Content
- Nutritional composition of sweet potato
- Can a dog eat sweet potatoes?
- How to prepare sweet potatoes for dogs
- Are raw sweet potatoes bad?
The sweet potato (Ipomo and potatoes) is a very traditional food that has regained a lot of popularity thanks to the culture fitness, which grows in Brazil and worldwide. It is a tuberous root native to South and Central America that was introduced to the European continent by Christopher Columbus, after his travels to the American continent.
As more and more tutors are encouraged to offer more natural nutrition to their puppies, we often hear questions about the human foods that the puppy can eat and those that are harmful to its health. "dog can eat sweet potato?”, “çcharro can eat watercress?” or "can dog eat onion?”. These are some of the questions caregivers often ask when they decide to go beyond kibble and incorporate fresh foods into their best friends' diets.
In this PeritoAnimal article, we'll talk about the benefits and precautions of giving sweet potatoes to dogs. Check out!
Nutritional composition of sweet potato
To understand if your dog can eat sweet potatoes, it is essential to know the nutritional properties of this food. In addition to clarifying the benefits of incorporating it into your dog's diet, it will also help you to be more conscious about your own nutrition.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 100 grams of raw sweet potatoes have the following nutritional composition:
- Total Energy/Calories: 86kcal;
- Proteins: 1.6g;
- Total fats: 0.1g;
- Carbohydrates: 20g;
- Fibers: 1.8g;
- Sugars: 1.70g;
- Water: 103g;
- Calcium: 30.0mg;
- Iron: 0.6mg;
- Magnesium: 25mg;
- Phosphorus: 47mg;
- Potassium: 337mg;
- Sodium: 55mg;
- Zinc: 0.3 mg;
- Vitamin A: 709µg;
- β-carotene: 8509Μg;
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): 0.1 mg;
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.1 mg;
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 0.61 mg;
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): 0.8 mg;
- Vitamin B6: 0.2 mg;
- Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid): 11 g;
- Vitamin C: 2.4 mg;
- Vitamin K: 2.4mcg.
As you can see, sweetpotato is a low-calorie, low-fat, high-carbohydrate and high-fiber food that provides a moderate amount of plant-based protein. This allows limited sweetpotato consumption to generate satiety, favor muscle mass gain, helps improve digestion and, at the same time, is a great source of energy for metabolism.
Sweet potatoes also provide significant levels of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. And even though it cannot be considered a 'super vitamin' vegetable, it offers a good content of vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin B complex. Together, these nutrients are essential for strengthening the immune system, preventing a wide range of diseases , and are great friends of the health and aesthetics of the skin and hair.
It is also worth noting that by containing natural antioxidants, such as vitamin C, sweet potatoes help fight the action of free radicals and cellular aging, preventing the symptoms of old age in dogs, among which we find the progressive deterioration of cognitive and sensory capacities. .
Can a dog eat sweet potatoes?
If you're wondering if your dog can eat sweet potatoes, the answer is yes! Sweetpotato is not part of the vegetables that a dog cannot eat, in fact, it offers several canine health benefits. However, it is necessary to take the necessary precautions to ensure that the consumption of this tuber is beneficial.
First of all, you need to consider that sweet potatoes cannot be the basis or main element of your pet's diet, as dogs need to consume a good dose of protein daily. Although dogs have become omnivores and are able to digest many foods that wolves are not, meat remains the most suitable source of protein to meet your body's nutritional requirements. Therefore, you should not base your dog's nutrition solely on plant-based proteins and carbohydrates, as this could develop nutritional deficits and cases of anemia in dogs.
In addition, sweet potato is a food rich in sugars and carbohydrates, which can be incorporated into the dog's diet, but always in moderation.
Knowing that your dog can eat sweet potatoes, it should be noted that you should not overfeed. Excessive consumption of carbohydrates can cause digestive problems in dogs, such as gas, vomiting and diarrhea. On the other hand, too much sugar can make your dog gain weight quickly and be more likely to develop some pathologies associated with canine obesity, such as diabetes, joint problems and cardiovascular disease.
Therefore, we recommend that you always consult a veterinarian before incorporating any new food., including the sweet potato for dogs. This properly trained professional will help you define the recommended amount and frequency of consumption according to your pet's size, age, weight and health status.
How to prepare sweet potatoes for dogs
You're probably wondering how to give sweet potatoes to a dog and make the most of the nutritional benefits. Let's explain here.
Are raw sweet potatoes bad?
The first point you should consider is that your dog should never eat raw sweet potatoes, as it is difficult to digest and can cause serious digestive disorders or even symptoms of intoxication in more severe cases. In other words, raw sweet potatoes are bad for you and should not be offered to your furry friend.
Remember if of always giving baked sweet potatoes, either in pieces or in puree form, to favor the digestion and assimilation of nutrients. If you want to please your furry one, you can also use sweet potatoes to prepare delicious homemade recipes, such as a sweet potato hide with ground beef or chicken.
In addition, you the dog can eat sweet potatoes in the shape of snacks sweet potato healthyin the oven and use them as positive reinforcement in your dog's education, to reward him for his efforts and achievements, as well as to encourage him to continue learning. But remember not to include salt, spices, or oils that could harm the dog.
Lastly, you can also offer sweet potato for dog with diarrhea, to favor the replacement of water, nutrients and energy. But it is essential to respect a moderate dose to prevent excess fiber from having an adverse effect and re-stimulating intestinal transit, worsening the diarrheal condition.
Now that you know that dogs can eat sweet potatoes, as long as they are cooked, you may be interested in this video from our YouTube channel where we comment on 8 dog fruits, their benefits and recommended doses:
If you want to read more articles similar to Can a dog eat sweet potatoes?, we recommend that you enter our Balanced Diets section.