Can Dogs Eat Broccoli And Cauliflower?

The Short Answer is:

Yes, of course! You can feed them to your furry friends without any worries. There is no toxic substance in them. This green can be cooked either with other ingredients or boiled alone. However, don't overfeed them with broccoli and cauliflower. It can cause upset stomachs and digestive problems for them when they consume too much cauliflower or broccoli.

In this article you will know the answer to the query “Can Dogs Eat Broccoli And Cauliflower?“.

Which vegetable is more popular broccoli or cauliflower?

The average American ate just over 6 pounds of broccoli and just over 3 pounds (1.3 kilograms) of cauliflower in 2019.

As a result people eat twice as much broccoli as they do cauliflower according to my calculations. 

The 10th most popular vegetable is broccoli and the 14th most popular vegetable is cauliflower. 

Although there are no statistics revealing how popular these two vegetables are with dogs I would imagine that this is a fairly popular combination.

It isnot uncommon for people to give their dogs the same food that appears on their plates.

Is it okay for your dog to eat broccoli and cauliflower or should they avoid them like the plague?

Come on lets find out.

The trouble with using nutrition data with dogs

We have been able to determine the nutrients in the majority of the foods we eat.

For nerds like me this information is readily available and extremely useful.

Nevertheless the information isnot perfect since it is designed to meet the needs of people not dogs. 

This does not mean that the information is useless – far from it.

Keeping that in mind is just a good idea.

Broccoli nutrition data

Raw broccoli has 34 calories in every 100 grams 0.4 grams of fat 33 milligrams of sodium 6.6 grams of carbohydrate and 2.8 grams of protein in every 100 grams.

There are a lot of vitamins and minerals in it including vitamin K and vitamin C. 

In order to avoid repeating myself I will describe in detail later how these minerals and vitamins contribute to our dogs good health. 

Although most of us only eat the florets of broccoli ourselves the stem and leaves are just as nutritious for your dog.

Lets talk about cauliflower now.

Cauliflower nutrition data

100g of raw cauliflower on the other hand contains 25 calories 0.3 grams of fat 30 milligrams of sodium 5 grams of carbohydrates and 1.9 grams of protein.

Cauliflowers contain a fair amount of vitamins and minerals but not as many as broccoli. 

There is a problem with the image of cauliflower just as there is with broccoli.

We usually eat the white florets but throw away the leaves.

The benefits of cauliflower leaves for dogs were recently discussed in an article that I wrote. 

The dark green color of broccoli makes it so powerful. 

An indication that a vegetable is rich in vitamins and minerals. 

I want to compare these two vegetables in the next section.

Broccoli vs cauliflower (vitamins)

No one here will remember the specific values of vitamins and minerals found in these two vegetables.

You would not have to take a test!

 However I wanted to compare them quickly.

Are they the same or do they differ slightly in terms of vitamins and minerals?

Lets start with the vitamins.

Pantothenic acid and vitamin B6 are the only vitamins cauliflower has more of than broccoli.

Broccoli outshines every other vitamin like for like.

Its quite a bit more than that. 

For instance it contains almost twice as much vitamin C as cauliflower ten times as much vitamin E and seven times as much vitamin K. 

Broccoli vs cauliflower (minerals)

Below is a comparison table of minerals that are found in broccoli and cauliflower.

Likewise broccoli has more minerals per pound than cauliflower as well as more vitamins.

Calcium is twice as abundant iron is almost twice as abundant and selenium is four times more abundant. 

How much broccoli and cauliflower should I feed my dog?

In most cases we are looking to add broccoli and cauliflower to our dogs existing (complete) diet whether that is from a can or from kibble.

This article cannot address your question about broccoli and cauliflower if you are planning on making your own homemade diet from scratch.

This is due to the fact that there are so many factors to take into account. 

For the rest of us you should not give your dog more than 10% of their total food as broccoli and cauliflower combined.

I do not think you need to be too scientific about this you can roughly guess 10% by using a tablespoon or serving spoon and a little too much or too little would not harm your dog at all.

How much broccoli and cauliflower for a first time user? 

The first time you introduce broccoli and cauliflower to your dog introduce one vegetable at a time and begin with a small amount.

Moreover I would introduce cauliflower first because as we have seen from the data above it is less potent. 

Your dog will be able to see how their stomach reacts to one vegetable.

You can then introduce a small amount of broccoli on its own to your dog and see how it does.

If everything goes well then you can start adding the two vegetables to your dogs food.

What is the reason for my caution?

When you just jump in at the deep end and start feeding your dog a combination of broccoli and cauliflower and if your dog gets an upset stomach you do not know why it happened.

You will be able to spot problems more quickly with a more cautious introduction. 

Can my puppy eat broccoli and cauliflower?

Your puppy will love broccoli and cauliflower as “add-ons”.

You should not add anything to your puppys diet or food until it is 100% weaned and is a confident and happy eater.

Puppy dogs are highly distracted and delicate little things.

Ask your dog friends or your veterinarian for advice if you have a puppy that is a picky eater.

By adding broccoli and cauliflower to their diet they will probably become even pickier. 

That part of the diet needs to be addressed first.

You can then introduce new foods to your puppy once you have mastered that step.

You should start with very small amounts of cauliflower at first and give them lots of time to get used to it.

The stomachs of puppies tend to be more sensitive than those of adult dogs so new ingredients may shock the system.

Watch their stool closely. 

Before combining the two vegetables slowly introduce them to broccoli. 

Feed broccoli and cauliflower: raw or cooked?

Dogs will happily eat a variety of raw vegetables and the same is true of broccoli and cauliflower.

I usually chop it up roughly into 1cm cubes and then mix it in with their main meal. 

Occasionally I will give them a much larger chunk of broccoli or cauliflower but since they are already used to these vegetables I do not have to worry about them becoming a choking hazard.

It might be best to stick with smaller chunks if your dog prefers to inhale their food rather than chew it.

When your dog spits out raw vegetables it is best to steam them for a few minutes.

Some dogs prefer when there is less crunch when eating broccoli or cauliflower steamed as it does not destroy too many nutrients. 

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.