Can Dogs Eat Green Beans? Best Dog Foods

The question, “Can dogs eat green beans?” may be circling in your mind for a while now. And perhaps, even more so if you’re furry friend has gained a lot more weight than they were supposed to.

Fortunately, the answer is a satisfying, “YES”

Dogs can eat green beans. Just as they can eat other types of beans. 

And if you’re a proactive dog owner who likes to know more about dog foods, just like me, then perhaps you’re here because you’ve been loaded with information about ‘the benefits of green beans’ by your fellow pet owners. 

And while we may agree with the sentiment, as with all other new diets, we need to be careful with how the food is fed and in what proportions.

Can Dogs Eat Green Beans: Raw or Cooked?

Personally, I’d suggest the cooked version since it eliminates any chances of choking. But I suppose that’s just my way of being a protective dog mom.

According to veterinarians, however, raw green beans are perfectly safe for your dog to eat.

In any case though, if you’re like me and worried about the choking hazards, but still want your buddy to have a nice little chewy raw snack, we’d suggest you cut them into smaller, bit-sized pieces just to be safe.

Can Dogs Eat Green Beans: The Downside of Cooking

Sadly, being a protective dog mom does not always play out in my favor all the time.

And this is what happened when I learned that even thoughwas protecting my buddy from choking hazards by giving him cooked green beans, I was still depriving him of nutrients by cooking the green beans. 

What do I mean?

Well for starters, cooking any vegetable, including green beans, will significantly decrease its nutrition content. 

This happens because the thing that makes vegetables a healthy diet are essentially sucked out of them during cooking. 

Surprising. I know.

How does this happen?

Basically, the heat coupled with the presence of a solvent- water, allows many of the water-soluble vitamins and minerals to dissolve into the water.

This includes Vitamin C and many B vitamins such as Riboflavin, Niacin, etc. 

Can Dogs Eat Green Beans: Cooking Alternatives

So I mean, think about it. 

The major reason why most of us give our dogs veggies is to provide them with beneficial nutrients, right? So why continue giving them cooked green beans?

Well, partially because it makes them easier to eat. Just like I mentioned earlier.

Therefore, a sweet spot between cooking and raw exists when we simply steam the green beans

Steaming a vegetable will not make it lose much of its nutrient content and yet, still make it easier for your dog to eat!

However, that being said, we still have some scrumptious recipes for you to try out should you really want to offer your buddy something creative and healthy. 

Can Dogs Eat Green Beans: Nutritional Perspective

green beans

Green beans are really, an all-rounder veggie. They are rich in minerals and vitamins such as iron, magnesium, folate, phosphorous, and vitamins A, C, and K.

All of these nutrients are essential for proper growth and development, as well as for ensuring an overall healthy lifestyle for our buddies.

For starters, vitamin K can help improve bone structure and strength. And introducing the right amount of folate can really help reduce the symptoms of depression.

This is something that really interests me. Because not only does introduce veggies to our canine friend’s diet help them metabolically, but also leads to a more cheerful and happy pup!

Can Dogs Eat Green Beans: Potential Risks

I’ve said it before. And I’ll say it again.

The answer to “Can Dogs Eat Green Beans?” is yes.

But.

Many dog owners tend to get the wrong idea at times when they hear this. I mean, yes. Adding a few veggies to your dog’s daily diet will be good for them. But that does not mean that we start using these as their primary food source.

What do I mean by this?

Well, for starters, if you’ve heard about the ‘Green Bean Diet’ then you know it consists of slowly substituting your pet’s daily diet with green beans until 50% of it consists of just these.

Many veterinarians agree that this could be harmful.

This is because most vegetables only contain a limited amount of B vitamins. Especially vitamins B6 and B12.

Dogs need these for them to have proper muscle and a healthy lifestyle.

Can Dogs Eat Green Beans: The Stance on Weight Loss

So yes. Green beans are a fun way to reduce calorie intake for our dogs since these have very low-fat content*.

But this should only be done with proper consultation from your vet. Any sudden dietary imbalance and you might be harming your canine friend more than helping them.

Can Dogs Eat Green Beans: Treats or Regular Meal?

happy dog

For most dogs, green beans can be a fun treat. And can act as a nice little chewy snack.

Many pet owners take this a step further and feed their dogs green beans as part of a meal. And fortunately, that’s perfectly okay.

However, please be sure to add lean meats as well to the meal since that will be the primary source of proteins.

Can Dogs Eat Green Beans: How to Feed Guide

Knowing how to give a certain food to your pet can be tricky.

That is why, we’ve put together a few recipes that you can look at and learn how to feed this delicious treat to your pet!

Here goes.

Recipe: DIY Crunchy Green Beans

Ingredients:

  • Frozen cut green beans- 16 ounces;
  • Extra Virgin Oil- 1 tsp.

Recipe:

  1. In a bowl, add the green beans.
  2. Drizzle the oil on top of them and shake to ensure coating.
  3. Next, place the coated green beans on a baking sheet and dry beans at 170 Degrees for 8 hours or until crunchy.
  4. Finally, allow them to cool, and then feel free to feed them to your pets.

Video Recipe:

Recipe: Green Beans with Rice

Ingredients:

  • Apples chopped- ½ cup;
  • Carrots chopped- ½ cup;
  • Green beans chopped- 1 cup;
  • Peas- ½ cup;
  • Oil- 1 tsp;
  • Rice– 1 cup;
  • Water- 7 cups.

Recipe:

  1. In a cooking pot, add uncooked white rice, and water.
  2. To this, add the vegetables and drizzle some oil.
  3. Cover the pot with a lid and allow to cook at medium heat for about twenty minutes until done.
  4. Mix well.
  5. Cool to room temperature.
  6. And serve!

Video Recipe:

 Can Dogs Eat Green Beans: Fun Facts About Green Beans

  • There are more than 130 varieties of green beans!
  • Canned green beans can be rinsed to reduce the sodium content.
  • Chlorophyll present in green beans helps combat certain carcinogens.

FAQs

Can green beans lead to choking?

Generally, no. But chop them into bite-sized pieces to be safe.

Do green beans cause health problems for dogs?

No. Green beans are perfectly safe for dogs to eat.

Can I give green beans as a treat to my dog?

Yes. Absolutely. Dogs love green bean treats!

Can dogs eat green beans if they’re cooked?

Yes. But the nutrition content changes.

Can dogs eat green beans if they’re steamed?

Yes! This might be the best way for them to eat these.

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