, but are not limited to:
- Prevention of heart disease
- Prevention of certain cancers
- Lowering the risk of diabetes
- Powerful antioxidant
- Loads of vitamin B12
As you can see, quinoa is definitely very healthy and good for dogs. Your puppy will thank you for giving him a little of this nutritious treat every once in awhile!
Quinoa For Dogs
If you’re just now introducing quinoa into your dogs’ diets, you should make sure that you start out with a very small amount. This way you can see whether it will cause any digestive issues. If you notice vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation in your dogs after they eat this super food, it’s probably best to avoid giving them more in the future. If there aren’t any negative side effects, you can regularly start feeding quinoa to your dogs.
When feeding quinoa to dogs, make sure that it’s not made with any flavorings, especially garlic and onions, which are both toxic to dogs. Also, quinoa should be unsalted, as salt is very unhealthy for dogs and can increase their risk for obesity, diabetes, and other health issues.
To prepare quinoa, you should rinse and wash it, and then cook it in water. Always make sure to give your dog only cooked quinoa.
Yes, Dogs Can Eat Quinoa
If you’re looking for a healthy food to add to your dogs’ diets, ask your veterinarian about quinoa. Chances are, your vet will encourage you to give this food to your dogs, because it offers so many health benefits. Just make sure that it’s fully cooked without any seasonings, and that you only give it to your dogs in small amounts.