 The Short Answer is: |
There is no need to worry. Besides being low-fat and healthy, canned peas will also give your dog a nutrient boost by providing some important vitamins and minerals. You should only feed your dog canned peas that do not contain any added salt to keep him safe. In order to unlock the powerful properties of peas, you may want to feed them frozen peas instead of canned peas. |
In this article you will know the answer to the query “Can Dogs Eat Canned Peas?“.
There is no need to worry.
Besides being low fat and healthy canned peas will also give your dog a nutrient boost by providing some important vitamins and minerals.
You should only feed your dog canned peas that do not contain any added salt to keep him safe.
In order to unlock the powerful properties of peas you may want to feed them frozen peas instead of canned peas.
There are several reasons for this which I will elaborate on later.
The lowly garden pea isnot exactly known for its nutritional value so how nutritious is it?
What is the nutrition in peas?
A simple chart showing the nutritional value of 100g of peas is shown below.
| Calories | 81 |
| Fat | .4g |
| Sodium | 5mg |
| Total carbs | 14g |
| Dietary fiber | 5.7g |
| Sugar | 5.7g |
| Protein | 5.4g |
Anyone who knows a little about nutrition should not be too surprised by this report.
It is well known that vegetables are low-fat and low-calorie foods.
Peas have a very high amount of dietary fiber: 5.7g is a very high value for a vegetable.
Sweet potatoes have about 4g of fiber per 100g which is one of my favorite and little-known high fiber vegetables.
Maybe we should rethink this…
However peas are an excellent source of protein.
It is no mean feat to reach 5.4g.
Could anyone add peas to their smoothie I wonder?
What vitamins do peas have in them?
As we examine the vitamins peas provide our dogs we can see that they contain high amounts of B and C vitamins in particular.
There are many different types of B vitamins and peas contain a lot of B1 B6 and B9.
The B vitamins are important for the health of our dogs because they are involved in lots of fundamental processes to keep them going.
Among them are supporting the immune system ensuring healthy cells and helping the brain to work properly.
Peas are also high in vitamin C as well as B vitamins.
Whats interesting about vitamin C as it relates to dogs is this.
Dogs on a healthy diet make their own vitamin C in their liver and do not need any extra.
Vitamin C supplements such as canned peas are therefore necessary for any dog?
It appears that the jury is still out.
Dogs that are frail or older might benefit from additional vitamin C or they might not.
Having discussed vitamins lets find out what minerals are contained within canned peas…
What minerals do peas have in them?
Among the minerals found in peas are copper manganese and phosphorus.
Red blood cells are formed and maintained by copper.
Minerals like manganese and phosphorus support healthy bones and teeth respectively.
I guess drinking milk would not help you build strong bones.
Its just a matter of getting your dog to eat peas!
I will now examine whether canned peas are as nutritious as fresh or frozen peas in the next section after discussing the nutrition of peas.
Do canned peas have as much nutrition as fresh or frozen peas?
Your best bet might be to buy frozen peas if you want to make sure that you are giving your dog or yourself the most nutrients.
You do not want to hear that in an article about canned peas do you?
The most nutrient-dense peas are those that are picked fresh but how many of us can guarantee that the peas we buy at the grocery store are actually fresh?
Some of the nutrients in vegetables are lost as they age.
During the first week if carrots are stored at room temperature 27% of their vitamin C will be lost.
A benefit of frozen food is that it is frozen within hours of being harvested which locks in all of the nutrients.
Among the disadvantages of canned food is that part of the process involves heating it.
Any harmful bacteria will be killed by this.
This also tends to reduce the amount of vitamin B and C since these vitamins are water-soluble.
Other vitamins however are unaffected by this method and remain intact.
You might want to consider buying frozen peas rather than canned peas as peas are high in vitamins B and C.
One large potential danger of canned peas
Since canned foods tend to be very cheap and preserved for such a long time they are extremely convenient.
However canned foods also have disadvantages.
The biggest drawback that most people know about is that canned peas contain a considerable amount of salt.
The addition of salt to the water is another method to help keep food as fresh as possible in addition to slightly heating a product to help preserve it.
Based on the pea nutrition chart from earlier you can expect about 5mg of sodium or salt per 100g serving of raw peas.
When salt is used to preserve peas in a can the sodium levels in 100g can be as high as 250mg- fifty times what is normally found.
Like humans dogs require salt in their diet.
When consumed at the right levels it helps to maintain blood pressure and maintain healthy levels of electrolytes.
However dogs do not have to be exposed to the massive levels found in many cans of peas.
Here are two ways to reduce the salt content in canned peas
How can anyone who likes the convenience of canned peas but wants to reduce their salt content reduce the levels of salt in them?
Peas in a can without salt added
The first option is to purchase canned peas that do not have salt added.
Cans of peas with no salt added are available from a variety of brands.
Also Walmarts own brand of canned peas with no added salt is the same price as their canned peas that contain a lot of salt.
However what if you cannot find salt-free or low-salt alternatives?
Removing salt from canned peas
A person who cannot locate a no-added salt can of peas or possesses a cupboard full of canned peas with high sodium levels has another option.
The next step is to rinse the peas with fresh water.
You might think that I am just suggesting this because I have run out of ideas and I am now stating or writing the obvious.
I have to tell you that you are wrong on this occasion.
As an idea I am suggesting it because I found some research showing that by rinsing and draining canned foods the salt levels will be reduced- although not significantly.
After draining and rinsing canned peas (in warm water) Virginia Tech researchers found that sodium levels were reduced by 11% from 261 mg per 100g to 230 mg per 100g after draining and rinsing.
Can dogs be fed peas straight from the can?
As I have already answered this question for cans containing a lot of salt I will answer it from the perspective of cans that do not contain added salt.
My advice would be to feed the dog peas straight from the can.
Because they have already been heated they will be partially cooked making them easier for your dog to digest.
How many canned peas can I feed my dog?
I would feed your dog a few teaspoons or tablespoons of canned peas until the can is empty.
When you have a small breed dog you should only feed them a few teaspoons of canned peas but when you have a large breed dog you should be feeding them a few tablespoons.
You may be wondering why the portions are so small.
We feed our dogs complete diets because they are most often on them.
The kibble or canned food we feed our dogs contains every nutrient they require.
We should treat our dogs to any other food they receive as a bonus or as a treat and only feed them small amounts.
Both healthy and unhealthy foods fall under this rule.
Should I feed my dog canned peas every day?
No matter how many canned peas you win at a church fete or school raffle I strongly advise you not to feed canned peas to your dogs every day?
Whats the point you might ask?
To broaden the diet of your dog make sure that you give it a variety of healthy foods.
Humans and dogs will never thrive on one “superfood.”
There is a need for a variety of foods to provide a variety of nutrients – much more than would be obtained from eating only one or two types of foods.
This brings me neatly to my next question
How can you feed your dog the best-canned vegetables?
This question cannot be answered correctly.
Providing you buy canned vegetables that do not contain added salt you will be fine.
Some vegetables should be avoided such as potatoes.
Simply choose vegetables that have bright or deep colors when it comes to canned vegetables!
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.
