There's a trend amongst humans to make an effort to live a more natural and healthy lifestyle. Why can't we bring our dogs along for that journey, too? Take a look at which healthy human foods can be safely shared with our furbabies:
Research shows that offering ANY amount of fresh food to your dog is beneficial. Maybe you can manage two to four fresh food meals out of 14 in a week. Or maybe you can go half-and-half by feeding one meal of processed pet food and one fresh food meal each day.
10 Fresh Foods to Add to Your Dog's Diet Starting Today
1. Pumpkin. Fresh pumpkin, either steamed or boiled (or canned 100 percent pumpkin), is relatively low in calories and high in soluble fiber. Pumpkin helps regulate bowel function, which relieves both diarrhea and constipation. Pumpkin is also an excellent source of potassium.
While we're on the subject of pumpkins, don't overlook the value of raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), which are a rich source of minerals, vitamin K and phytosterols.
2. Blueberries. Blueberries are loaded with phytochemicals and antioxidants and are also a good source of fiber, manganese and vitamins C and E. A good rule of thumb is two to four blueberries as treats for every 10 pounds of dog food a day.
3. Kale. Kale is a dark green cruciferous vegetable loaded with vitamins (especially vitamins K, A and C), iron and antioxidants. It helps with liver detoxification and also has anti-inflammatory properties. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of minced or chopped kale to your dog's food daily, depending on body weight, as a great source of fiber, nutrients and whole food antioxidants.
4. Mushrooms. Some mushrooms are poisonous, so obviously you'll want to avoid those. Non-toxic, beneficial varieties include shiitake, reishi, maitake, lion's mane, king trumpet, turkey tail and himematsutake mushrooms. All mushrooms that are safe for people are safe for pets.
You can either lightly cook the mushrooms in a very small amount of olive or coconut oil before adding them to your dog's meal, or try out my mushroom broth recipe.
5. Broccoli. Broccoli supports detoxification processes in your dog's body; contains healthy fiber to aid digestion; is rich in beneficial nutrients like potassium, calcium, protein and vitamin C; has anti-inflammatory properties; supports eye health; helps repair skin damage; and supports heart health.
I always prefer local organic produce, however, conventionally grown broccoli is one of the cleanest (most pesticide-free) foods you can buy, so eat up!
7. Sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene and antioxidants, and are also high in vitamins A and C. Sweet potatoes with purple flesh have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may lower the risk from heavy metals and oxygen radicals.
8. Chia. It is a source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids and also antioxidants. Chia seeds also provide fiber, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin and zinc. Try sprinkling some chia seeds on your dog's meals, or mix some with a little coconut oil for a super nutrient dense bedtime snack.
I don't know about you, but I'm getting hungry just reading through all of the foods we can share with our dogs. I may even grab a bowl of some frozen blueberries and have a few as a snack with my pup now!
Article Source: Healthy Pets
