Broccoli for dogs: is broccoli good for dogs?

Video: Pug Eats Some Broccoli

Broccoli for dogs? Is it good? Does it even have health benefits? Is Broccoli harmful to dogs? Here are answers to these and more on the health benefits of giving vegetables such as broccoli to your dog.

Is Broccoli Good for Dogs?

Video: Dog vs. Broccoli: Cute Dog Maymo

Dogs can eat broccoli, it is a tasty, inexpensive, low fat vegetable and a great source of vitamins and nutrients for dogs. Broccoli has a lot of health benefits which range from aiding the dog in fighting infections to helping the dog in excreting toxins.

However, it also has harmful ingredients that can cause problems, especially if the dog takes broccoli in large amounts daily.

Dogs are omnivorous, so they can eat vegetables and still be fine. What makes broccoli unique is that it not only has health benefits like vitamins, nutrients or fiber that help in intestinal health but also dogs can’t get enough of it, they find it delicious.

The downside of giving broccoli to dogs is that it has an ingredient known as isothiocyanates, which can cause gastric irritation.  Isothiocyanates can cause problems especially when taken in large amounts.

How much broccoli is safe for your dog?

The answer is that there should not more 5-10% of broccoli in your dog’s daily diet.

Benefits of giving Broccoli for Dogs?

Broccoli does have plenty of advantages to the dog’s health- it’s one of the healthiest and affordable vegetables. That’s why it makes an excellent snack or treat for your dog.

It is loaded with nutrients and minerals that are beneficial to dogs with diabetes and cancer. Here are other benefits of giving broccoli to your dog.

Detoxification

Broccoli has a combination of three Glucosinolates. These are essential in activating neutralization and elimination of toxins and contaminants in dog’s bodies. Glucoraphanin, glucobrassicin and gluconasturtiin aid all steps of detoxification in the dog’s system. It’s a naturally healthy way of purifying the body from environmental and food toxins absorbed in the dog’s body.

Cancer Prevention

Glucoraphanin in broccoli a precursor to sulforaphane which is very powerful in broccoli. This ingredient turns on genes that prevent cancer development by boosting cell enzymes. They hence protect dog against little damage from chemicals causing cancer, and it minimizes the ability of cells that help in the spread of diseases.

Helps with digestion

Broccoli has lots of dietary fiber which promotes digestive health by maintaining healthy bacteria levels in the stomach and also keeps the dog regular.

Cholesterol reduction

Because of low fat and calorie levels, the level of cholesterol in your dog reduces with time. High fiber intake also promotes the drop in cholesterol levels by binding with cholesterol in the blood. This makes cholesterol easier to excrete eventually lessening the cholesterol level in the dog’s body.

Anti-inflammatory

Broccoli has anti- inflammatory properties. It’s a rich source of phytonutrients which help reduce swelling and inflammation. These free up body’s immune system giving the dog’s body free time to deal with other problems like sickness and germs.

Anti-oxidant

Broccoli has nutrients, and antioxidant properties that help fight chronic diseases like heart disease. It also prevents Kidney problem or eye problems.

Broccoli for Diabetic Dogs

Soluble fiber in the digestive system also helps to slow down glucose absorption hence preventing the quick rise of blood glucose levels after a dog has a meal.

Other benefits

The dogs also benefits from broccoli by getting;

• Cleaner teeth and gums
• Healthier and smoother skin
• Smaller stools
• Stronger gums
• Higher energy levels

Nutritional Profile

• Broccoli is a great source of Vitamins which include Vitamin C, K, A, E, B1, and B2. These vitamins are crucial to the dogs, some act as an antioxidant, others are essential in blood clotting functionality, etc.
• Broccoli is rich in Folate which is important in the production of healthy dog body cells and the maintenance of the cells.
• Mineral and electrolytes are also in broccoli these includes magnesium, sodium, iron, phosphorus, chromium, potassium and manganese and they are essential to the dog’s immune system, neural system, heart and growth dogs growth.
• Research have also shown that broccoli is rich in kaempferol a source of flavonoid which helps lessen allergy impacts, giving broccoli that can fight allergies in dogs.

Video: Tiny Hamster Holds Broccoli! Cute Pet Video

How to give Broccoli to your dogs

This depends on how your dog likes its broccoli, what nutrients your dog needs from the broccoli and also if the digestive system of your dog.

Some dogs prefer raw broccoli and others cooked, so it’s good to watch over your dog and see what makes it more excited. Most dogs however, prefer cooked broccoli compared to raw broccoli, especially when it’s cooked with other food substances.

Here are ways you can prepare broccoli for your dog.

Raw or Cooked Broccoli for Dogs

Raw broccoli and broccoli Sprouts “3-4-year-old broccoli plant’’ have some advantages and disadvantages. Some dogs like the taste and texture of raw or sprout broccoli. If your dog likes raw broccoli it will have the feeling with cabbage broccoli- sprout broccoli has higher nutrient concentration like vitamin C.

What raw and sprout broccoli have got over steamed or cooked is that they help provide exceptional stomach support from overgrowth of bacterium better than steamed broccoli.

The problem is that some dogs find it hard eating raw or sprout broccoli. Other dogs especially the young ones may find it hard to digest raw broccoli so this brings digestive problems.

Cooked Broccoli for Dogs

Steamed broccoli– the main reason to cook fresh broccoli is to soften the broccoli and make them easier to digest for the dog. It is necessary to keep intact the broccoli’s nutrients.

Steam for 20 minutes or put in a microwave for 3 minutes and check if it has softened a bit before giving it to the dog. Steaming is the best way of cooking broccoli to avoid complete nutrient loss

Boiling broccoli- cooking is an awesome way to get your dog eating broccoli. However, some nutrients like, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin C and B are lost in the process. Folate levels also reduce to very little amounts, etc.

Some of the benefits of cooking broccoli for your dog include increased levels of beta- carotene, gamma-tocopherols, or lutein. It also increases cholesterol-lowering capability by increasing the ability of broccoli to bind with bile acids.

Remember that sometimes broccoli stalks are preferable to the flowery head. The stalks have less isothiocyanate which when taken in large amounts causes gastric irritation.

How to Cook Broccoli for Dogs

Here is the best way to cook broccoli if you want to mix it with other foods later or give some to the dog directly.

Procedure

1. Rinse broccoli with clean cold water,
2. Start with the broccolis stalk because they take longer to cook, so steam them first for two minutes before putting in the florets. Make slits on them for quicker cooking.
3. Cut florets into small pieces that can be mixed with other food substance or given as snacks
4. Put them in a steam pot with 2-inch deep water level, the pot should be at temperature 100°C and should be left for five minutes “first the stem for 2 minutes then the florets for 5 minutes.”
5. After 5 minutes, take it off and let it cool off before serving.

Broccoli for Dogs, Recipes

There are several broccoli for dogs’ recipes which your dog will enjoy. These recipes help make broccoli sweeter and also create a well-balanced diet. Here are the best-known broccoli recipes liked by dogs:

Broccoli and Cauliflower

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh chopped broccoli florets
• Three tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives
• Two teaspoons of lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• One seasoned salt
• Two teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 3cups fresh cauliflower florets
• Three tablespoons butter

Preparation

1. In a bowl stir together thyme leaves, chives and better.
2. Add salt and pepper then stir again till the mixture is blended then set aside.
3. Boil water in a saucepan- two-inch deep water.
4. Add cauliflower I saucepan- let it cook for two minutes then add broccoli.
5. Let them cook for three minutes.
6. Drain it off water then add butter and stir.
7. Wait for two minutes then remove.

Meat Loaf with broccoli for dogs

Ingredients

• 2 cups of grated broccoli
• 1 cups of old fashioned oatmeal
• 1/2 cup of cottage cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1kg of ground beef
• Ground up flax seeds

Preparation

1. Take two meat loaf pan and butter. Butter prevents the mixture from sticking to the pan
2. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add cottage cheese, ground beef, flax seed, oatmeal and the broccoli then stir
3. Heat up the oven to 350 F. It’s good to preheat the oven before you start preparing the mixture to save time.
4. Put it in the oven then bake for 18-25 minutes.

Carrots and Broccoli for dogs

Ingredients

• 2 cup julienne-cut carrots
• Four teaspoons or 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup of chopped broccoli florets

Preparation

1. Boil water in a saucepan- two-inch deep water
2. Add the carrots and broccoli and secure it with a lead.
3. Steam for 5 minutes
4. Add salt and lemon juice
5. Serve for after 5 minutes

Salt and lemon make it taste awesome for the dog.

Broccoli and Rice

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups chopped frozen broccoli
• One tablespoon butter
• 1 cup white rice

NB: Make sure to squeeze dry the defrosted broccoli

Preparation

1. Fry the chicken broth with butter for 15
2. Add rice and stir
3. Add water let it boil, reduce and simmer. All water should have dried before adding broccoli.”
4. Add defrosted dried broccoli and stir
5. cook it for 3 minutes
6. serve after 5 minutes

Many recipes can go down well with broccoli so try to mix it up a little. Try different recipes for your dog. He will enjoy the different tastes and will also make sure he gets a balanced diet. With time, you will realize that your dog prefers some recipes to others.

These recipes are easy to make and if stored in a refrigerator it can last for 2 weeks to 1 month depending what your recipe was.

Remember to monitor your dog when you introduce foods like broccoli for the first time. Watch out for stomach upsets and allergies.

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