You probably didn’t like vegetables as a kid and tried to avoid them as much as you could. But let me guess, as a grown-up now you understand the importance of vegetables and why your body needs them.

Did you know that vegetables are good for your four-legged furry friend?

In this article, we are going to talk about the importance of giving vegetables to your beloved furry friend and 9 healthy veggies for your dog.

A vegetable is described as the edible part of a plant which is consumed by both humans and animals and consists of flowers, fruits, stems, leaves, roots, and seed.

Vegetables contain carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, enzymes, and minerals that can play key roles in your dog’s diet.

IMPORTANCE OF VEGETABLES TO YOUR DOG

Vegetables have been proven to help alkalize your furry pet’s body. Maintaining equilibrium between the alkalinity and acidity of your dog’s diet is important to its health. Acidity is linked to the inflammatory process which is responsible for several long-term illnesses.

They also contain a wide variety of nutrients as mentioned above and are a good source of water for your special furry friend. This helps to reduce the chances of your pet getting dehydrated.

Antioxidants are found in vegetables. They help protect the body against free radicals that cause aging.

9 HEALTHY VEGGIES FOR YOUR DOG

1. Spinach:

Popeye the Sailorman was not wrong about this vegetable. It is good for your special furry pet, even though it might not come with the super strength as advertised. It is a good source of vitamins, minerals, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, and folic acid.

2. Celery:

This long veggie contains antioxidants that fight free radicals thereby help to keep your dog healthy and young.

3. Kale:

Kale is rich in vitamins and iron. It boosts your furry friend’s immunity, improves bone health and energy metabolism. It also helps in fetal development.

4. Cucumber:

This water-laden vegetable is not only good for humans but dogs as well. It contains a lot of vitamins and phytonutrients which help in fighting off inflammation.

5. Green Beans:

This vegetable is rich in vitamins, minerals, calcium, iron, and fiber. It helps with digestion, metabolism, and boosting the immune system to fight against infection.

6. Broccoli:

A short tree look-like vegetable, that is rich in vitamins and potassium. It provides antioxidant effects which promote health and make your dog look younger. It has also been shown to improve bone health, immunity, and cardiac health.

7. Beets:

The “reds” which is rich in fiber, folic acid, vitamins, minerals, manganese, and potassium. It improves your pet’s immunity, digestion, and the integumentary system.

8. Carrots:

Bugs Bunny got this one. Carrot is rich in vitamin A, good for vision. It contains other vitamins and minerals.

9. Sweet Potato:

This vegetable, which doubles as a root/tuber produce is highly rich in fiber which makes it excellent for digestive health. It is also rich in vitamins and minerals.

WARNINGS

Some veggies are bad for your dog. They include onions, garlic, chives, mushrooms, avocadoes, and macadamias.

It is also very important not to OVERFEED your dog with lots of veggies. It is recommended that veggies should be introduced to dogs over six weeks old.

What do you think about this article? Which veggies do you feed your special dog?