Can dogs eat quinoa?
If you are a dog owner who loves quinoa, then you may already be asking this question.
Quinoa is a superfood and comes with a horde of benefits.
It is rich in fiber and also high in protein. It is a very healthy food for us, and many have started to include it in our regular diet.
When you have a tasty quinoa meal, chances are, your dog is going to want a bite. That’s when you ask yourself if quinoa is safe for your dog. Can my dog eat quinoa?
In this post, we will answer your questions about quinoa for dogs. We will also go in deep and let you know more about this subject.
Let’s dive in.
Can Dogs Eat Quinoa?
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The short answer to that question is YES!
Dogs can eat quinoa without any problems.
Being a superfood, quinoa is an excellent alternative to rice, corn, and wheat.
The grain comes with a ton of fiber and complex carbohydrates. It is also gluten-free as well.
So when the next time you have a doubt, be sure that you can feed your dog quinoa.
How Good is Quinoa for Dogs?
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Quinoa is not only a superfood for us but also for our dogs.
Many high-quality dog foods contain quinoa has a key ingredient.
Let’s take a look at the good stuff quinoa brings to the table.
100 grams of quinoa contains the following:
- Calories – 372
- Carbs – 71.2 grams
- Protein – 11.5 grams
- Fat – 4.9 grams
- Niacin – 1.4 grams
- Calcium – 66 milligrams
- Iron – 8.5 milligrams
- Thiamin – 0.24 of a gram
- Riboflavin – 0.23 of a gram
In addition to this, quinoa comes with a high quantity of fiber and is also gluten-free.
It also is the home of many essential amino acids that you won’t able to find in many other foods.
Medicinal Qualities of Quinoa
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Quinoa can help your dog’s cardiovascular system. It can improve it and, in the process, can prevent any cardiovascular disease.
Quinoa comes with an adequate amount of antioxidants in them. Antioxidants are great for your dog and help fight free radicals. They are also effective at preventing cancer.
The presence of complex carbohydrates will keep your dog healthy and active throughout the day. Complex carbohydrates are much better than the simple ones, and that’s why quinoa is a better alternative to rice and other sources.
Quinoa is an excellent food if your dog is diabetic. With a very low-fat content, quinoa can prevent your dog from becoming obese as well.
Quinoa is one of the vegetarian foods that are rich protein. Besides protein, there are good quantities of essential amino acids, Vitamins, and fiber to make this a super-healthy food for your favorite friend.
How Much Quinoa Can Dogs Eat?
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We have concluded that quinoa is a wonderful food for your dog.
But how much quinoa can my dog eat?
That’s a reasonable question, and the answer depends on your dog.
If you are just starting out with quinoa, it is better to try out with a small amount of quinoa. Give a small portion of cooked quinoa to your dog and see how he or she reacts to it.
If your dog is fine, then you can slowly increase the amount and continue your observation.
Stop increasing the portion size when your dog can’t tolerate it and gives an adverse reaction.
By an adverse reaction, we mean diarrhea or vomiting. When you observe this behavior, reduce the quantity and continue with the same from then onwards.
Some dogs will not tolerate quinoa at all. They will either vomit or have diarrhea even with a small amount of quinoa. This reaction is because of their digestive system. A dog’s digestive system is not good at digesting grains or pseudo-grains like quinoa.
How Can I Serve Quinoa to Dogs?
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Whatever you do, do not feed your dog raw quinoa. Unwashed and uncooked quinoa contains saponin.
A dog’s digestive system will be tested when you give your dog raw quinoa, and the result won’t be pretty.
When it comes to quinoa, it is a good idea to cook them thoroughly before feeding it to your dog.
There are many recipes online that are tailor-made for dogs.
If you think that it is too much work, we have an idea.
Take some quinoa and rinse and wash it properly. After washing, boil it in water for about 15 minutes. This process should make the quinoa soft and easily eatable for dogs.
You can then mix this cooked quinoa with other foods like meat, fish, or vegetables.
And that is one of the easiest ways to include quinoa in your dog’s diet.
Can Quinoa be Bad for Dogs?
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In most cases, the answer is no. Quinoa is a safe food when it comes to dogs.
But there is a wide belief that grains are not suitable for dogs.
We know that quinoa is a pseudo-grain and even then, some people do not want their dogs fed with quinoa.
Like we said earlier, it is a good idea to start feeding with a small amount of quinoa to your dog. If your dog has adverse side effects, then you can immediately remove quinoa from your dog’s diet plan.
If there are no side effects, then it may not be a bad idea to continue feeding quinoa to your dog as it comes with a boatload of nutrition with very little fat.
So, Can Dogs Eat Quinoa? – The Conclusion[mks_separator style=”blank” height=”1″]
We have already answered that question for you with a big Yes.
Quinoa is a superfood. It comes with a lot of nutrition and very little fat and sugar in it. It is also gluten-free which makes it ideal for many dogs out there.
If you know that quinoa won’t lead to any side effects with your dog, there is no harm in adding it to your dog’s meal plan.
Have you given your dog some quinoa? How did your four-legged friend react to it?
Share your story with us below!