Broccoli is great for the human body. You can’t deny the health benefits. But more than a few sneaky kids have pushed the broccoli off their plate, and right on the floor, where Rover can eat it. This may leave dog owners wondering, can dogs safely eat broccoli?
Can Dogs Eat Broccoli?
To ease the minds of dog owners and those sneaky children everywhere, yes, dogs can eat broccoli — and when you look at the health benefits, it can be argued that dogs should eat broccoli.
Broccoli is filled with a variety of important vitamins and nutrients, including Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and potassium. These nutrients work wonders on the heart health, bone density, and immune systems of canines.
Broccoli's health benefits makes it an attractive choice to incorporate into your four-legged friend’s diet.
When it comes to the intricacies of feeding broccoli to dogs, here’s what you should know:
Broccoli Nutrition Facts
Here are some of the nutritional details that you can expect with broccoli (per 100g):
- Energy: 24 kcal
- Protein: 2.35g
- Total fat: 0g
- Carbohydrate (by difference): 4.71g
- Fiber: 3.5g
- Sugars: 1.18g
- Calcium: 59mg
- Iron: .82mg
- Potassium: 212mg
- Sodium: 24mg
- Vitamin C: 56.5mg
For full details on what broccoli provides, take a look at this handy chart from FoodData Central.
Is Broccoli Good for Dogs?
There are plenty of vitamins and nutrients within broccoli, making it a great food choice for dogs and humans alike. The best thing it can do for dogs is boost their heart health, which is crucial for them to live a long, active and happy life.
Other potential benefits of feeding your dog broccoli:
- Improves bone strength and density
- Helps fight off diseases
- Boosts immune system
But as mentioned earlier, it’s important that you feed broccoli to your dog in moderation. Broccoli does contain trace amounts of isothiocyanates in the floret, which can cause indigestion problems.
If your dog does manage to eat a broccoli floret, don’t worry — the number of isothiocyanates that are found in the floret is minuscule. Keep an eye on your pup so they don’t eat your whole supply of broccoli, but a few treats? Perfectly okay!
How to Prepare Broccoli for Dogs
Now that you understand the benefits of broccoli for dogs, it’s time to figure out how to prepare broccoli for dogs!
1. Cooked or Raw?
When it comes to preparing the broccoli, you’ll be pleased to know that dogs can eat both raw and cooked broccoli. The most popular preparation method for serving broccoli for dogs is to steam the broccoli. There are plenty of ways to quickly and easily steam broccoli — try out a few different methods and see which one works best for you.
You can also roast broccoli! Make sure you keep out the seasonings though, since all those extra spices can mess with your pup’s digestion.
If you opt for feeding your dog raw broccoli, we recommend that you puree it for easy digestion. If you don’t have a food processor or blender on hand, make sure you chop it up into bite-sized pieces. That way, your pup won’t choke while snacking.
2. Choose Organic
If you can, it’s always beneficial to opt for organic vegetables. Like other produce, organic broccoli will reduce your pet’s exposure to pesticides, which is healthier for any dog. Organic farming is also a much more sustainable and environmentally-friendly way to feed you pup. We believe that organic is best for the earth and all living things!
3. Always Wash the Veggies
Before you prepare your vegetables, it’s important to wash them in the sink. Modern-day produce goes through a lot during its trip from the farm to the grocery store. It gets handled by a lot of people! You want to make sure you’re cleaning off any germs that may be remaining from the journey.
4. Skip the Seasoning!
When it comes to humans eating vegetables, seasoning is your best friend — it makes them taste better and makes it easier to consume your daily greens. However, it’s important to avoid seasoning when preparing vegetables for dogs.
A dog’s stomach isn’t used to the intense flavors found in seasoning, and the foreign matter could make the dog sick. Although humans sometimes need the seasoning to eat vegetables, you can rest assured that your dog will be excited enough about the broccoli that they won’t even notice that it’s unseasoned.
5. Make Broccoli a Special Treat
So, can dogs eat broccoli? Yes, but it’s important that you use it in moderation. Broccoli is a great way to feed your dog something healthy that they love, but it’s important that they are getting a well-balanced diet. Like humans, dogs need a variety of nutrients and vitamins, and unfortunately, broccoli doesn’t cover all of their needs.
We recommend using broccoli as a treat or pairing it alongside a staple meal. Broccoli is one of the healthy ingredients in Raw Bistro’s Frozen Bison raw dog food, for instance.
Remember: Always Consult Your Vet
Broccoli is safe for dogs, and is even good for them! But just like humans, each dog’s taste, digestion, and health is a little different. It’s never a bad idea to check in with your vet before you make a major change to your dog’s diet.
If you want to find more ways to give your dog a diet filled with important vitamins and nutrients, then browse the different raw dog food selections that Raw Bistro has to offer. We’re passionate about helping you find the best fuel for your furry friend so that they can live a long, happy, and healthy life. Check it out today!