Can Dogs Eat Plantains?

Plantains can be consumed by dogs in moderation when they are fully cooked as they contain vitamins minerals and fiber that are good for their health.

Can dogs have Plantains?

The answer is yes dogs can eat plantains because they offer tons of nutritional benefits. Now lets take a closer look at what Plantains are and why they are beneficial to dogs.

Plantain vs banana

There is a common misconception out there that Plantain is another name for bananas or that Plantain is fried banana slices. Bananas are quite different from Plantains. Plantains may look like bananas to the untrained eye but their texture flavor and culinary application are entirely different.

In addition bananas are smaller and tougher than plantains. Their skins are typically thicker and they are generally brown green or yellow.

Green.
Dark brown.
Yellow.

You can expect Plantains to be hard starchy and not all that sweet. The only way to eat Plantains is to cook them. Bananas on the other hand can be eaten raw. It is not recommended or enjoyable to consume raw plantains.

Plantains and bananas have some similarities. They are closely related since they are both fruits. Musaceae are a family of plants that includes both Plantain and Banana. These two plants originate from Southeast Asia. Plantains are currently grown in tropical regions of the Americas Indonesia Egypt and India.

Bananas and plantains contain essential nutrients as well. Does this mean that Plantains are good for dogs? Read on to find out!

Are Plantains good for dogs?

Plantains are good food for dogs. These vitamins and minerals are found in plantains:

Fiber.
Vitamin C.
Potassium.
Antioxidant compounds.
Magnesium.

Nutritional value of plantains for dogs

10 slices or 105 grams of yellow baked Plantains contains:

Name Unit	Amount
Calories cal	163
Carbohydrates g	43.5
Fiber g	2.31
Protein g	1.6
Total lipid (fat) g	0.168
Sugars g	22.4
Sucrose g	14.4
Glucose (dextrose) g	3.98
Fructose g	4.01
Sodium mg	2.1
Starch g	18.8
Iron mg	0.294
Potassium mg	501
Phosphorus mg	38.8
Magnesium mg	43
Calcium mg	3.15
Zinc mg	0.221
Copper mg	0.046
Manganese mg	0.173
Vitamin C mg	17.2
Thiamin mg	0.095
Riboflavin mg	0.137
Niacin mg	0.719
Pantothenic acid mg	0.557
Vitamin B-6 mg	0.221
Folate µg	55.6
Vitamin A µg	47.2
Carotene beta µg	387
Carotene alpha µg	371
Vitamin A IU	954
Vitamin K µg	13.5

Vitamin C helps maintain a strong immune system in dogs

Dogs need vitamin C to prevent the development of free radicals which cause premature aging of cells and cognitive decline. Additionally this antioxidant helps reduce inflammation and improve cognitive function.

Its important to remember that our four-legged friends are actually capable of producing vitamin C themselves. The liver helps them generate vitamin C. Nonetheless it never hurts to give your pooch a little extra vitamin C.

Fiber helps regulate bowel movement in dogs

It is a no-brainer that fibrous food is good for our dogs digestion. Because fiber is a complex carbohydrate it takes longer for the dog to digest and keeps him feeling fuller for longer. Fibrous foods like Plantain can help regulate bowel movement in dogs and since it absorbs excess water and adds bulk it prevents the dogs poop from flattening out.

In addition to being great for your furry friends digestive system fiber helps to create a healthy pH in the intestines which prevents bad bacteria from growing.

Potassium is an electrolyte that is crucial to your dog’s health

In 105 grams of Plantain or 10 slices there is 501 mg of potassium. In addition to being an electrolyte potassium is also a mineral. The body of a dog requires potassium to function properly.

Due to the electrolytes high reactivity with water it makes positively charged ions and this helps dogs with:

Send nerve signals.
Coordinate muscle contractions.
Promote fluid regulation.

Magnesium strengthens muscle health in dogs

The magnesium content in 10 slices or 105 grams of Plantain is 43 mg. Every dog needs magnesium. It aids in the proper functioning of organs and maintains organ health in dogs.

If you see your four-legged friends contracting or flexing their muscles magnesium is responsible. When your pooch is relaxing magnesium is still working to keep his or her muscles relaxed. Dogs also need magnesium to regenerate muscles.

Magnesium enables your four-legged friends to absorb minerals such as calcium zinc and potassium.

Are Plantains bad for dogs?

It is true that if your dogs consume too many plantains they can get sick. Lets take a look at why.

Too much fiber intake can cause diarrhea in dogs

Plantains contain a large amount of fiber so too much fiber consumption can harm dogs. Fiber overload can cause diarrhea in your pet if their digestive system is sensitive to it.

Plantains can worsen blood sugar levels in dogs

It is best not to feed your dog Plantains if you know he or she has a blood sugar issue. Thats because each medium-sized or 179-gram plantain contains 27 grams of sugar.

Eating Plantains regularly can cause weight gain in dogs

Studies have shown that a diet high in carbohydrates and sugar can lead to weight gain in dogs. Its important to remember that our K9 friends do not need that many carbs in their diet. Sugar is not needed by dogs either. The sugar that we feed them is sugar that they do not need.

As their bodies are able to digest the carbohydrates in their regular dog food and turn them into sugar our dogs do not need additional sugar from their owners. Sugar consumption on a regular basis can result in canine obesity which in turn could lead to a variety of other health problems such as heart disease diabetes dental issues and even pancreatitis.

So is Plantain bad for dogs?

The only time you should feed your dog too much plantain is if you overdo it. Because of this we highly recommend dog owners only give the dog a slice or two of the Plantain since too much of it can be harmful to the dogs health.

Can dogs eat Plantain chips?

As long as the Plantain chips are plain and have no added salt or spices that harm dogs dogs are able to eat Plantain chips in moderation. The following spices are harmful to dogs:

Chili powder.
Garlic powder (or any form of garlic).
Onion powder (or any form of onion).

Are Plantain chips ok for dogs?

Dogs can eat Plantain chips as long as they are consumed in moderation and when cooked. Raw Plantain chips or a large number of Plantain chips should not be fed to your pup.

A moderate amount of Plantain chips (2 or 3 Plantain chips) contain antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and can help your dog meet his dietary fiber needs.

Can dogs eat fried Plantains?

Plantains should not be eaten by dogs. All fried foods should be avoided by dogs. If you’re merely offering your pooch two or three slices of fried Plantains that should be fine.

Avoid giving your dog fried foods like fried Plantains because they are greasy from cooking oil which contains fats that are not good for them. Healthy fats are harmful to our K9 friends because they can lead to weight gain or even heart disease.

Can dogs eat sweet Plantains?

Plantains can be eaten by dogs in moderation and only if the sweetness comes from the plantains being ripe not the addition of sugar to this fruit. Ripe plantains turn yellow and become sweeter as they ripen.

In comparison to the green Plantain your pets may prefer the yellow Plantain or ripe Plantain since it is sweeter.

Although fruits are naturally sweet pet owners should avoid adding sugar to their pets’ treats or food.

Can dogs eat raw Plantains?

Plantains should not be eaten raw by dogs. Do raw Plantains poison dogs? Plantains are not poisonous to dogs when eaten raw.

Raw Plantains should not be eaten by dogs since they contain too much starch and fiber which can put pressure on your dogs stomach. In this way your pet may not be able to digest raw Plantains properly and may experience digestive issues and even upset stomachs.

Also raw Plantains are hard to eat and chew and they do not taste that great so your pup may not even be interested in them.

Is broadleaf Plantain poisonous to dogs?

Dogs cannot be poisoned by broadleaf plantains. In studies broadleaf Plantain has been shown to treat digestive tract problems and chronic diarrhea. In addition to its vitamin mineral and nutrient content broadleaf Plantains are also safe to eat.

So can dogs eat Plantains?

You can definitely give your dog a moderate amount of Plantains. It is fine for dogs to eat a slice or two of Plantains. Its best not to feed your four-legged friends Plantains in large quantities since they contain high levels of fiber sugar and carbs.

It is highly recommended that you cook the plantains before feeding them to your pups. Plantains that are raw are difficult for pups to digest and eat. It is also fine to serve dogs fried plantains once in a while as an occasional treat. However do not feed them plantains every day. If you want to read more about dog food tips read here: Dog Food Tips and Tricks.