With all the low-carb diet trends on the market, you may wonder if it’s healthy or even safe for dogs to eat rice. Many dog owners may also be curious about the different types of rice a dog can have, including white, brown, and wild rice, or even rice cakes. Read on to learn more about how rice can be a healthy, tasty treat for your pup and the benefits of adding rice to your dog’s diet.
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Is Rice Good For Dogs?
Dogs can eat rice and it’s often found as an ingredient in organic or vegan dog food. In fact, it is a great alternative to low nutrient fillers used in commercial pet food. Most of the less-expensive commercial pet food is loaded with fillers that you wouldn’t want to put in your own body.
Benefits of Dogs Eating Rice
There are several health benefits to eating rice. For starters, rice is high in carbohydrates, a nutrient your dog needs. In addition, rice does not contain sodium, cholesterol, or harmful fats. Rice is also rich in many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, iron, fiber, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamine.
Furthermore, the starch in rice helps keep your dog’s bowels healthy, and since rice is low in sodium, it is ideal for dogs that have heart issues. Whole grain or brown rice is the best option as they are not processed.
Adding Rice To Your Dog’s Diet
The easiest way to add rice to your dog’s diet is to mix rice with your dog’s dry or wet food. However, many dog owners are making their own pet food at home, from scratch, using rice as one of the main ingredients. You can cook meals for your dog using rice, sweet potato, lean meat, broccoli, and carrots.
For larger dogs, you can simply cook all your ingredients, mix them together, and give them to your dog in their bowl. However, it’s a good idea to mince everything together with a food processor or blender for smaller dogs.
If you choose to cook your dog’s meals, it’s important to remember to leave out salt, oil, and other seasonings that you’d normally add when cooking food for yourself.
Yes, Dogs Can Eat Rice
Rice is safe for your dog and many commercial dog food brands include it as an ingredient. In fact, rice has more nutrients than products that use fillers. Some pet stores may also carry “raw” food, which is similar to dog food that you would make yourself. It has no unhealthy ingredients, and also contains ingredients you should have no trouble pronouncing such as rice. Feeding your dog foods that contain rice, or other healthy ingredients, is the first step toward a happier pup!