Can Dogs Eat Quinoa? Is it Safe?

Will feeding my dog quinoa hurt him/her? This is a question on healthy dog owners minds. Quinoa has quickly become popular in the health and fitness community. It’s a great choice of food for humans, as it is gluten-free and a food that contains all ten amino acids for dogs.

Do the healthy attributes of Quinoa contribute to dogs the same as humans? The short answer is, yes, dogs can have quinoa, however it isn’t as simple as that.

Preparing Quinoa For Your Dog

If you plan on feeding your dog Quinoa, you’re gonna want to make sure you prepare it correctly. Always make Sure you rinse the Quinoa because it is in a coating known as Saponin. Saponin can cause irritation in the intestines of both humans and canines.

You never want to feed uncooked Quinoa to your dog. Cooking also helps to remove all chemicals that might still be on the Quinoa. The safest option for your dog is always going to cooked Quinoa, never undercooked or raw.

You never want to feed your dog too much of any food that isn’t apart of their daily diet and nutrition. Quinoa is no exception, no matter how healthy it might be. The main reason for this is in case your dog is allergic to the Quinoa, you don’t want to make your dog sick. As always, check with your local veterinarian for their recommendation.

Benefits of Giving Your Dog Quinoa

There are potential benefits to giving your dog Quinoa, especially so if your dog is very active. Quinoa is a very good source of protein and other vitamins. On top of that, it also includes all ten amino acids for your dogs. Let’s look at the nutritional facts of Quinoa per one hundred grams:

• Calories – 372
• Riboflavin – 0.23 of a gram
• Thiamin – 0.24 of a gram
• Niacin – 1.4 grams
• Fat – 4.9 grams
• Iron – 8.5 milligrams
• Protein – 11.5 grams
• Calcium – 66 milligrams
• Carbs – 71.2 grams

If your dog ends up enjoying this delicious treat, Quinoa provides amazing health benefits! It can boost the cardiovascular system, leaving your dog with a healthier heart. Quinoa may also increase the antioxidant count that fights cancerous cells. On top of all these amazing benefits, your dog may also see an increase of energy and playfulness it might be lacking.

Keep In Mind

Quinoa is safe for dogs to eat so long as you prepare the treat the right way. Thoroughly washing and cooking the Quinoa is very important. The potential health benefits for the dog could be very rewarding, but watch out for allergic reactions. Allergic reactions typically come in some form of diarrhea or vomiting. Quinoa should not play a part in the dogs regular diet right away, and you should only start out giving it a little bit at a time.

It’s best to consult your veterinarian before giving your dog Quinoa, or any new foods for the dog. Be sure to ask how much they recommend per serving. As Quinoa has quickly become popular in humans everyday diet, it has started to tread over into dog food as well. Some name brands have started putting the seed into their everyday dry dog food because of its good source of protein.

Most importantly, if your dog doesn’t take to eating it, don’t force it! Just because Quinoa is a healthy option for dogs, doesn’t mean it’s the only option out there. There are plenty of other healthy options for your dog!