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Last Updated on June 26, 2023 by Thee Puppypreneur
CAN DOGS EAT SPINACH
Yes, dogs can eat spinach. In fact, spinach is actually a very nutrient rich vegetable.
But should you feed your dog spinach all the time?More on that question later.
Spinach is actually a leafy green vegetable that has been named as one of the top dirtiest vegetables. What I mean is the USDA tests certain vegetables and fruits for contamination due to pesticides, fungicides and insecticides.
In 2022 the test revealed that spinach actually has 1.8 times more pesticide residue than any other crop tested.1Dirty Dozen 2022: Produce with the most and least pesticides – CNN
So why is this bad? Well, being exposed to pesticides can have a health impact on you and your furbaby but can you imagine ingesting them?
The harmful effects of pesticides can have a profound impact your furbaby’s quality of life now or later on down the road. It can cause allergies such as breathing issues or skin conditions2Pesticide Allergy | New York Allergy and Sinus Centers (nyallergy.com) or maybe later down the road it can cause liver or kidney damage or neurotoxicity.3Impacts of Pesticides on Wildlife — Beyond Pesticides
This is why I ALWAYS buy ORGANIC, ORGANIC, ORGANIC and make sure you wash your fruits and veggies very well!
NUTRITION FACTS OF SPINACH FOR DOGS
So, we all know spinach is very rich in iron, vitamin K, magnesium, potassium and vitamin A.
For example, according to the USDA approximately 3.5 ounces or 100 grams contains;4FoodData Central (usda.gov)
- 2.86g-Protein
- 2.71mg-Iron
- 79mg-Magnesium
- 558mg-Potassium
- 0.897mg-Manganese
- 469mcg-Vitamin A (RAE)
- 483mcg-Vitamin K
CAN DOGS HAVE SPINACH? DANGERS OF SPINACH FOR DOGS
If you make your dog home cooked food you may even be tempted to use spinach in their diet daily because it is so nutrient rich. Before you decide to do that, you need to be aware that spinach is VERY HIGH in oxalates.
Why are oxalates bad? If your furbaby is at risk for bladder or kidney stones you want to stay away from foods that are high in oxalates such as spinach because they run the risk of binding to the mineral calcium and forming stones.
In fact, 1 serving which is usually 1 cup raw spinach contains about 656mg of oxalates.5How to Reduce Oxalic Acid in Spinach: Neutralizing Oxalates – PainSpy You are actually able to reduce the amount of oxalate content in the vegetable by about 30-87%6Chai, W., & Liebman, M. (2005). Effect of different cooking methods on vegetable oxalate content. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 53(8), 3027–3030. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf048128d by boiling it. You must drain the water afterwards and keep in mind that you will be losing nutrients since you are cooking it.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SPINACH FOR DOGS
DIGESTION
Giving your furbaby a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can promote good digestion but be warned that too many fruits and vegetables can cause digestive upset or other issues as well. It is about moderation and balance.
ANTIOXIDANTS
Spinach contains lutein which is an antioxidant. We all know that antioxidants are scavengers for free radicals or oxidative damage which can build up in your furbaby’s body over time potentially causing issues such as cell damage and illnesses.
Lutein has been studied for its
“neuroprotective effects”7Sun, Y. X., Liu, T., Dai, X. L., Zheng, Q. S., Hui, B. D., & Jiang, Z. F. (2014). Treatment with lutein provides neuroprotection in mice subjected to transient cerebral ischemia. Journal of Asian natural products research, 16(11), 1084–1093. https://doi.org/10.1080/10286020.2014.939584
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
and was found to help against strokes as well as have antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects.8Li SY, Yang D, Fu ZJ, Woo T, Wong D, Lo AC. Lutein enhances survival and reduces neuronal damage in a mouse model of ischemic stroke. Neurobiol Dis. 2012 Jan;45(1):624-32. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2011.10.008. Epub 2011 Oct 17. PMID: 22024715. Lutein enhances survival and reduces neuronal damage in a mouse model of ischemic stroke – PubMed (nih.gov)
BONE HEALTH
Spinach can also support stronger bone health. In fact, in one such study lutein was actually found to prevent osteoporosis in mice.9Lutein Suppresses Oxidative Stress and Inflammation by Nrf2 Activation in an Osteoporosis Rat Model – PMC (nih.gov)
HOW TO FEED A DOG SPINACH
You can feed spinach to your dog in a variety of different ways. From fresh to dried to boiled or steamed. Each of these ways offer different benefits.
If you are looking to incorporate spinach into your furbaby’s life occasionally as a treat then
could be an option for you and they are sourced and baked in the USA and contain apple, kale, mint, spinach and barley.
If you are looking to incorporate spinach into your dog’s diet daily then
in lamb and brown rice contains spinach, lamb, carrots, cauliflower, and blue berries.
They have many different varieties to choose from but this particular one has spinach. This food is already made so all you have to do is open the package and serve it to your furbaby.
They also have another option for those of you that like to take control over the ingredients directly and cook for your furbaby it is called the Do-It-Yourself Nutrient Blend and they actually provide you a recipe so you can go buy the ingredients yourself and then they sell you the vitamins and minerals necessary to go with that recipe they have provided like this one here
Check out our other articles for more information on foods such as;
