Can Dogs Eat Broccoli Stems?

The Short Answer is:

It’s a great way to use up vegetable scraps and it’s healthy too. Keeping your dog healthy and avoiding filling landfills with perfectly good vegetation will benefit both of you. In order to get your dog to eat them, you may need to chop them up small or use a food processor. In this way, the dog will not eat the food around the broccoli and leave it in the bowl.

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

Now I will discuss one of my favorite topics- reducing waste!

I have always found it weird that when it comes to the vegetables we eat large portions of them (such as peelings) end up in our compost bins instead of on our plates.

A great example is broccoli stems- how much of those stems do we trim before we steam the broccoli florets?

We could use our dogs instead of the trash or compost bin.

Is it okay to feed broccoli stalks to our dogs if they are too “woody” to chew? If so what nutritional value will they provide?

Let me begin by comparing the two.

Broccoli stalks versus florets which is more nutritious? 

There is a slight nutritional advantage to florets over stems though the ratio is close.

It is surprising that the stalks do not contain fiber.

Broccoli stems and florets are both high in potassium iron and calcium.

Broccoli stems are rich in certain vitamins and minerals How will this help my dog? 

A dogs health depends on a variety of nutrients. Rather than wasting the stems you should feed them to your dog.

Dogs need calcium to build and maintain strong bones.

Iron is an essential component of red blood cells and potassium plays a key role in the health of your dog.

In addition the stems contain trace amounts of vitamin D which will benefit your dogs overall need for it.

Like most carnivores dogs get a small amount of vitamin D from the sun.

Can my dog eat the stems raw?

You can feed your dog raw stems if he is willing to eat them.

Dogs may have to be ground up first before they can be fed raw stems. Our dog will take a stem from our garden and put it in his mouth.

Carrots are also not his favorite.

Some dogs can choke on raw stems that havenot been ground up. Also keep in mind the proportion of serving sizes.

The maximum amount of food a dog can consume in plant form is thirty percent. 

In addition to preparing broccoli stems for your dog there are a couple of other ways to prepare it. Food processors are a good option.

The fermented version can be made after you grind it up. Additionally your gut health will be improved.

Can dogs eat broccoli leaves?

Once again the question is will the dog eat them since they are capable of doing so.

Leaves also have high fiber content like florets.

If desired you can employ both preparation methods.

Can dogs eat cauliflower stems?

There is no recommendation for dogs to eat raw cauliflower whether its stems or florets.

Cauliflower stems are healthy as well as nutritious when they are cooked.

These two plants have different nutritional compositions despite being related. 

Cauliflower contains folate a B vitamin.

Pregnant female dogs benefit from this because they are able to form DNA.

Vitamins C and K are also present in the steamed stems.

It is good for the immune system and good for bone formation.

Cauliflower has a different texture and this might make it easier for your dog to eat it. The dog food can be mixed with regular food if he or she is not interested.

Why are asparagus stems so difficult for dogs to eat? 

Dogs and humans may have difficulty eating raw asparagus.

The stems are extremely woody unless they are picked very early in the season and very fresh. Choking can occur if they are swallowed as chewing is difficult.

Particularly for small dogs this is true.

There is a similar problem with raw asparagus to that of raw cauliflower though for a different reason.

Asparagus raw may cause a dog to have gas vomiting and diarrhea.

As a result any asparagus intended for dogs should be lightly steamed or boiled.

Regardless of whether your pooch eats the asparagus or not there is a third possibility.

This problem also affects humans. The effect can be very unpleasant as it can change the way urine smells.

Why should we feed our dogs the skins and peels from some fruits and vegetables?

The skin/peel of the plants we eat often has the lion’s share of the nutrients. Unless we have to peel them (think citrus fruit) it’s often best for us to eat the skins or peels.

You can feed some of them to your pets when you cannot consume them yourself. Banana peels are an example of this. We would not be able to eat them but once ground up they can be added to fermenting fruits and vegetables. Humans and dogs can both consume them and benefit from them. 

What are some skins that we shouldn’t feed our dogs?

Dogs should not eat some peels. A slip of potato peel from time to time would not harm your dog but eating any type of potato consistently can. The potatoes contain the mineral oxalates which cause crystals to form. Dogs can be poisoned by solanine which is found in the plants themselves.

Avocados and avocado peels are also harmful to your dog. Despite their great taste and nutritional value the fruit is toxic to dogs. The same goes for grapes. According to the AKC some popular fruits and vegetables are safe.

Broccoli is rich in vitamin C what other vegetables are rich in vitamin C?

Besides being a great source of vitamin C cherries also contain pits which contain cyanide. Since the pits contain cyanide it is best to put them before giving them to your dog. Vitamin-rich orange peels can also be given to your dog.

Broccoli and other vegetables in the same family are high in vitamin C. For instance cauliflower Brussel sprouts bok choy and cabbage are all high in vitamin C. Kale and collard greens are also high in the vitamin but need to be consumed in moderation.

Fermented broccoli stems

Now for something a little out of the ordinary.

Take your dogs vegetable use a step further than just giving him raw or lightly steamed broccoli or stems cut into little chunks rather than as a whole.

With it you can make vegetable kimchi. 

Korea is home to the fermented food known as Kimchi The base is cabbage and salt. A dogs digestion is aided by fermented foods since they contain healthy bacteria.

The stalks (and stems) of broccoli (and cauliflower) would also be good additions to this recipe. 

So can dogs eat broccoli stems?

Its a great way to use up vegetable scraps and its healthy too. Keeping your dog healthy and avoiding filling landfills with perfectly good vegetation will benefit both of you. 

In order to get your dog to eat them you may need to chop them up small or use a food processor. In this way the dog will not eat the food around the broccoli and leave it in the bowl.

Don’t stop at broccoli stems

In small amounts dogs can eat many human foods. In addition to boosting the dogs health they will maintain the dogs regularity if thats a problem. We also eat certain foods that dogs cannot.

It is important to remember that dogs like humans can have food allergies and intolerances. There may be some dogs that cannot handle certain components of broccoli or other foods especially if they are fresh from the garden. When I served coleslaw made from fresh cabbage to my family it became a favorite family story. I enjoyed it but my family thought it was poisonous.

As much as thirty percent of a dogs diet can consist of plant-based foods. In addition to not being obligate carnivores dogs are not entirely omnivorous either. The canine is a carnivore. They would become ill if they were fed a vegan diet.

It may be easier to slip vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower into a dogs diet when they are cooked but the process also removes plenty of nutrients. Your pet is still healthy but the benefits are diminished. The fermented forms however can make the animals’ lives easier and more nutrient-dense.

The majority of dogs have their own personalities. Dogs have opinions about food as well as many other things. To get your dog to eat vegetables and fruits you may need to try different strategies. Although adding butter or bacon fat might work for your pet that isnot a good idea. Butter and bacon fat is as bad for pets as they are for us.

Having a large pet is important. For our younger daughters dogs our dog consumes two or three days’ worth of food in one sitting. The Chihuahuas eat Osos food which is about equivalent to a big mac.

Your veterinarian should be consulted before introducing any new food. A veterinarian knows your dogs needs and will guide you in making the right choice. Furthermore the veterinarian can advise you on what amount to feed and what ratio to use. Different dogs require different amounts of meat. Some dogs have special needs that would not tolerate vegetables.

Now I will discuss one of my favorite topics- reducing waste!

I have always found it weird that when it comes to the vegetables we eat large portions of them (such as peelings) end up in our compost bins instead of on our plates.

A great example is broccoli stems- how much of those stems do we trim before we steam the broccoli florets?

We could use our dogs instead of the trash or compost bin.

Is it okay to feed broccoli stalks to our dogs if they are too “woody” to chew? If so what nutritional value will they provide?

Let me begin by comparing the two.

Broccoli stalks versus florets which is more nutritious?

There is a slight nutritional advantage to florets over stems though the ratio is close.

It is surprising that the stalks do not contain fiber.

Broccoli stems and florets are both high in potassium iron and calcium.

Broccoli stems are rich in certain vitamins and minerals. How will this help my dog?

A dogs health depends on a variety of nutrients. Rather than wasting the stems you should feed them to your dog.

Dogs need calcium to build and maintain strong bones.

Iron is an essential component of red blood cells and potassium plays a key role in the health of your dog.

In addition the stems contain trace amounts of vitamin D which will benefit your dogs overall need for it.

Like most carnivores dogs get a small amount of vitamin D from the sun.

Can my dog eat the stems raw? 

You can feed your dog raw stems if he is willing to eat them.

Dogs may have to be ground up first before they can be fed raw stems. Our dog will take a stem from our garden and put it in his mouth.

Carrots are also not his favorite.

Some dogs can choke on raw stems that havenot been ground up. Also keep in mind the proportion of serving sizes.

The maximum amount of food a dog can consume in plant form is thirty percent. 

In addition to preparing broccoli stems for your dog there are a couple of other ways to prepare it. Food processors are a good option.

The fermented version can be made after you grind it up. Additionally your gut health will be improved.

Can dogs eat broccoli leaves? 

Once again the question is will the dog eat them since they are capable of doing so.

Leaves also have high fiber content like florets.

If desired you can employ both preparation methods.

Can dogs eat cauliflower stems? 

There is no recommendation for dogs to eat raw cauliflower whether its stems or florets.

Cauliflower stems are healthy as well as nutritious when they are cooked.

These two plants have different nutritional compositions despite being related. 

Cauliflower contains folate a B vitamin.

Pregnant female dogs benefit from this because they are able to form DNA.

Vitamins C and K are also present in the steamed stems.

It is good for the immune system and good for bone formation.

Cauliflower has a different texture and this might make it easier for your dog to eat it. The dog food can be mixed with regular food if he or she is not interested.

Why are asparagus stems so difficult for dogs to eat? 

Dogs and humans may have difficulty eating raw asparagus.

The stems are extremely woody unless they are picked very early in the season and very fresh. Choking can occur if they are swallowed as chewing is difficult.

Particularly for small dogs this is true.

There is a similar problem with raw asparagus to that of raw cauliflower though for a different reason.

Asparagus raw may cause a dog to have gas vomiting and diarrhea.

As a result any asparagus intended for dogs should be lightly steamed or boiled.

Regardless of whether your pooch eats the asparagus or not there is a third possibility.

This problem also affects humans. The effect can be very unpleasant as it can change the way urine smells.

Why should we feed our dogs the skins and peels from some fruits and vegetables?

The skin/peel of the plants we eat often has the lion’s share of the nutrients. Unless we have to peel them (think citrus fruit) it’s often best for us to eat the skins or peels.

You can feed some of them to your pets when you cannot consume them yourself. Banana peels are an example of this. We would not be able to eat them but once ground up they can be added to fermenting fruits and vegetables. Humans and dogs can both consume them and benefit from them. 

What are some skins that we shouldn’t feed our dogs?

Dogs should not eat some peels. A slip of potato peel from time to time would not harm your dog but eating any type of potato consistently can. The potatoes contain the mineral oxalates which cause crystals to form. Dogs can be poisoned by solanine which is found in the plants themselves.

Avocados and avocado peels are also harmful to your dog. Despite their great taste and nutritional value the fruit is toxic to dogs. The same goes for grapes. According to the AKC some popular fruits and vegetables are safe.

Broccoli is rich in vitamin C what other vegetables are rich in vitamin C?

Besides being a great source of vitamin C cherries also contain pits which contain cyanide. Since the pits contain cyanide it is best to put them before giving them to your dog. Vitamin-rich orange peels can also be given to your dog.

Broccoli and other vegetables in the same family are high in vitamin C. For instance cauliflower Brussel sprouts bok choy and cabbage are all high in vitamin C. Kale and collard greens are also high in the vitamin but need to be consumed in moderation.

Fermented broccoli stems

Now for something a little out of the ordinary.

Take your dogs vegetable use a step further than just giving him raw or lightly steamed broccoli or stems cut into little chunks rather than as a whole.

With it you can make vegetable kimchi. 

Korea is home to the fermented food known as Kimchi The base is cabbage and salt. A dogs digestion is aided by fermented foods since they contain healthy bacteria.

The stalks (and stems) of broccoli (and cauliflower) would also be good additions to this recipe. 

So can dogs eat broccoli stems? 

Its a great way to use up vegetable scraps and its healthy too. Keeping your dog healthy and avoiding filling landfills with perfectly good vegetation will benefit both of you. 

In order to get your dog to eat them you may need to chop them up small or use a food processor. In this way the dog will not eat the food around the broccoli and leave it in the bowl.

Don’t stop at broccoli stems

In small amounts dogs can eat many human foods. In addition to boosting the dogs health they will maintain the dogs regularity if thats a problem. We also eat certain foods that dogs cannot.

It is important to remember that dogs like humans can have food allergies and intolerances.

There may be some dogs that cannot handle certain components of broccoli or other foods especially if they are fresh from the garden.

When I served coleslaw made from fresh cabbage to my family it became a favorite family story. I enjoyed it but my family thought it was poisonous.

As much as thirty percent of a dogs diet can consist of plant-based foods. In addition to not being obligate carnivores dogs are not entirely omnivorous either.

The canine is a carnivore. They would become ill if they were fed a vegan diet.

It may be easier to slip vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower into a dogs diet when they are cooked but the process also removes many nutrients.

Your pet is still healthy but the benefits are diminished. The fermented forms however can make the animals’ lives easier and more nutrient-dense.

The majority of dogs have their own personalities. Dogs have opinions about food as well as many other things.

To get your dog to eat vegetables and fruits you may need to try different strategies. Although adding butter or bacon fat might work for your pet that isnot a good idea.

Butter and bacon fat is as bad for pets as they are for us.

Having a large pet is important. For our younger daughters dogs our dog consumes two or three days’ worth of food in one sitting. The Chihuahuas eat Osos food which is about equivalent to a big mac.

Your veterinarian should be consulted before introducing any new food. A veterinarian knows your dogs needs and will guide you in making the right choice.

Furthermore the veterinarian can advise you on what amount to feed and what ratio to use. Different dogs require different amounts of meat. Some dogs have special needs that would not tolerate vegetables.

Now I will discuss one of my favorite topics- reducing waste!

I have always found it weird that when it comes to the vegetables we eat large portions of them (such as peelings) end up in our compost bins instead of on our plates.

A great example is broccoli stems- how much of those stems do we trim before we steam the broccoli florets?

We could use our dogs instead of the trash or compost bin.

Is it okay to feed broccoli stalks to our dogs if they are too “woody” to chew? If so what nutritional value will they provide?

Let me begin by comparing the two.

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.