Absolutely! Cauliflower will not harm dogs, in fact, just like humans, it can help with health! Be a little careful though, introducing something new to the diet could cause some digestional discomfort, so exercise caution at first.
Similar Digestive System
The similarities between you and your dog are pretty shocking. In a study by The European Molecular Biology Laboratory and Nestle Purina Research discovered that the canine digestive system is impressively similar to humans! So much so that within our gut, we share some of the same microbe species as our canine buddies!
What that means is, canine digestive systems react and respond similarly to humans with what we eat. (Our diet). With this knowledge, we can give our dogs some foods that will benefit them greatly! Keep in mind, most human foods should not be shared with our dogs.
Health Benefits of Cauliflower
Cauliflower is packed full of fiber, vitamins C and K, calcium, potassium and folate. Which are good for vision, liver health, blood, muscles, digestive health and immune health.
Also, there are some key antioxidant phytonutrients such as; Beta-carotene, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and rutin, to name a few. Those are all inflammation reducing antioxidants that work around the clock to help protect, repair, and shield cells from damage.
Keeping inflammation down is very important for your canine. There are many inflammation based issues and diseases to be worried about, such as arthritis, and other auto-immune disorders, so anything can help!
Cauliflower is also one of the most potent cancer fighting foods available! This awesome vegetable has glucosinolates (sulfur containing compounds) that have chemopreventive properties. One of these glucosinolates becomes a compound called sulforaphane in the body. This particular compound has been known to halt cancer cell growth, help with healthy cell DNA and block carcinogen activity! Which simply means, long happy life!
Research has shown that a steady helping of cauliflower can help fight off colorectal, prostate, stomach, lung and breast cancer! So maybe it’s time for the whole house to sit down and have a weekly cauliflower snack!
How Do I Serve It?
Leaving your cauliflower raw is the best way to preserve all the great vitamins and minerals we talked about. You can just cut the stem and leaves off, chop it up and throw it down. Not exactly the most tasteful, though.
If you choose to cook it, do it lightly. To much cooking, and most of those vitamins and minerals will go bye bye.
Also, when preparing food for your dog, you do not need seasoning or oils. These can actually be harmful for him/her, so refrain from the spice cabinet. If you’re this far, im betting your pup is spoiled enough anyway… Mine sure is!
Cauliflower is best served as a snack between meals or after dinner. However, pairing it with some protein can make it a meal and is a great way to serve it as well, especially if you forgot to grab puppy chow on the way home!
Other Options
There are other nutritious cruciferous veggie options for your pooch, take broccoli for example. Broccoli has more vitamins and minerals than cauliflower, but it has more calories, making cauliflower a better consistent option. Spinach is also a great way to go.
Conclusion
All in all, dogs do not need our food whatsoever. But, cauliflower is a great option that I recommend. It most likely will leave your dog a bit gassy, though. Small price to pay for all the benefits cauliflower has for your best friend!
Hi, I am Andrew. I am the editor at FamilyWithPets. I am enjoy learning and sharing information about pets that helps enrich the lives of pets and pet parents.