Pet owners tend to give their dogs a variety of foods. but do you know about artichokes? Can Dogs Eat Artichokes? Let’s start with what artichokes actually are. An artichoke is basically the bud of a flower before the flower itself has bloomed. This fruit is a great source of nutrition for humans.
With the benefits of being rich in antioxidants, vitamin c, proteins, and healthy carbohydrates, you can actually eat artichokes raw after cooking them or any way that you prefer. But does this mean that you can feed artichokes to your dog? Keep reading as we examine whether or not dogs can eat artichokes safely and other aspects of including artichokes in your pet dog’s diet!
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Can Dogs Eat Artichokes?
Absolutely! Dogs can eat artichokes and, in fact, benefit greatly from them. However, you have to be careful about the number of artichokes that you feed your dog. Overfeeding will create unwanted digestive issues for your dog.
Having said that, the fact remains that artichokes boast of antioxidants and fiber, which are abundant in this low-calorie, low-fat diet!
You can add this food to your dog’s list of favorite treats as long as you feed them in moderation or as the occasional treat, and of course, prepare artichokes so that your dog can eat them safely.
Artichokes Nutritional Facts
Preparing and eating artichokes requires a little more effort than other vegetables. For one thing, its leaves feature thorny points that you must remove before eating.
But, these fiber-rich, delicious veggies, on the other hand, provide numerous health benefits and should be included in your dinner rotation. Artichokes are high in nutrients and are available in a variety of forms, including fresh, tinned, and marinated.
Below, we have discussed the nutritional profile of artichokes in detail for you to truly understand how beneficial and healthy they can be as an addition to your dog’s diet (in moderated amounts and numbers)!
Proteins
Artichokes are great sources of protein. Every medium-sized artichoke generally contains about 4 grams of protein.
While that number does not seem like too much by itself, it is vital to remember that artichokes offer 4 grams of protein in extremely fewer calories. Therefore, both human beings and dogs can eat more without worrying about overeating!
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide for the majority of the calories in artichokes. Fiber and starch make up the majority of carbohydrates.
When you consume the leaves and the heart of a medium artichoke, you’ll get 14 grams. A medium-sized artichoke also contains a little over 1 gram of sugar.
Fats
Artichokes by themselves have very little natural fats in them. This makes it a safe option to feed your dog without having to worry about your pet dog putting on unwanted and unhealthy weight!
Vitamins and minerals
Artichokes are high in fiber and a good source of vitamin K and folate, both of which are aids in the production of red blood cells and prevent neural tube abnormalities.
They’re also high in magnesium, a mineral that aids nerve and muscle conduction and can help you sleep better. Vitamin C is also found in artichokes.
Health Benefits Of Artichokes For Dogs
We now know that artichokes are certainly a great food to include in your pet dog’s diet. But why? What exactly are the benefits of artichokes in your dog’s diet?
Well, to begin with, your dog will have improved digestion due to the fact that artichokes are rich in fiber and antioxidants.
Further, being a nutritionally dense food, your dog won’t have to consume too many calories to source the right amount of macronutrients and vitamins, and minerals. The presence of minerals such as potassium and niacin go a long way in keeping your dog’s health at its best.
Further, artichokes also help deal with gastric and digestive issues, thereby preventing issues like excess gas production.
Due to the concentration of antioxidants, artichokes also ultimately help your dog build a better immune system that protects it from health issues such as chronic cardiovascular issues, cancer, and general illnesses.
Can Baby Dogs Eat Artichokes?
No, baby dogs or even dogs younger than the age of 1 year should not be eating artichokes. The risk to reward ratio of baby dogs eating artichokes is very high because artichokes can be difficult to eat and digest.
It’s better not to shock your puppy’s stomach with unexpected food, even if it won’t hurt them. Artichokes can cause upset stomachs and vomiting, so it’s best to stay away from them for the time being.
In fact, you should focus on including fresh veggies, fruits, meat, and other natural sources of nutrition in your dog’s diet and only include fresh artichokes in its diet once it is older and clear of the risks of eating artichokes, according to your veterinarian.
However, don’t worry too much about including artichokes in your dog’s diet. Even though it can be a beneficial food, there are certainly other natural foods that can make up for the nutritional value of artichokes!
Can you feed your dog fresh artichokes?
Artichokes can be eaten raw or fresh by dogs. Feeding your pet dog raw artichokes actually benefits them the most due to the unadulterated and protected concentration of nutrients such as vitamin C.
You should, however, be careful of how you feed your dog these raw artichokes. Carefully dice the artichoke into small, palatable pieces to ensure that your dog can chew them properly, without choking.
Further, if you wish to include it in your dog’s diet, you must balance the nutritional value with the other items in its daily diet. This will help ensure that your dog won’t miss out on vital sources of nutrition while also enjoying a variety of foods in its diet!
Can dogs eat cooked artichokes?
Yes, you can feed your pet dog with cooked artichokes. However, they will only be a healthy and safe addition to your dog’s diet if you prepare them without using any spices, salt, oil, onions, and so on.
You must not feed artichokes cooked with spices and oil, and other unhealthy ingredients when feeding your dog cooked artichokes. Not only can it cause severe digestive issues, but it also results in painful diarrhea.
Can dogs eat canned artichokes?
No, it is best advised if you do not feed canned artichokes to your pet dog.
While artichokes in themselves are healthy additions to your dog’s diet, canned artichokes often contain a whole lot of preservatives and added chemicals that can prove to be extremely harmful to your dog.
While this isn’t true for every canned artichoke on the market, it’s best to stay away from them. A better option is to use fresh artichokes.
Can dogs eat marinated artichokes?
Because of the seasonings, it is best not to feed marinated artichokes to your pets. However, if your dog eats one, it’s not a major issue. There is a lot of salt in marinated artichokes, and too much salt is bad for your dog’s stomach.
On the other hand, Steamed artichoke is a fantastic way to feed your dog. And if they’re not seasoned, it’s the icing on the cake. However, always remember to chop the artichoke into bite-sized pieces, as we all know that they sometimes eat faster than you can blink!
Can Dogs Eat Jerusalem Artichokes?
To begin with, Jerusalem artichokes are not really artichokes, in a biological sense, but are related to sunflowers. But, coming back to the present question at hand, yes, dogs can eat Jerusalem artichokes and even benefit from them.
These flowers are packed to the hilt with crucial micronutrients such as iron, phosphorous, thiamin, and potassium. Further, Jerusalem artichokes, also called sunchokes, can aid the digestive processes in your pet dog!
As baby dogs, you should be careful about feeding excess amounts to them since they could also trigger diarrhea in them.
Are Artichokes Safe For Dogs?
Yes, artichokes are safe and even healthy for your pet dogs.
The only thing to remember when feeding your dog artichokes is that you should cut it up small to ensure that your dog can chew on it with ease instead of choking.
Further, overfeeding artichokes to your pet dogs can result in tummy trouble!
How Often Can A Dog Eat Artichokes?
The fact is that while artichokes can be healthy for your pet furbabies, too many of these flowers can end up doing more harm than good to your pup’s digestive system.
Generally, 1 or 2 pieces of artichokes every week or so is more than enough to include in your pet dog’s diet. Along with artichokes, you must ensure that your pet dog is sourcing all the necessary nutrition from other natural sources!
How To Feed Artichokes To Dogs?
When feeding artichokes to your dogs, you have to make sure that the artichokes are not too large. Else they could become a choking hazard for your dog. Therefore, you must cut them up into small and easily chewable pieces.
Further, it would be best if you served it completely raw. You can serve it to your dog in a cooked fashion, but you must make sure that the cooked version is completely devoid of ingredients like oil, spices, and salt.
Do Artichokes Affect The Digestive System Of Dogs?
Yes, artichokes affect the digestive system of dogs. They do this in both good and healthy ways and bad ways.
The advantage of artichokes when it comes to your pet dog’s digestive system is that it helps them pass a healthy bowel while improving their overall digestion processes.
However, the disadvantage arises when your dog ends up overeating artichokes. In these situations, artichokes can cause vomiting and diarrhea!
Final Thoughts
Artichokes are a great way to add some new foods to your pet dog’s diet. However, as we mentioned, you must be careful with the number of artichokes that you feed your dogs and the frequency with which you feed them.
If you do follow the guidelines that we have discussed in this blog, your furbaby will thank you for including and feeding it artichokes as a part of his diet.
FAQs
Can a dog eat coconut?
Yes, a dog can eat coconut or at least some parts of it.
Can dogs eat almond butter?
Yes, dogs can eat almond butter as long as they are unadulterated with chemicals, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners. However, you must be mindful of how much almond butter your dog eats since almonds are high-fat nuts.
Can dogs eat arugula?
Yes, dogs can eat arugula, especially as a light snack for overweight dogs that are trying to get back in shape.
Can dogs eat Asian pears?
Yes, dogs can eat Asian pears.
