Make sure the sweet potatoes you give your dog are cooked and that the skin has been removed because the skin on makes the food more difficult for your dog to digest. Never give a raw sweet potato to your dog. They are not only challenging to chew, but they may also upset your dog’s stomach and perhaps result in intestinal blockage. The risk of choking is reduced by making sure the potato has a mushy consistency because certain dogs are known to “inhale their food.”
Can dogs eat Japanese sweet potatoes that are purple?
You might find a wide variety of yams if you visit a speciality grocery store. Many dog owners are tempted to give their pet one of these whole foods. The several real yam kinds and their safety for dogs are listed here.
Can Dogs Eat Purple Yams
Dogs can consume purple yams, yes. Contrary to popular belief, they are more nutrient-dense than white potatoes. As long as you prepare them simply, they are also referred to as Ube and are quite beneficial for your pet. Remove the skin since it might create gastrointestinal problems or pose a choking risk for little dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Garnet Yams
A sweet potato is what is known as a garnet yam. It is brilliant orange on the inside and has brownish-orange skin. Compared to regular sweet potatoes, they are less sweet. If you cook garnet yams first, dogs can eat them without becoming sick.
Can Dogs Eat White Yams
If you boil or cook white yams first, dogs can eat them without getting sick. Since they lack the sweetness of regular orange sweet potatoes, it’s likely that your dog won’t enjoy them as much.
Can Dogs Eat Chinese Yams
Dioscorea polystachya, sometimes known as Chinese yams, is a long, tubular plant. It is a climbing, perennial vine. They are okay for your dog in moderation if you cook and peel them.
Can Dogs Eat Korean Yams
Sweet potatoes from Korea contain flesh that is yellow with a brownish-purple skin. Compared to American sweet potatoes, they are sweeter. Dogs can safely eat them when baked and served plain.
Can dogs eat different kinds of sweet potatoes?
In commercial dog foods, potatoes are a common source of starch and protein. Additionally, potato protein is frequently included in dog food with few ingredients. These components have been prepared and processed especially to meet the nutritional needs of dogs.
What happens, though, if your dog consumes some potato? Is it harmful to them? How about a raw potato?
Can Dogs Eat Raw Potatoes or Raw Sweet Potatoes?
White potatoes are nightshade family plants that contain the solanine chemical. Dogs shouldn’t eat raw potatoes since they are hazardous to them. To make potatoes safe for dogs, the solanine content is reduced while cooking.
Dogs’ digestive systems may become irritated by raw sweet potatoes. Additionally, eating raw sweet potatoes or raw white potatoes can both result in intestinal obstructions.
Can Dogs Eat Cooked White Potatoes?
If you choose to give your dog a portion of a white potato, make sure it is thoroughly cooked and free of butter or flavor. Products made from potatoes like potato chips, French fries, or mashed potatoes sometimes have excessive amounts of fat and salt that are bad for dogs.
Feeding potatoes to your dog with diabetes can result in blood sugar increases.
Even tiny amounts of potatoes provided as treats should be added to other treats to make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily caloric intake.
Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potatoes That Are Cooked?
Sweet potatoes that have been cooked are better for dogs since they contain essential vitamins including A, B6, C, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron. Orange-colored vegetables include beta-carotene, an antioxidant and precursor to vitamin A that supports immunity.
Your dog will love boiled, steamed, baked, or dehydrated sweet potatoes as a snack. Before including sweet potatoes in your dog’s diet, though, consult your physician because too much vitamin A can weaken the muscles and create bone problems.
Additionally, sweet potatoes have a lower glycemic index than white potatoes, however feeding sweet potatoes to a diabetic dog should be done under a veterinarian’s care.
The 10% daily maximum of calories your dog can get from treats should include calories from sweet potatoes as well.
Are all sweet potatoes safe for dogs to eat?
When you think of sweet potatoes, you probably picture side dishes for holiday meals that are topped with toasted marshmallows and brown sugar. The majority of people only think of them as the sweet, sticky side dish to a holiday meal. However, they have numerous health advantages for both us and our dogs.
Sweet potatoes are regarded as a full superfood by nutritionists. These nutrient-rich ground tubers, sometimes known as root veggies, are orange in hue. Few tubers can equal the nutritional power they possess because they are loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. They have little fat and few calories. In the end, sweet potatoes provide your dog’s diet with flavor and nutrition.
Sweet potatoes are a common ingredient in dog food and dog treat products. They can also be available in some kibble formulations for allergic dogs that have fewer ingredients or are grain-free. This raises several difficulties, which we’ll examine in a later section of this essay.
For the time being, let’s take a deeper look at sweet potatoes to see why they might be a beneficial addition to your dog’s diet.
The humble sweet potato
A starchy root vegetable, sweet potatoes are grown all over the world. Sweet potatoes are sometimes mistaken for yams in American supermarket stores; only specialty shops carry the real yam.
Compared to yams, sweet potatoes are sweeter and contain more nutrients. These two vegetables appear to be related, but they are not.
Within the Morning Glory family are sweet potatoes. Yams belong to the family of lilies. Both are pulverized tubers, however yams are somewhat larger than sweet potatoes and have flesh that resembles bark as well as drier, starchier meat. Sweet potatoes offer less starch but more nutrients and softer, thinner skin.
White potatoes are unrelated to sweet potatoes as well. White potatoes are hazardous if consumed uncooked since they belong to the nightshade family. Although sweet potatoes are not poisonous, if your dog eats them raw, they may give him a stomach discomfort.
Nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes, which are regarded as a complete superfood, are brimming with nutrients deemed crucial for the wellbeing of both dogs and dog owners.
Here are a few advantages that sweet potatoes offer:
- Sweet potatoes are one of the vegetables with the largest amounts of dietary fiber, and most dogs adore them. Fiber is crucial for maintaining a healthy digestive system. The fiber in sweet potatoes will assist in resolving any issues with diarrhea or constipation that your dog may be experiencing.
A higher fiber diet can help dogs that are obese. Fiber prolongs the sense of fullness following a meal, aiding in your dog’s weight loss.
Studies have shown that a diet high in fiber may reduce heart disease and can help dogs avoid developing some cancers.
- Sweet potatoes are a rich source of antioxidants. Antioxidants scavenge for the free radicals that damage cells as a result of stress, disease, or environmental deterioration. While the orange sweet potato has more beta-carotene, the purple sweet potato (Stokes Sweet Potato) has higher antioxidant levels (anthocyanins).
Vitamins:
- Vitamin C: Your dog’s immune system benefits from this potent antioxidant. It locates and eliminates free radicals that might harm cells as a result of stress, disease, and poisons in the environment. In older dogs, it is also said to lessen cognitive aging issues.
- Beta-carotene is converted by the body into vitamin A, which also aids in cell growth, reproduction, and the immune system. Sweet potatoes and carrots get their orange hue from beta-carotene, which also supports good eye health.
- Vitamin B6: Supports the immune system, proper red blood cell activity, and glucose synthesis. For dogs, especially those with diabetes who require stable blood sugar levels, this vitamin is crucial.
Minerals:
- Calcium: A crucial mineral that supports the development of strong bones, healthy teeth, a strong heart, healthy muscular growth, and a healthy nervous system.
- Potassium: Your dog’s kidneys need this crucial mineral to remain healthy. Additionally, it promotes a healthy digestive system, strong muscles, and effective cardiac function.
- Iron: Iron aids in the production of hemoglobin and red blood cells. The energy-producing substance hemoglobin transports oxygen throughout the body. For dogs, iron is a crucial nutrient.
What about raw sweet potatoes?
White potatoes are harmful to dogs if given to them raw since they belong to the nightshade family. However, since sweet potatoes are unrelated to white potatoes, they are not poisonous.
Your dog will love cooked sweet potatoes, but raw sweet potatoes could give them an upset stomach or create other digestive issues. Because of this, it is advisable to only serve them cooked.
Can my dog eat sweet potato skins?
Although sweet potato skin is not harmful to dogs, it could be a choking hazard if consumed in large chunks. This is particularly true for dogs of tiny breeds.
Additionally, they have trouble digesting the skin. It’s a good idea to peel the vegetables before feeding them, but if you decide to leave the sweet potato’s skin on, cut or slice it into little, thin pieces for simpler digestion and chewing.
Can my dog eat canned sweet potatoes?
The majority of canned sweet potatoes have artificial sweeteners and other additives, which makes them dangerous for your dog.
Your dog can have organic, unsweetened canned sweet potatoes with water as the sole additional component.
Can dogs be allergic to sweet potatoes?
Indeed and no. Since sweet potatoes are seen as a full food, your dog is less likely to react negatively to them or become sensitive to them. But whenever you give your dog a new meal, keep an eye out for any rashes, respiratory problems, or itching.
Dogs with yeast or candida difficulties (ear infections or severe itching), should be watched for symptom flare-ups because sweet potatoes are a starchy carbohydrate. In the body, carbohydrates break down to sugar, which in turn feeds yeast or candida.
Best ways to feed your dog sweet potatoes
Ideally, they should be cooked or roasted before being mashed, diced, or cubed. These root vegetables are low in calories and fat, making them suitable as training rewards. You can also periodically include them as a delightful, nourishing addition to your dog’s usual diet, such as kibble or wet food.
Human-made sweet potato fries and chips may contain salt, sugar, or artificial additives. These are dangerous for your dog and may disturb their stomach or belly. Try cooking your sweet potato fries or chips from a fresh sweet potato rather than one that has been processed or frozen if you want to share them with your dog.
My dogs enjoy chewing on dehydrated sweet potatoes instead of rawhide since they are healthy. They emerge from the oven or dehydrator stiff with just enough chewiness to meet their chewing requirements. For those who want to DIY, there are several resources on the internet for preparing quick and simple sweet potato chews. This choice is especially beneficial for puppies or older dogs.
Sweet potatoes can be added to other fruits and vegetables to increase your dog’s diet’s nutritional value. They can be blended with strawberries, blueberries, bananas, broccoli, and plain yogurt for smoothies, or frozen for an easy summer treat.
Can my diabetic dog eat sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes are a vegetable with a medium glycemic load and a high carbohydrate content. That implies that it converts to sugar fast and raises blood sugar levels significantly. Additionally, it may result in a sharp drop or crash in blood sugar.
This is why sweet potatoes should occasionally be offered as a treat to dogs that have diabetes. Consult your veterinarian before feeding sweet potatoes to your dog if they have diabetes.
Can dogs eat cooked sweet potatoes?
Does sweet potato suit dogs? They can, yes! as long as they are prepared simply No sweet potato fries for you, dogs. This starchy, sweet vegetable can be cooked, boiled, steamed, baked, or even dehydrated for your dog to enjoy. The best part is that sweet potatoes are inexpensive, simple to prepare, and readily accessible throughout the year at most supermarkets.
The owner of PACK Animal Care in Lorton, Virginia, Dr. Katrin Ventocilla, DVM, was the subject of our conversation to get her suggestions on how to feed sweet potatoes to your dog.
Can dogs eat sweet potatoes from Korea?
The nutritious powerhouse that is the Korean sweet potato. It is brimming with immune-stimulating vitamins, heart-healthy minerals, and antioxidants. Additionally, these delightfully sweet root vegetables contain a high fiber content and very little fat. Do these nutritional advantages apply to dogs, though? Of course! Here are some reasons why including Korean sweet potatoes in your dog’s diet is a great idea.
Brain and Immune System Booster
B vitamins are important for healthy brain and nervous system function, and Korean sweet potatoes are a great source of these vitamins. These consist of:
- Biotin
- Niacin
- Thiamine
- acid pantothenic
- Riboflavin
- Folate
- B6 vitamin
Rich in Antioxidants
Antioxidants are healthy for us, as we all know. Yet why? Antioxidants control free radicals, which is one reason. Molecules called free radicals can lead to oxidation in your body. A number of disorders and early aging can result from excessive oxidative stress.
Strong antioxidants found in Korean sweet potatoes aid in the elimination of free radicals. Among these antioxidants are:
- A vitamin (Beta-carotene)
- C vitamin
- E vitamin
- Polyphenols (the good stuff in red wine)
Minerals for Heart Health
The following minerals, which support maintaining a robust, healthy heart and regulating blood pressure, are also present in Korean sweet potatoes:
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Calcium
Great for Weight Loss and Diabetics
Korean sweet potatoes are a low-glycemic carbohydrate, so they won’t cause blood glucose levels to soar, despite their naturally rich, sweet flavor. Your body slowly digests and absorbs low-glycemic carbohydrates. These foods aid in shedding pounds, controlling diabetes, and reducing the risk of heart disease and other illnesses.
Okay, all right, that sounds terrific, you might say. But the current query is: Will my dog consume it?
A Taste and Flavor Dogs Love
Your dog adores Korean sweet potatoes, we bet! The Korean type has a velvety texture and a wonderfully sweet flavor that appeals to both dogs and people. Our two Boxer-Pitbull-Rottie mixes are sure to start drooling and then position themselves in front of the toaster oven whenever we cook a few Korean sweet potatoes. They’ll have to wait for at least 40 minutes for those delectable tubers to roast perfectly.
Lucy, a Maltese who lived to be 17 years old and was the pickiest eater you’d ever met, was our first canine devotee of Korean sweet potatoes. It was her all-time favorite topping for meals and snacks.
How to Safely Add Korean Sweet Potato to Your Dog’s Diet
You should gradually introduce Korean sweet potato to your dog’s diet, just like you would with any new food. Due to their high fiber content, Korean sweet potatoes are a fantastic way to keep the digestive system in top condition. In other words, they’ll aid in maintaining your dog’s routine! Making sure your dog consumes the appropriate quantity of fiber also facilitates and enhances clean-up.
Just make sure to prepare it if you intend to give your dog Korean sweet potato on its own. It can be cooked by boiling, roasting, or microwaving. For large dogs, start with a tablespoon at a time, and for little dogs, start with a teaspoon. (And you’ll want to eat any leftovers, we promise!)
A Good Source of Fiber for Your Pup
Depending on how active they are, we give each of our puppies four to eight Gogoma treats every day. They “go like clockwork” and are active, weighing in between a healthy 45 and 60 pounds. A Gogoma Fun Pack comes with four distinct recipes, making it a perfect way to figure out which one best suits your dog’s preferences.
Only healthy, environmentally friendly components are used in all of our recipes. We never use maize, wheat, soy, or any other artificial or natural preservatives or additives. Treat your dog to some satisfying food, then let us know which kind they like!
Note: Nutritional data taken from publications published in the journals Preventive Nutrition and Food Science, Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, and Food & Nutrition Research.
