Can Dogs Eat Beans And Rice?

The purpose of this research is to explain “Can Dogs Eat Beans And Rice?“.

You can add beans and rice to your dogs diet every now and then to make it more nutritious.

Exactly! Do you mean my dogs can not survive on beans and rice?

Beans and rice are wonderful (and they’re said to be a complete protein) but they do not contain all the nutrients our dogs need to survive and thrive!

You need to be careful when feeding your dogs beans.

To ensure that harmful toxins are destroyed dried beans must be soaked and then cooked.

There is nothing wrong with using canned beans as well.

If you buy cans that do not have any salt added otherwise you will accidentally feed your dog large quantities of salt which is unnecessary and dangerous.

The history of beans and rice

It is one of the most popular meals in South America to eat beans and rice. 

In places like Brazil this dish is eaten every day by the poor and the rich alike. 

In Europe it is believed to have been introduced by Spanish and Portuguese explorers. 

What exactly can it do for our dogs?

What do you think? Lets find out shall we?

What is the nutrition in beans?

I need to focus on three types of beans to do a short nutritional analysis – pinto red kidney beans and black beans.

My apologies if your rice is usually accompanied by a different bean type.

Do these beans contain any nutrients?

100 g serving	Pinto	Red Kidney	Black
Calories	187	135	178
Fat	7.1%	6.8%	5.9%
Dietary Fibre	7.4%	8%	9.8%
Sugar	1.6 %	3.1%	.3%
Protein	7.4%	8.7%	8.5%
Vitamin B1	.079 mg	.168 mg	.188 mg
Vitamin B6	.206 mg	.127 mg	.074
Phosphorus	148 mg	177 mg	153 mg
Copper	.260 mg	.245 mg	.272 mg

There you have it.

Generally speaking these three types of beans provide a low calorie high fat high fiber high carbohydrate and medium protein food source.

Pinto beans contain much B6 (essential for creating red blood cells) and kidney beans and black beans are rich in vitamin B1 (excellent for converting carbs into energy).

Also black beans contain quite high levels of vitamin E while pinto and red kidney beans do not. 

Dogs’ cells are protected from free radicals produced as a result of the conversion of food into energy by vitamin E. 

Copper is the most abundant mineral in these beans with .272 mg in copper .260 mg in pinto beans and .245 mg in red kidney beans. 

Your dogs body contains copper which has a few functions. 

Maintaining the health and strength of their bones to ensure that their metabolism is functioning correctly. 

Almost all beans contain phosphorus which is good for the bones and teeth of your dog. 

I am now going to compare white and brown rice after learning why pinto red kidney and black beans are so great.

Therefore what should be your dogs favorite bean?

My favorite would have to be the humble kidney bean purely based on availability and price.

While I can usually source kidney beans from my local grocery store week in and week out I’m not so sure that I can get hold of pinto or black beans so easily.

Would you like to join us?

Having discovered why pinto red kidney and black beans are such great beans I will now compare white and brown rice.

What is the nutrition in rice?

As a food source rice is low in fat and high in carbohydrates.

100 g serving	Cooked white rice	Cooked brown rice
Calories	129	122
Fat	.3%	1%
Carbohydrate	28 %	25%
Protein	2.7%	2.7%
Vitamin B1	.162 mg	.177 mg
Vitamin B6	.092 mg	.122 mg
Phosphorus	43 mg	102 mg
Copper	.069 mg	.105 mg
Magnesium	12 mg	39 mg
Selenium	7.5 mcg	5.8 mcg

When it comes to vitamins and minerals brown rice is better and contains higher concentrations of all the main ones except selenium which is a little-known mineral.

In general it helps with metabolism and also supports the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. 

We have heard about the importance of B vitamins phosphorus and copper when it comes to our dogs health.

Magnesium is all thats left.

Well it helps to make DNA and helps the brain communicate with other body parts so it should not be too much of the little and old.

Having analyzed beans and rice separately I now want to examine what makes them such a magical combination. 

Beans and rice- a complete protein

The combination of rice and beans is known as a complete protein.

Complete proteins are very important nutritionally because beans and rice contain all the essential amino acids.

There are amino acids such as Lysine Leucine and Valine. 

A complete protein is a term used in reference to humans.

The majority of these amino acids are also required by dogs. 

Can I just feed my dog beans and rice?

Though beans and rice seem like a nutritious double act the sad truth is that dogs need a lot more nutrients than these two foods can provide.

Proteins fats carbohydrates minerals and vitamins are as essential to dogs as they are to humans.

Page four of this document details their very specific needs. 

Rice and beans do not meet all of these requirements.

A homemade diet of rice and chicken does not help either.

You would have to be a cross between a magician and a genius to create that mix at home. 

A dogs food that is labeled “complete” has the right balance of nutrients which is why it is the safest and wisest choice for its owner. 

How should I use beans and rice with my dog?

Rice and beans are best for your dog if you give them instead of one of their main meals every two weeks.

If you like your rice and beans with lots of seasoning and spices do not give them to your dog.

Rice and beans can be cooked in plain water. 

So your dog gets a little variety in their diet while also getting a boost of protein without messing up the nutritional balance from their dry or wet food diet.

Additionally as their owner you will be able to enjoy the beautiful aromas that come from feeding our dog beans!

What beans are toxic to dogs?

There are a number of beans that your dog should not eat.

Fava beans (broad beans): the mysterious case

I’m confused by the fava bean and the advice around it.  

Dogs should not eat fava or broad beans because of a chemical they contain called phytohemagglutinin (PHA).

Even eating a few raw beans can cause vomiting and diarrhea so this compound is highly toxic.

But PHA can be found in much higher levels in red kidney beans and so I don’t quite understand why it is flagged as a toxin for dogs in broad beans but not red kidney beans.

It goes without saying that neither of them should be fed to a dog raw.

Another interesting thing about fava beans is that they have been added to dog food successfully.

All the dogs completed the trial and showed no signs of ill effects despite the dehulled fava beans. 

What other beans should your dog not eat?

Inputting this list together I feel as though I am stating the obvious.

Dogs should not be fed baked beans because of all the additives and the high levels of salt and sugar.

Because caffeine and dogs do not mix well coffee beans are highly toxic to your dog.

The effects of caffeine on humans are temporary but for dogs they can be more severe and last longer. 

As with all fried foods refried beans should also be avoided especially if they contain garlic which is a known toxin to some dogs. 

Many of us who eat a lot of beans tend to keep tins of beans on hand since they are so much easier to use than dried beans.

So long as the canned beans do not have added salt canned beans are fine for your dog. 

If you want to read more about dog food tips read here: Dog Food Tips and Tricks.

Can Dogs Eat Beans And Rice? (Watch Video)