What exactly are dates? Dates are a small, chewy and sweet stone fruit that serve humans as an excellent, healthy snack. And good news, they’re safe for your dog to eat too!
Packed with vitamins and minerals, these tiny fruits have a lot to offer in such a small package. As with any human food, feeding your dog dates in moderation can prove to be a very nutritional supplement to their every day diet!
What’s So Great About Dates?
In one small date, you will find about over half a gram of fiber, around .17 grams of protein, five grams of carbohydrates, loads of B-Vitamins, and an abundance of minerals such as Iron, Potassium and Magnesium.
The included protein and carbohydrates will help give your dog more energy, no matter their age.
The various B-Vitamins in dates have loads of benefits to be offered. B-Vitamins are always recommended to be included in your dog’s diet, as they can help process the carbohydrates and energy stored, assist in nervous system and red-blood cell function, as well as helping aid their metabolism.
The minerals Iron, Potassium and Magnesium are essential for strong bone growth. Feeding your dog dates in addition to the fiber they receive from their regular meals will help sustain their skeletal structure.
Dates contain little to no fat, and store a bit of fiber, so this will help your dog deter obesity and also lose some weight if you believe they need to do so, in addition to the fiber their receiving from other foods.
Vitamin C is also contained in dates, and adding more Vitamin C to their diet will help them see benefits such as immune system improvement, a healthier coat and stronger joint and bone health.
Proper Feeding Amounts and Warnings
Dates pack a tiny punch of a ton of healthy substances, but there may be one downside. Dates do contain a good bit of sugar, about 4.5 grams in just one date. Wit this being said, dates are
not recommended for diabetic dogs, as this could cause further health issues down the line, or immediately.
The fact that they have a higher than average sugar content for such a small fruit means that you should only be feeding your dog a very small amount at a time, perhaps only 1-3. This will provide them with a healthy nutritional supplement that will work together with the vitamins, minerals and substances they are receiving from other foods in their diet.
Just as with all fruits with pits, always remove the core from the date before feeding. The pit has no nutritional and can only cause them harm, as well as posing a choking hazard.
Over-feeding your dogs dates can lead to an upset in their gastrointestinal tract, causing them to vomit or have diarrhea. Dogs are not used to a lot of sugar in their diet, so making sure not to overfeed will help keep their digestive system running properly. Small amounts of dates on occasion will help to improve their digestive system, but an abundance may hurt it.
There is also the possibility that your dog may be allergic to dates, so it is very important to observe their reaction during and after the consumption process, making sure that they react to it well.
Carefully supervising your dog’s date consumption will help ensure that they are taking to it well, and that it is not hurting them. If they take to it well, dates can be a very beneficial nutritional supplement that they can enjoy in small amounts from time to time.
Dates Are Great!
As shown, dates offer an abundance of healthy substances, that, in moderation, can prove to be a healthy addition to your dog’s diet. Remember, remove the pits, only feed a few at a time, and make sure their body reacts to it well!
Sources
Burke, Anna. “7 Vitamins Your Dog Needs for a Healthy Lifestyle.” American Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, 19 Nov. 2019, www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/vitamins-dogs-need-healthy-lifestyle/.
Milligan, Ceara. “This Is the Baking Ingredient You’ve Been Missing out On.” Taste of Home, 20 Mar. 2019, www.tasteofhome.com/article/what-are-dates/.
Rachel Nall, RN. “Are Dates Good for You? Benefits and Nutrition.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 23 July 2018, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322548.php#nutritional-information
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.