Can Dogs Eat Turnips?

In moderation dogs can eat Turnips. Our dogs’ health is greatly benefited by the vitamins and minerals in turnips which are low in calories and packed with vitamins and minerals. A moderate amount of Turnip will support and improve your dogs nervous system metabolism and even kidney functions for dogs with kidney disease. However dogs with thyroid conditions should avoid Turnips at all costs.

Discover which essential vitamins and minerals this root vegetable contains and how they can benefit the health of your canine companion. We will also talk about why Turnips are bad for your pooch.

Can dogs have Turnips?

Turnips can be consumed by dogs in moderation. Lets briefly discuss what Turnips are and why they are beneficial to our precious canine family members in order to fully comprehend why we can give them to our four-legged companions.

What are Turnips?

The white turnip is also called a turnip. It belongs to the Brassica family of vegetables and is a biennial plant. The same as parsnips carrots potatoes beets daikon radish and yucca they are root vegetables.

As well as turnips arugula and radishes are close relatives.

The Turnip consists of four major parts. These include:

Turnip Greens

You can also call the leafy greens of turnips Turnip Greens. Traditionally Turnip Greens are known as Turnip Tops in the UK. No matter what you call them Turnip Greens look very similar to Mustard Greens.

Root of the Turnip

Turnips are round globular bulbous and globular-shaped vegetables. The scientific term for them is hypocotyl. A turnip root can measure up to 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter and as short as 2 inches (5 cm). It is unlikely that you will find any side roots growing out of the root of the turnip.

Turnip roots are usually white in color. It is possible that you have seen red or purple Turnips in addition to white Turnips. It is also possible. The reason why is as follows.

You’ll sometimes see the Turnip root (or Turnip as we know it) growing and emerging from the soil. This exposed root will turn red purple or even green when it receives sunlight.

The reason why Turnips look red or purple near the leafy greens and white at the base is because they have a taproot at the bottom.

Turnip roots are also known as storage roots because they hold the flesh of the plant.

Interior flesh of the Turnip

The flesh of turnips has a bulbous appearance.

Taproot of the Turnip

A turnips taproot is also known as the normal root and it is quite thin and long. It can measure as much as four inches (10 cm). The taproot of the turnip may also have secondary and tertiary roots.

Turnips are usually trimmed or cut off at the taproot before being sold.

After we have clarified what Turnips are and the different parts of this root vegetable lets see how Turnips are good for our pets.

Are Turnips good for dogs?

When consumed in moderation turnips are beneficial for dogs. Our furry family members benefit greatly from the nutrients in turnips.

The vitamins and minerals our canine friends need to function properly maintain a healthy life and be happy are among these nutrients.

Among these nutrients are:

Vitamins A B1 B2 B3 B5 B6 C E and K.
Fiber.
Folate.
Calcium.
Copper.
Iron.
Magnesium.
Manganese.
Folic acid.
Potassium.
Protein.
Omega-3 fatty acids.
Phosphorus.

The following are some ways that your furry friends’ health can be enhanced.

Turnips contain essential vitamins to keep your dogs in good health

Vitamin A

Turnips contain a fat-soluble vitamin called Vitamin A which is crucial for dogs’ vision. In addition vitamin A improves your dogs cell function and immune system and is vital throughout fetal development.

B Vitamins: B1 B2 B3 B5 B6

Aside from vitamin B1 thiamine is another essential vitamin that your four-legged friends require. As thiamine supplies energy to your dogs brain cells and organ cells your pooch needs B1 in order to function properly. Also thiamine stimulates ion channels in your dogs nervous system.

Riboflavin is also called vitamin B2 and is very similar to vitamin B1. The riboflavin in your dogs body assists in the metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids.

Niacin the B3 vitamin is crucial for reducing inflammation of the skin in dogs.

Your dogs need vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid to function properly because it contributes to their energy metabolism.

In dogs vitamin B6 or pyridoxine is a water-soluble vitamin that is responsible for:

Immune response.
Nervous system function.
Red blood cell function.
Hormone regulation.
Glucose generation.
Gene activation.
Niacin synthesis.

We can see from the above that B vitamins found in turnips help maintain a healthy immune system and nervous system in dogs. B vitamins make your dogs body break down amino acids and carbohydrates into energy so he will have plenty of energy to play and learn new tricks. As a result your pup will have healthy blood cells and best of all their skin and coat will thank you.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is essential for all dogs. By fighting against free radicals in your dogs body vitamin C found in turnips is an antioxidant that slows down cognitive aging and reduces inflammation.

Fortunately your dogs liver actually manufactures vitamin C on its own. It does not hurt though to give him or her an extra boost of vitamin C every now and then.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E which is found in turnips is a fat-soluble vitamin responsible for fat metabolism and cell function. If your pooch does not receive enough vitamin E they may experience reproductive issues and muscle and eye degeneration.

Donot forget to give your dog his daily dose of vitamin E so that hes protected from harmful free radicals that can cause cancer and damage his cells.

The muscles of your pooch will be healthy and strong and the circulatory system will be functioning properly with sufficient vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K like vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. K9 friends require Vitamin K to allow their blood to clot which in turn allows them to heal from cuts and other wounds.

Those dogs with vitamin K deficiency are at risk of death since their blood may not clot properly causing them to bleed out.

Furthermore vitamin K contributes to bone and heart health. Its a good idea to give your pooch a moderate amount of Turnip for these reasons.

Additionally you should keep your dogs away from poisons poisoned by mice or rats. Your dogs may not be able to use this vitamin properly if they accidentally eat them if they have ingested the poison.

This can result in hemorrhage or even death if this is not treated immediately.

Turnips contain key minerals for healthy bones muscles bodies and brains in dogs

Lets review the minerals that turnips contain.

Dogs’ digestive systems are promoted by the high fiber content in turnips

Turnips are rich in fiber which allows the digestive system of dogs to work properly. Give your pooch a small amount of Turnip if hes suffering from diarrhea or constipation.

By consuming enough fiber your dog will have healthy bowel movements balanced blood sugar levels low cholesterol levels and a healthy metabolism.

Turnips contain folate which stimulates the production of red blood cells and healthy cell growth in dogs

You should also give your pooch a moderate amount of Turnip since the folate or folic acid found in this root vegetable is essential for red blood cell production and healthy cell growth.

Turnip can help reduce the risk of spine and brain deformities in your female dog who is pregnant or in the early stages of pregnancy.

Turnips contain calcium which helps dogs’ teeth bones and muscles remain strong and healthy

Dogs need calcium to build strong teeth and bones and this is definitely true! Moreover calcium also provides the following benefits to your dogs:

Strong muscles.
Proper muscle function.
Healthy heart.
Proper nervous system function.

Turnips make an excellent addition to your dogs diet as we can see.

Are Turnips Bad For Dogs?

Turnips can be harmful to dogs if they consume too many of them. Despite their good health benefits Turnips contain high amounts of fiber. Consuming too much fiber (even though it is good for you) can also be harmful.

If your furry family member eats too many Turnips he or she may experience digestive problems such as upset stomach or diarrhea. So its important to feed your furry family member in moderation.

Also if your dogs have thyroid problems do not feed them turnips. In fact turnips may actually suppress your dogs’ thyroid function.

Turnips and dogs

Can dogs eat Turnip Greens?

Turnip greens are safe for dogs to eat in moderation. Additionally Turnip Greens contain important vitamins and minerals that are good for your dogs health. The nutritional profile of 55 grams of raw turnip greens is shown below.

Raw Turnip Greens Nutritional Facts (55-gram cup)

Name Unit	Amount
Calories cal	18
Sugar g	0.45
Sodium mg	22
Carbohydrate g	3.92
Total Fat g	0.17
Protein g	0.82
Fiber g	1.8
Calcium mg	104
Iron mg	0.61
Magnesium mg	17
Phosphorus mg	23
Potassium mg	163
Zinc mg	0.1
Vitamin C mg	33
Folate µg	105
Vitamin A µg	318
Vitamin K µg	138

You should only give your pooch a small amount of Turnip Greens because they are high in sodium. It is best not to add additional salt to these leafy greens when you are feeding them to your dog.

Make sure you properly prepare these leafy greens before feeding them to your dog.

Is it safe for dogs to eat cooked turnip greens?

Cooked Turnip Greens are safe for dogs to eat in moderation.

For dogs its best to cook turnip greens before eating them. The turnip greens should first be washed and rinseed to get rid of any dirt. To make it easier for your dogs to consume and digest the leafy greens steam them and chop them up into smaller pieces.

Can dogs eat raw Turnips?

Turnips can be eaten raw by dogs in moderation. It is also a good idea to chop up the raw Turnip into smaller pieces so that the dogs can chew on them easily. By chopping it into smaller pieces dogs do not face choking hazards or obstructions to their intestines.

Adding a small amount of raw Turnips to your dogs regular food is the best way to feed him raw Turnips.

You can stimulate and regulate your canine friends metabolism with a moderate amount of Turnips. You may want to add a small amount of raw Turnips to your poochs diet if he is on a weight-management program.

Make sure you introduce raw Turnips slowly and gradually if this is the first time your dog has eaten this vegetable. Once they have eaten their first or second bite check to see if they have any adverse reactions.

We highly recommend that you consult with your dogs vet if you have questions or concerns about your dogs nutritional needs.

So can dogs eat Turnips?

Its best to feed your dogs Turnips in moderation as with other human foods that are safe for them to consume. It can be detrimental to your pups health if you allow them to consume too many turnips.

Turnips can provide your dog with a wide variety of health benefits including healthy metabolism function proper nervous system function and even benefit dogs with kidney disease since this root vegetable can stimulate your dogs kidney function.

You should speak with your dogs veterinarian if you are ever concerned about how your dog may react after eating Turnips. He or she knows your dog best and will know how he or she will react after eating this root vegetable.

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