If you’re a dog owner, you’d know how they relish succulent meat. More often than not, we assume fidos only appreciate juicy beef, but in reality, their taste buds also savor the taste of fresh vegetables.
Unlike humans, our four-legged friends are not picky with their veggies. From baby carrots to peeled potatoes, dogs enjoy having a variation in their usual snack items. Many people have now started to give their dogs edamame beans to change up their traditional dinner. But wait, can dogs eat edamame?
Absolutely! Since edamame is a vegetable, it would only be beneficial for your dog. However, we wouldn’t suggest throwing edamame in the pod before prior research. For your convenience, we have given a detailed overview of the vegetable; its different types, and its benefits for your dog.
What are Edamame Beans?
Often eaten as a mini snack, edamame is premature soya beans. Popular and delicious, it is an integral part of people’s diet in Japan, China, and Korea. These beans are usually served in their small pods, but most eaters don’t eat the pods.
By now, people have mastered the art of gobbling edamame; all they do is pop the little pod, and let the circular bean fly into their mouth. Although the internet has been flooded with different ways to cook edamame, they are usually steamed or boiled to perfection. With time, edamame beans have gained immense popularity across the globe. Several people in different states have started to include edamame in their staple diet, making it a prized vegetable for many.
Dogs and Edamame: A Combination Like No Other
So far, the talk has mostly encapsulated the growing popularity of edamame beans among people. But what about our little friends; can dogs eat edamame? As established before, edamame is good for dogs.
If pet owners can incorporate these little beans into their dog’s diet, they would benefit immensely as edamame contains omega 3, vitamin C, and calcium, which are all fantastic health boosters. Edamame will not only help in controlling the cholesterol of your dog but also assuage their chances of getting heart disease.
Types of Edamame
It won’t be fair to just throw a bunch of edamame pods into your dog’s tin. Before introducing a new vegetable into your dog’s diet, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself about edamame beans:
- Can Dogs Eat Raw Edamame?
As humans, the idea of uncooked beans seems far less appealing to us as compared to dogs. For them, the concept of raw and cooked hasn’t been drawn very clearly – anything edible is a treat for them.
Similarly, raw edamame can certainly be consumed by dogs. There are two ways to feed your dog uncooked edamame. You can extract the thin back of each bean pod, wash the pods and then give it to your dog. If you want to completely remove the pods, all you need to do is take the small edamame beans out, fill up your pet’s tray with them, and call out to your fido to enjoy his new treat.
Tip: For starters, it would be wise to give your dog a morsel of edamame beans. This is primarily to test if it suits your pet – if it seems to be fine after eating the small portion, you can continue adding on to his tray.
- Can Dogs Eat Frozen Edamame?
Frozen food may be inedible for us, but for dogs, it’s no less than an ideal snack. However, if you are giving frozen edamame to your dog, you should avoid giving it in the pod. Your best bet would be to remove the beans from their pod and provide them to your dog in a small quantity.
Although frozen edamame can be eaten by dogs, it is advised not to mix it up with other vegetables. You can, however, add a few spoons of canned dog food to enhance flavor.
- Can Dogs Eat Steamed Edamame?
Steaming is a brilliant method to cook edamame. Pure and in its best form, steamed edamame can be eaten by dogs. However, the string-like back of the pod should be removed and the remaining edamame should be washed thoroughly before putting it to steam.
Dogs can not only eat steamed edamame but are also likely to find it a delight. Steaming edamame makes the beans tender and moist, which makes it easier for dogs to bite.
- Can Dogs Eat Fried Edamame?
Fried edamame sounds appetizing for humans, but for dogs, it should be avoided at all costs. Feeding your dogs edamame fried in deep oil is bad for them – and we don’t want that. Fried edamame could increase your dog’s cholesterol levels and is a leading cause of pancreatic cancer amongst dogs.
- Can Dogs Eat Baked Edamame?
Baked cakes are utterly delicious; baked edamame-not so much. This is primarily because edamame is just small beans at the end of the day, how can they possibly be baked? Sure, if you want to go the extra mile and construct an edamame pie with a myriad of other ingredients, that’s your call. But the resultant product won’t be suitable for a dog. Hence, baked edamame is not a snack alternative for dogs.
- Can Dogs Eat Edamame Shells?
As stated above, edamame has an outer covering that is popularly known as a ‘pod’ or a ‘shell.’ Most people who like to eat edamame are able to take the pod and the bean together. Dogs can also eat up those edamame shells with beans. The shells are actually healthy for your dog as they contain a large component of fiber, which is integral for the dog’s diet.
Benefits of Edamame
- Giving dogs edamame will drastically improve their heart health. Since the beans are full of Omega 3, your dog will not only have healthy skin and hair but also develop a better heart.
- One of the key benefits of substituting edamame into your dog’s diet is the phenomenal result it will have on its digestive system. A healthy vegetable is always good for the dog and the healthier it is, the fewer visits you have to make to the vet.
- Having edamame beans also helps in controlling the weight of dogs. It is a form of soybean and thus, your dog will not put on additional weight.
- One of the best things about edamame is that it’s gluten-free. Gluten is mostly found in fatty foods such as bread, bun, and other items that need the substance to be held together. Since edamame is a vegetable, it does not contain any gluten. As a result, your dog stays healthy and fit.
So, can dogs eat edamame? Of course, they can. To all dog owners reading this piece, try adding edamame to your dog’s diet. However, only serve the beans in ways that are appropriate for your pet’s health. Lastly, remember – the key to success is moderation. Give your dogs a little bit of everything in their diet, and they will remain happy and healthy.
Can Dogs Eat Edamame