 The Short Answer is: |
Sadly, no matter how adorable those puppy dog eyes may seem, sharing strawberry jam with our best friends is not recommended. All the ingredients aren’t toxic, but some, like sugars, are found in very high quantities that can be harmful to your dog’s health. |
In this article you will know the answer to the query “Can Dogs Eat Strawberry Jam?“.
Do you remember the last time you ate something that was so good that you had to share it? Such a delicious meal can not be kept to yourself.
What better companion to share a delicious meal with than your best friend?
If you’re anything like me you have a best friend who has a tail loves belly rubs and has puppy dog eyes that can melt your heart.
There are many foods that are safe to share with our best friends but there are others that are extremely unsafe.
Before sharing anything that could cause sickness or worse its important to make sure we research it. Check out something we might think is safe for dogs to eat.
Is it safe for dogs to eat strawberry jam?
We must first determine what strawberry jam is in order to answer that question. Jellies and preserves are sometimes confused with jam.
In order to make jelly you cook smashed fruit with sugar and pectin until it becomes clear and smooth.
The seeds are usually removed from jelly made from berries. Preservatives on the other hand take chopped fruit that has been cooked with sugar but no pectin until it is very smooth.
Jams are typically between jelly and preserves. To make jam you would crush the fruit and cook it with sugar and pectin but not as long as you would to make jelly.
Jams are like purees but are not smooth and gelatinous like jellies. The seeds usually remain inside jams made from berries.
Sadly no matter how adorable those puppy dog eyes may seem sharing strawberry jam with our best friends is not recommended.
All the ingredients are not toxic but some like sugars are found in very high quantities that can be harmful to your dogs health.
Additionally many strawberry jams available at the grocery store contain additives that are not clearly labeled.
If these additives are investigated further they may contain things that are actually harmful or even toxic to our dogs even in tiny amounts.
What are the ingredients in a strawberry jam?
Heres a closer look at each of the ingredients in strawberry jam and how they might affect your dogs health.
It took me a few minutes to look through several different strawberry jam brands available at your local grocery store.
It is possible that some jams may not have all of these ingredients and that others may have different but similar ingredients. Strawberry jam is commonly made with the following ingredients:
- Strawberries
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Sugar
- Pectin
- Fruit
Strawberries
Strawberries are a great fruit to share with our dogs. Due to the natural sugars found in snacks it is best to keep the portion sizes shared to a minimum.
Besides the high water content fiber Vitamin C and teeth whitening enzyme strawberries are also good for our dogs.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
It is highly unlikely that anyone would eat a spoonful of high fructose corn syrup much less share it with their dog.
As a result high fructose corn syrup is added to many of the foods we buy in grocery stores.
High fructose corn syrup may not be toxic to dogs but it contains very high levels of sugar in small amounts.
Over the long term these high levels of sugar can cause obesity diabetes and other health problems in dogs.
Sugar
Strawberry jam whether it is homemade or purchased contains sugar.
Dogs are able to process most naturally occurring sugars like those found in strawberries.
However they have trouble digesting large amounts of concentrated sugar such as that added to jams.
Our friends can suffer from diabetes obesity and other health issues if they eat a lot of sugar over time.
Pectin
A jams unique texture is due to the presence of pectin which binds other ingredients together.
When dissolved in a liquid (or another fluid) before being given to your dog pectin may be safe in small doses.
Nevertheless being safe does not always mean its a good idea because it can upset your stomach. You need to be careful with your furry buddy if your home contains pectin.
A dry or powdered form of pectin swells when it is introduced to a liquid. A dog that ingests powdered pectin may suffer breathing difficulties and become blocked causing fluid to accumulate in the chest and lungs.
Fruit
You may have noticed that fruit is marked with an asterisk.
There were several brands listing “fruit” or “fruit additives” or even the dreaded “fruit acids.”
Although many of these might be harmless it is very important to know exactly what fruits your dog is ingesting.
They do this because many fruits are dangerous for them to eat. Citrus is a good example as dogs are not fond of its taste.
However I found that an ingredient labeled ‘fruit’ in some of the strawberry jams I checked was ‘citric acid’ which came from citrus fruit.
Homemade strawberry treats
You may now wonder what strawberry treats you can give your dog. Would homemade peanut butter and strawberry treats be a good idea? You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:
- Two cups of whole wheat flour
- ½ Cup rolled oats
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tsp Cinnamon
- 1 cup Strawberries
- ½ Cup Peanut Butter
- ½ Cup Water
You will need to preheat your oven to 320 degrees Fahrenheit before you begin.
Put a cup of strawberries in a blender with 14 cups of water and blend until they are smooth. While you combine the flour oats and cinnamon in a large bowl set the strawberries aside.
Make the peanut butter soft enough to work with by placing it in a microwave-safe bowl and microwaving it for 30 seconds.
Lastly fold the softened peanut butter and egg into the dry ingredients before adding the strawberries. You need to add the rest of the 14% water as needed in order to make a workable dough.
When you roll out the dough onto parchment paper this is where it gets fun. Then you can use a cookie cutter or knife to make some fun and unique-shaped cookies.
Each cookie should be poked with a fork to let the air escape. Finally you’re good will in batches for over fifteen minutes.
If you want to share these new treats with your bestie make sure they are completely cooled.
If you have extra cookies store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
Let me tell you I completely understand how difficult it can be for our pups to watch us eat with sad eyes.
Because of our love for them we are cautious about what we share with them. Your pet will probably not suffer any immediate harm by eating strawberry jam.
Nonetheless the long-term health risks and the possibility of making people sick just are not worth it.
When you can share fresh strawberries with them or make a delicious treat for them like the one listed above it is especially rewarding.
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.
