Have you been wondering what the best ways to cook sweet potatoes for dogs are? Look no further your dog’s diet will welcome the healthy addition of sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are healthy, tasty, low glycemic carbohydrates, and nutritious. They’re loved by most dog owners and your four-legged member will not lag from munching this delicious food. The best part is that you can cook sweet potatoes in a number of ways for your dog.
Are Sweet Potatoes Good for Dogs?
Cooked Sweet potatoes offer an abundance of health benefits to your canine companion in addition to tasting delicious. If sweet potato is given in small amounts, it is beneficial for dogs. Sweet potatoes are a safe, healthy, and natural healthy treat for dogs with the following benefits:
- Sweet potatoes are a great source of dietary fiber. They help the digestive system function more effectively.
- Sweet potatoes lower the risk of cardiac disease and certain types of cancers in dogs.
- They are a good source of carbohydrates for dogs, especially diabetic dog due to their low glycemic attributes and ability to support blood sugar problems
- Sweet potatoes contain Beta-carotene antioxidant that gives your dog protection against heart disease.
- They’re high in vitamin A which is vital for maintaining healthy eyes, muscles, nerves, and skin.
- Sweet potatoes are low in fat and rich in vitamin C, B6, A, calcium, potassium, and iron.
- Replacement for grains and provide a carbohydrate option for a healthy dog grain-free diets
According to nutritionist Leslie Beck, sweet potatoes also outrank all other vegetables when it comes to beta-carotene. Beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant. Studies suggest a diet rich in beta-carotene helps guard against certain cancers and heart disease.
What is a Sweet Potato?
It may be confusing to distinguish sweet potatoes from other white potatoes or yams.
Sweet potatoes are a root vegetable that is different than white potatoes or a true yam, a more starchy carbohydrate due to their greater nutritional value. They are long and tapered with a smooth skin that can vary in color, ranging from yellow, orange, red, brown or purple to beige. There are two types of sweet potatoes depending on the type, the flesh can range from white to orange to even purple.
The terms “sweet potato” and “yam” are often used interchangeably, causing a lot of confusion reports Healthline, while both are underground tuber vegetables, they are actually very different. They belong to different plant families and are only distantly related.
Dogs enjoy sweet potatoes as an occasional treat like dehydrated sweet potatoes, like those that are made into sweet potato dog sweet potato treats, as an alternative grain-free dog foods, or sweet potato chews.
Can My Dogs Eat Raw Sweet Potatoes?
Yes, dogs can eat sweet potatoes raw in small amounts. People report bloating and an effect of digestive health when eating sweet potatoes raw so you want to ensure you are careful with the amount of raw sweet potatoes you give your dog.
Sweet potatoes mistakenly get included in the nightshade family but, according to Today, actually, nightshades are a category of vegetables and fruits belonging to the Solanaceae family. What all nightshade foods have in common are alkaloids, nitrogen-containing substances that are found in the leaves, stems and edible parts of the plants. Since sweet potatoes are not nightshades they can be eaten raw in small amounts.
One concern pet parents should have with feeding your dog raw sweet potatoes is choking hazard. Raw sweet potatoes will be hard and if not grated, or cut in very small pieces it could present a chocking hazard for your dog.
Ways to Cook Sweet Potatoes For Your Dog
Now that you know the benefits of sweet potatoes for dogs, it’s time to know the best way to serve this valuable healthy addition to your dog’s diet. As a pet lover I am always looking for new ways to make healthy whole food additions to my pet’s diet and therefore have tried and tested the many ways pet lovers can add sweet potatoes to their dog’s diet and have the following ideas:
There are several ways to prepare sweet potatoes for your dogs. You can bake, mash, boil, and steam them. Always wash and peel the sweet potatoes to ensure that your dog isn’t consuming any unnecessary bacteria.
Dog Mashed sweet potatoes
Dogs love the variety and the goodness of mashed sweet potatoes and you can add mashed sweet potatoes.
- Peel, cut and add sweet potatoes to boiling water.
- Boil sweet potatoes on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until they are tender.
- Drain out the water, then place the sweet potatoes in a bowl and mash them well.
- Serve to your dog when cooled.
You can use mashed sweet potatoes to add to commercial dog food for an added source of grams of fiber and vitamins. Mashed sweet potatoes can also be a great base for a dog birthday cake since they are so versatile you can make an easy doggie sweet potato pie or a doggie birthday cake icing. Mashed potatoes can also be an an excellent base for Kong or other toy stuffer recipes.
Dog Sweet Potato Puree
To make a super easy dog sweet potato puree, you simply need to boil and mash your sweet potatoes. Add enough water to make a thinner consistency and the sweet potato puree is ready to use. Much like mashed sweet potatoes a puree can be added to commercial food or your own dog’s food recipe with vegetables for a whole food recipe and healthy tasty treat or regular meal.
Dog Sweet Potato Treats
Sweet potatoes make a nice easy base for many homemade dog treat recipes with the main ingredient sweet potatoes. Swap out pumpkin puree in our dog loved and approved sweet potato treat recipe here, you can make these ahead for a simple healthy homemade dog treats to easily store and use for a high value reward.
Dog Sweet Potato Chew
Using sweet potatoes in healthy treats or soft chews is an easy way to prepare a healthy dog treat that may replace rawhide chews (to a certain extent my dogs still crave a good chew time and again.)
You won’t have to stick with the occasional treats rule since sweet potatoes are generally healthy for your dog and low glycemic. To make chews begin by thoroughly washing your sweet potatoes. Slice them so that they can become chewy or crunchy when baked. Place the sliced sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. Bake the sliced sweet potatoes but don’t add salt, oil, or any spice.
They’re great for those dogs who like a little bit of crunch and given that they are so easy they can easily replace any treats bought at the local grocery stores.
Check out our chapter on everything dog diet in Motherpuppin’ Adorable: What to do when your dog is better than everyone else’s which includes a recipe for sweet potato chews.
- Kong treats: I am not sure if you love the Kong as much as we do. Kongs provide an excellent way to keep your pal occupied and give him a great treat simultaneously. Mashed sweet potatoes make a great base for many Kong or other stuffed toy recipes. You can also mix mashed sweet potato with a little boiled rice or a spoonful of peanut butter. Add this mixture to a Kong toy. Your furry companion will love to get the treat out. This will keep them entertained for hours! Check out our other Kong recipes here.
You can even prepare a yummy smoothie by blending boiled sweet potato with other healthy fruits. Skip the seasoning as it’s best to keep sweet potato simple to soothe your dog’s stomach.
If you want to introduce sweet potatoes to your dog’s diet, it’s a good idea to start slowly to see how your dog’s stomach reacts. There are a lot of dog treat recipes that include sweet potatoes. You can easily prepare them at home.
How Much Sweet Potatoes Can I Give My Dog?
Although sweet potatoes are an excellent addition to your dogs diet to add vitamins, minerals and variety, remember, sweet potatoes should only be given to your dog in moderation and like any new food introduced slowly.
Sweet potatoes are good for your dog but your furry friend may have difficulty digesting sweet potatoes in excessive amounts. Also, the natural sugar in sweet potatoes means extra calories and is not suitable for overweight dogs and should serve as only an occasional treat for diabetic dogs.
The key is to offer sweet potatoes to your dog in moderation.
Final Thoughts
As we everything else at The Popular Pets we encourage you to have fun with your dog and including sweet potatoes in your dog’s diet for an extra treat and variety. Enjoy!
