Dogs are omnivores, so they can eat both meat and vegetables. However, dogs do not benefit nutritionally from eating a strict vegetarian diet. Dogs need protein in their diets and should not be fed a vegetarian diet.
That being said, dogs can certainly eat some plant-based foods, including fruits and vegetables, like bean sprouts!
Bean sprouts are the edible sprouts of various bean types such as mung, adzuki, lentil, soybean, and alfalfa. You can easily grow your own bean sprouts at home or purchase them at your local grocery store or health food store.
Bean sprouts are a common ingredient in many Asian dishes. They are often used in stir-fried dishes or soups and have a nice flavor that goes well with many different types of food. They can be eaten raw like in salads or cooked like in soups.
And today, let’s see if dogs can enjoy some bean sprouts along with you.
Can your dogs eat bean sprouts?
Yes, dogs can eat bean sprouts. Bean sprouts are healthy food for humans to eat and can be a healthy snack for dogs too. They actually can eat many types of beans and legumes, but these are not a regular part of their diet.
Bean sprouts contain a lot of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium, and iron. These vitamins and minerals are essential to maintain your dog’s healthy life.
Let’s take a deeper look at how bean sprouts can be beneficial for your dogs.
Health benefits of bean sprouts for dogs
Rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C
Bean sprouts are an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin C, which offer a lot of health benefits for your dogs.
For one, vitamin A promotes healthy and good eyesight by preventing common vision problems. It also helps develop their ability to see better at night. On the other hand, vitamin C reduces the risk of chronic inflammation.
Vitamin A and Vitamin C also act as antioxidants that help prevent cognitive and cell aging and promote a healthy immune system by binding with free radicals in the body.
Good source of dietary fiber
Bean sprouts contain a significant amount of fiber, promoting healthy digestion for your furry friends. The insoluble fiber from the bean sprouts aid in their digestion by improving gut motility as they add bulk to your dog’s stool.
This prevents constipation and can regulate your dog’s bowel movements. Insoluble fiber also helps detoxify and clean your dog’s digestive tract.
Regulates blood pressure
Bean sprouts contain peptides, which are protein building blocks that can help prevent hypertension. These peptides are produced as the beans grow into sprouts, and studies have shown that peptides derived from food proteins can regulate blood pressure.
Has anti-cancer potential
Peptides found in bean sprouts also have anti-cancer potential. Based on conducted research, these peptide compounds can specifically target cancer cells, slow down their growth and prevent them from spreading, without affecting the body’s normal cells.
Peptide-based therapy has been used to treat breast and prostate cancer in humans.
Promotes heart health
Bean sprouts can also lower the cholesterol level and prevent the risk of having heart illnesses for both you and your dogs. Reducing the bad cholesterol in your dog’s body can also help them lose weight if they need to.
Eating bean sprouts can also lower triglyceride levels in their bloodstream. Triglycerides are blood fatty acids that can cause heart disease if they build up in the body.
Contains a number of B vitamins
Bean sprouts contain vitamin B6, vitamin B9, and vitamin B12, which are all essential for overall body function.
Vitamin B6 is essential in promoting the proper function of the nervous system. It also aids in hormone regulation, red blood cell function, glucose generation, and overall immune response.
Vitamin B9 or folate promotes healthy red blood cell formation and cell growth. Folate is also helpful in maintaining good and healthy eyesight.
Vitamin B12 or cyanocobalamin is another B vitamin that aids in maintaining proper cell functions and a healthy nervous system. It can also help in carbohydrate and fat metabolism, as well as protein synthesis.
Bone health
Bean sprouts also contain minerals like calcium and manganese that can promote healthy bones. A regular calcium intake allows your dogs to maintain strong and healthy bones, teeth, hair, and nails.
On the other hand, manganese helps in maintaining bone density and healthy joint cartilages. This mineral also helps in protein and carbohydrate metabolism and aids in producing good fatty acids in the body.
Aside from these numerous health benefits, there is also evidence of liver-protecting effects from consuming bean sprouts.
How to prepare bean sprouts for dogs
Bean sprouts are safe for dogs to eat and are packed with nutritional value. You can serve bean sprouts to your dog either cooked or raw.
Since bean sprouts are perishable, they can be highly susceptible to mold growth. Raw bean sprouts may contain harmful bacteria that can cause diarrhea and other illnesses. To remove unwanted bacteria from bean sprouts, soak them in cold water for at least 2 hours prior to consumption. This is important especially if you want to give raw bean sprouts to your furry pal.
You can boil, steam, or saute bean sprouts and mix them to their regular meal. Be sure not to add any ingredients like salt, seasonings, garlic, or onion, when cooking bean sprouts for your dogs. These ingredients are toxic and can be detrimental to their health.
Are there any risks involved when giving bean sprouts to your dogs?
Microbial contamination
Bean sprouts have been found to carry the bacteria that causes salmonella in humans. You should also avoid buying bean sprouts from stores that keep their products at room temperature as they may be more susceptible to salmonella contamination than those kept refrigerated.
It is highly recommended to cook the sprouts before giving them to your dogs or wash them properly when giving them raw sprouts.
Unwanted ingredients
As mentioned above, you should not use ingredients such as salt, seasonings, and other ingredients that are considered toxic for dogs. Most seasonings add sodium to the food which is unhealthy for your dog.
Microbial contamination and toxic ingredients can both cause stomach issues and severe illnesses for your dogs. In case your dog accidentally ate food with these risks, make sure to observe them for these symptoms:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
- Seizures
- Rapid heart rate
For serious cases, you should contact your local vet immediately.
What types of bean sprouts are good for dogs?
Perhaps you are asking if dogs can eat soybean sprouts or can dogs eat alfalfa sprouts? What about mung bean sprouts?
Most bean sprouts fall into the category of foods that are not only safe for dogs to eat, but also offer health benefits. Dogs can eat most bean sprouts as long as it’s in moderation.
However, it is important to note that any food can lead to digestive upset in dogs if they are not used to eating it. In addition, check with your veterinarian if you have a puppy or an old dog. They may recommend feeding them only small amounts of new foods to determine how they react.
Conclusion
So, can dogs eat bean sprouts? The answer is yes, dogs can eat bean sprouts. They are a healthy addition to your dog’s diet and offer many of the same health benefits as they do for humans.
Bean sprouts are high in fiber and antioxidants. Like all vegetables, they also provide an extra source of nutrients like vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to your dog’s health.
You can serve bean sprouts either raw or cooked as long as they are prepared properly. Avoid mixing ingredients such as salt and seasonings when cooking bean sprouts for your dogs.
For any concerns and questions about bean sprouts or other types of food for your dogs, make sure to consult with your vet.