If you also want to feed your dog something green and healthy, then you might wonder about this cost-effective and easily accessible veggie- collard greens. But wait – can dogs eat collard greens?
In short- congratulations, you can feed your dog collard greens in moderation, BUT! There is a lot more you need to know about their benefits and safe ways to serve. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Are Collard Greens Good For Dogs?
The reason why we love fresh collard greens for dogs is because of their high nutritional value and the goodness they bring to dog’s health. Here is what we are talking about:
1. Packed with nutrients
Collard greens may look like simple leafy veggies, but they are packed with amazing nutrients for your doggo’s well-being. It consists of vitamins and minerals like:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Folate
- Calcium
2. Fibrous
If your doggo often suffers from extreme constipation, they are most probably lacking dietary fiber in their meals. Don’t worry- collard greens to the rescue! These greens are super fibrous, and if you feed them in moderation, they can promote regular bowel movements and maintain a healthy gut.
3. Low-calorie treat
Lastly, the collard greens are low in calories, which is a fantastic alternative to those “full of fat” dog treats that do no good to your dog. Especially if your doggo is overweight, these greens are all you need to manage weight as they do not contribute to calorie intake or add weight.
Fun and Safe Ways to Feed Your Dog Collard Greens
Now that you know collard greens are safe for dogs, it’s time to ask the bigger question: “How do you feed it?” So, here are some fun and safe ways you can feed your dog collard greens:
1. Cook them!
You should ALWAYS cook fresh collard greens before feeding them to your dog! Not that raw collard greens are toxic to dogs, but it would be best to cook them. The primary reason is the bacterial contamination and the amounts of oxalates. Oxalate content can lead to kidney stones in dogs if consumed in high amounts (study). Hence, cooking will decrease the amount of it and make it safer for you and your dog to consume.
2. Chop and mix
Another safe and fun way to feed your dog collard greens is to chop them into tiny bites. Doing this will make it easier for your dog to eat it; at best, you can chop and mix these greens with their meals. This will help you make a perfectly balanced meal that has proteins, carbs, fiber, and greens! What else would be better than this?
3. Homemade treats
If you are a DIY dog mom, we are sure you would love to make homemade and healthy collard greens treats for your pooch. You can experiment on your own by adding other veggies and fruits like- carrots, beets, avocado paste, lettuce, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, and kale for extra nutrition, taste, and crunch.
Conclusion
Our final thoughts on “can dogs eat collard greens?” is a BIG YES! You can and most definitely should feed your dog green veggies that are low in calories and serve multiple nutrients to your dog. Everything is perfect about this human food, except that there is a catch: you should only serve them plain to your pooch. Also, we recommend cooking the collard greens before feeding as boiling or steaming makes it easier to consume and decreases oxalates and bacteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically, it is safe to feed your dog raw or cooked collard greens in moderation as they are toxic in any way. However, we do not recommend serving your dog raw collard greens due to factors like challenging digestibility and bacterial contamination.
The two ideal ways to cook collard greens for your dog is to boil or steam them. Other cooking methods like roasting or frying can release the nutrients from the collard greens, making them less beneficial for dogs. Hence, you should either boil or steam the greens and serve them plain.
You can feed collard greens to diabetic dogs safely, but moderation is the key. These greens are often used to treat diabetes in humans and rats (study), but there is a lack of evidence that it might work the same for dogs. Hence, before feeding your dog anything for medicinal purposes, please consult your veterinarian.
Even though the stems of the collard greens are not toxic, they do not have any nutritional value to add to your dog’s meals. It would be best to never feed your dog stems of any fruit, veggie, or plant. They can carry bacteria and toxins from the environment.
Yes! You can feed your dog frozen collard greens, but you better cook them before feeding. Cooking them is necessary and recommended as they can cause choking hazards if served straight out of the freezer.
