Spinach

27/08

Can I offer spinach to my dog?

Spinach is a dark green leafy vegetable known for its numerous health benefits for humans, being rich in nutrients. But what about our furry friends? Can you share this vegetable with your dog?

The answer is yes! Dogs can safely eat spinach in moderation. Spinach is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It’s low in calories and high in insoluble fiber, which supports your dog’s digestive system, microbiome, and overall health.

Despite these benefits, as with any new food, you should introduce spinach slowly into your dog’s diet. This allows their digestive system to adjust gradually.

How much spinach can I give my dog?

As a general rule, about 10% of your dog's diet should consist of vegetables and fruits, including spinach. However, each dog is unique, and giving this amount of spinach in a single meal might not be well-tolerated by all dogs. It's best to start with smaller amounts and observe how your dog reacts. Monitoring for any digestive issues or diarrhea will help determine if your dog can handle this new food and whether you can gradually increase the quantity.

Spinach contains many vitamins

Spinach contains various vitamins that contribute to your dog's overall health. One of these is vitamin C, an antioxidant known for its role in collagen synthesis, essential for tissue growth and repair. One tablespoon of spinach provides 0.53 mg of vitamin C.

Spinach also contains B vitamins, which perform numerous functions in the body, from regulating energy metabolism and enzyme function to boosting the immune response. One tablespoon of spinach contains the following B vitamins:

· Thiamine (B1) – 1.44 micrograms

· Riboflavin (B2) – 3.56 micrograms

· Niacin (B3) – 13.56 micrograms

· Pantothenic Acid (B5) – 1.19 micrograms

· Vitamin B6 – 3.63 micrograms

· Folate (B9) – 58.2 micrograms

Additionally, spinach provides your pet with 38.06 micrograms of vitamin E per tablespoon serving. This fat-soluble vitamin can help inhibit oxidative stress and support the healthy functioning of the immune, reproductive, muscular, and nervous systems. Spinach also contains vitamin K (9.06 micrograms per tablespoon serving), which is crucial for blood clotting.

Source of Minerals

Spinach is rich in various minerals such as calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. 100g of spinach contains the following amounts of minerals:

· Potassium – 558mg

· Calcium – 99mg

· Magnesium – 79mg

· Phosphorus – 49mg

· Iron – 2.71mg

· Manganese – 0.897mg

· Zinc – 0.53mg

Some of the Antioxidant Phytonutrients in Spinach

Spinach contains numerous phytonutrients with antioxidant properties, including flavonoids like spinacetin, patuletin, and jaceidin, as well as polyphenols like quercetin (known as a natural antihistamine) and lutein.

Another nutrient in spinach with antioxidant properties is beta-carotene, also known as pro-vitamin A. Besides inhibiting oxidative stress damage, beta-carotene is essential for vision, the immune system, cell division, and development. One tablespoon of spinach contains about 105.63 micrograms of this nutrient.

Source of Fiber

Spinach is an excellent source of fiber for your dog, containing 41.25 milligrams per tablespoon serving. This fiber helps regulate bowel movements and improve gut microbiome, thereby promoting a more balanced and healthy immune system.

Cautions When Offering Spinach in the Diet

Pesticides and Herbicides: Unfortunately, spinach is a vegetable that may contain a high load of pesticides and herbicides. Therefore, if possible, buy organic spinach.

Oxalates: Spinach contains oxalates, which are compounds that act as a natural defence mechanism for the plant. Once ingested, oxalates bind to calcium in the blood, forming small oxalic acid crystals. If your dog has a history of calcium oxalate stone formation, it's best to avoid spinach or consult your Integrative Veterinarian or Animal Nutritionist before offering this vegetable.

Sensitivities: Dogs can have individual food sensitivities or allergies. If your dog develops vomiting or diarrhea, itching, or behaviour changes after eating spinach, it may indicate a food sensitivity, so stop offering this vegetable.

Goitrogenic: Spinach is a cruciferous vegetable, so it can have goitrogenic effects. Goitrogenic foods contain molecules called goitrogens. When ingested, these molecules can prevent iodine absorption and interfere with normal thyroid function. Veterinarian Jean Dodds, DVM (a specialist and world reference in thyroid pathology), states that the benefits of spinach outweigh the risks and that lightly steaming spinach minimizes this risk. Therefore, if your dog has hypothyroidism, always cook spinach, as well as any other cruciferous vegetable like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, purple cabbage, Brussels sprouts, etc.

How to Prepare Spinach for Our Dogs

So, what is the best way to prepare spinach:

Raw and Chopped: Fresh, raw leaves finely chopped can be offered as a topping on your dog’s regular meal. Although raw spinach preserves the maximum amount of nutrients, this form may not facilitate the digestibility and bioavailability of these nutrients. As such, to improve digestibility and bioavailability, you can puree the spinach.

Boiled or Steamed: Lightly cooking spinach will significantly increase its digestibility while preserving much of its nutritional value. Simply cook the spinach until wilted, then chop it finely or puree it before serving.

Spinach Treats: Nowadays, many brands make artisan treats that contain spinach. This can be a delicious way to add spinach to your dog's diet. Example: Benny’s Cuits - Biscoito de Espinafres

Remember that, like us, dogs have different taste preferences, so if your dog doesn't like spinach the first time you offer it, try one of the other methods mentioned above. If he still refuses to eat anything with spinach, don't worry. There are plenty of other fantastic vegetables you can offer your dog.

References

· Bark & Whiskers, Spinach: Celebrate the Holidays With This Beloved Veggie

· Dogs Naturally Magazine, Can Dogs Eat Spinach?

· USDA, FoodData Central, Spinach, raw

· Can J Vets Res. 2017 Jul, Oxidative stress and food supplementation with antioxidants in therapy dogs

· Advanced Naturopathic Medical Centre, What are Oxalates?

· Adv Nutr. 2013 Jan, The Interplay Between Fiber and the Intestinal Microbiome in the Inflammatory Response

· Harvard School of Public Health, Vitamin A

· EXCLI J. 2016, An update on the potential health benefits of carotenes

· National Institutes of Health, Vitamin C

· Harvard School of Public Health, B Vitamins

· Nutrients. 2016 Feb, B Vitamins and the Brain: Mechanisms, Dose and Efficacy – A Review