 The Short Answer is:
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The short answer is YES! Your dogs can safely eat bananas as they are not toxic. You should feed them moderate amounts of bananas. |
The purpose of this research is to explain “Can Dogs Eat Unripe Bananas?“.
Americas favorite fruit is the banana.
Americans eat 90 bananas on average every year.
Bananas are eaten more often than apples and oranges combined.
Bananas are so popular because you do not need to wait for them to ripen on the tree.
While being transported all around the world they are allowed to ripen.
Globally it is estimated that over 100 billion are eaten.
Although most bananas will ripen by the time they are in a fruit bowl some always seem to “not get the memo” and remain green.
As for me I would not handle them.
Is it okay to feed my dog unripe bananas?
While answering this question the first thing I want to talk about is whether unripe bananas contain any nutritional value.
What is the nutrition in unripe bananas?
The answer to this very interesting question is very hard to give since so little research has been conducted so far.
Due to the tendency to only eat ripe bananas this is the case.
I am very encouraged by what I have learned.
The nutrients in green bananas are plentiful.
Are you aware of how uninviting and firm a green banana looks?
As the banana ripens the starch in the banana becomes sugar.
However this starch is an excellent source of dietary fiber.
We are told that this type of fiber is very important for our digestion as well as for our dogs digestion.
Additionally I will examine whether unripe bananas can soothe diarrhea in dogs in a later section.
Not only that but starch is great when it comes to making your dog feel “fuller” which should help to stave off hunger pangs longer.
Is it possible to use this for dogs?
The next step is vitamins.
Bananas that are still unripe are rich in vitamin C B6 and provitamin A.
Did you know that dogs produce their own vitamin C in their livers?
That does not mean that dogs do not benefit from a top-up every now and then- especially if they are stressed.
When dogs are emotionally and physically stressed their levels of vitamin C will be lower than when they lead a calmer and more quiet lifestyle.
It is also believed that vitamin B6 promotes a more healthy brain in dogs as well as plays a role in red blood cell production.
As long as there is enough B6 in the blood it helps to control the levels of a dangerous chemical called homocysteine which leads to the hardening of the arteries.
In terms of vitamins I would like to look at provitamin A.
Please do not be intimidated by the flashy jargon.
Vitamin One is converted from provitamin A once it has been ingested.
Provitamin A is converted to vitamin A once it is digested by a dog.
Why is vitamin A so famous?
There are a few reasons but one of the biggest ones is that it will help keep a dogs eyesight in tip-top shape!
Green banana vs yellow banana. Which is better for dogs?
What is better for your dog an unripe banana or a ripe banana?
Its a fascinating question and the real answer is that they’re both great for your dog.
Its just a matter of knowing why.
The banana like all fruits and vegetables changes as it ripens.
As the fruits ripen and change color from green to yellow to brown the nutrients within them change as well.
Our dogs can also gain benefits from them as well.
In the previous section I covered most of the main advantages that feeding your dog green bananas may bring and in this section I will discuss yellow and brown bananas.
Unripe bananas have lower antioxidant levels than yellow bananas.
As a result most of the starch has been transformed into sugar.
In the fight against disease antioxidants are one of those miracle compounds that protect our bodies.
In addition dogs need them as well.
Dogs are believed to benefit from antioxidants because they reduce inflammation in their bodies.
Prior to you saying it inflammation is a pretty standard reaction within a dogs body to various threats.
Due to its antiviral antibacterial properties.
You need to choose a banana with brown spots if you want to feed your dog a banana with the highest concentration of antioxidants.
When a banana turns brown it has reached the end of its ripening process.
Hence the banana no longer contains any starch but only sugar.
Even though most of us compost or use brown bananas to make banana cakes it is useful to know that brown bananas contain the most potassium.
Potassium also plays a crucial role in the health of dogs because it plays a role in keeping the heart nerves and muscles healthy.
Can I feed unripe bananas to a dog with diarrhea?
The following section examines whether an unripe banana with all of its dietary fiber might be helpful in treating diarrhea naturally.
When it comes to treating diarrhea high-fiber foods are often recommended.
I have had great success treating my own dogs with diarrhea with sweet potatoes (which contain around 3% fiber).
Another well-known remedy for diarrhea is canned and plain pumpkin (which also contains around 3% fiber).
What does that mean for green bananas?
Unripe bananas on the other hand should contain more fiber than yellow bananas which contain 2.6%.
Bananas are also recommended to heal mild diarrhea by many people.
However I cannot find any recommendations on how to use green bananas.
To treat diarrhea fiber is not the only solution. The presence of plenty of water is another important attribute of any cure.
Fruits and vegetables qualify as well since they contain mostly water.
The last quality a diarrhea cure must have is that it must be bland and easy to digest.
It is for this reason that rice and chicken are often recommended as a treatment for diarrhea.
How bland is an unripe banana?
Not likely. There is too much starch in a green banana for a dogs digestion and I think it would just aggravate diarrhea.
However I think there is nothing wrong with using a ripe banana as a cure.
Be sure that it is greener than brown in color!
The recent discussion of using unripe fruit with dogs made me wonder if there are any unripe fruits that are dangerous for dogs to eat?
Heres what I’ll share with you in the following section.
Which unripe fruits are dangerous to dogs?
The one fruit that you should not mess around with when it comes to ripeness when it comes to dogs is tomatoes.
Dogs should only be fed tomatoes when they are red and ripe.
Your dog could be poisoned by unripe or green tomatoes.
Alkaloid solanine is the name of this toxin.
When a dog goes missing in your greenhouse and feasts on green tomatoes things might get serious.
Lethargy and an elevated heart rate are among the signs to watch out for in these situations.
Can dogs have unripe bananas?
It seems to me that unripe bananas only occasionally ripen properly if you are forced to buy them when you are out shopping if you hate green bananas.
These bananas can be fed to your dog if this describes you.
Donot forget that any food that is new to a dog should be given in tiny amounts at first.
Nevertheless if your dog reacts well to this it is obvious that a few unripe bananas here and there will help boost their digestive health.
If you want to read more about dog food tips read here: Dog Food Tips and Tricks.
