Feed Your Dog the Whole Veggie

Don’t discard the best parts

After being on this planet for as long as we have, you’d think we’d know the most nutritious parts of our traditional fruits and vegetables, wouldn’t you? No so, it seems. Many parts of the fruits and vegetables that we humans throw away, are actually more nutrient-dense than the portions we typically consume.

Here’s a list of the most potent, generally overlooked parts of some of our favourite fruit and vegetables, all of which are both dog-safe and beneficial for your best friend:

Beetroot greens
Ancient civilisations like the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans grew beetroot purely for the leaves and stems. The greens. Beetroot greens outperform the fleshy taproot we humans beings generally tend to eat by packing in significantly more vitamin K, calcium, iron and antioxidant carotenoids like lutein which helps protect long-term canine vision.

Turnip greens
Turnip greens are significantly more nutrient-dense than the bulbous turnip taproot that traditionally graces our winter stews. While the taproot is a healthy, low-calorie source of fibre and vitamin C for dogs, the leafy greens contain much higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants per calorie than the part of the plant we choose to eat.

Celery greens
Celery greens (the leaves), are the most nutrient-dense part of this crisp, fibrous, watery vegetable. While most home kitchens routinely discard them, celery leaves contain the plant’s highest concentrations of calcium, potassium, vitamin C and powerful antioxidants per unit of weight.

Carrot tops
Carrot tops are more nutrient-dense than the orange root itself, packing in significantly more vitamin C (roughly six times more), massive amounts of bone-strengthening vitamin K and higher levels of minerals like potassium, calcium and iron.

Radish greens
Yet another traditional throw-away that is more nutritious than the part of the vegetable we eat, radish greens are significantly more nutritious than the radish roots themselves. The leafy tops of radishes pack in a much higher concentration of vitamins, minerals, fibre and powerful antioxidants.

Broccoli stems
Broccoli stems are another frequently neglected source of nutrients. Broccoli stems don’t just serve as the essential structural and life-support system for the plant. They contain higher concentrations of fibre and vitamin C than the florets we human beings prize so highly.

Cabbage stems
Just like broccoli stems, cabbage stems function primarily to transport water and provide physical structure to this leafy green vegetable. They might not be as nutrient-rich as the leaves, but they are still edible to dogs and are higher in dietary fibre and water than the leaves we human beings cherish.

Watermelon rind
Watermelon rind is another oft neglected food source. You can make watermelon rind suitable for feeding your dog by peeling off the tough green skin, cutting up the white rind and cooking it to transform its firm, crunchy texture.

While it is completely safe to eat raw (similar to a less sweet cucumber), the white rind softens beautifully when prepared using standard culinary methods. And watermelon rind is loaded with citrulline, an amino acid that converts to L-arginine to boost circulation and improve cardiovascular health in dogs.

Kiwi skin
Don’t believe what you might have read about kiwi skin being a choking hazard for dogs. Cut it up small for the smaller dog and you won’t have a problem.

Kiwi skin doubles the fibre intake of the fruit and preserves the majority of its vitamin E and folate contents into the bargain.

Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds contain massive amounts of magnesium, zinc and healthy fats when compared to the stringy flesh of the fruit.

To make raw pumpkin seeds edible for your dog, you just need to separate them from the pulp, dry them completely, coat them in a little oil and roast them in the oven. Once cooled, grind them in the likes of a coffee grinder and add a daily sprinkle to your dog’s food.

Pineapple cores
Pineapple cores contain the highest concentration of bromelain, an enzyme that fights inflammation and aids digestion. Making pineapple cores edible for dogs does require a little work, but you might find the reward is worth the effort.

Cut the core into very small pieces. Place the pieces into a high-powered blender or food processor along with water, kefir or plain Greek yogurt. Blitz it until it is a completely smooth liquid or puree with absolutely no stringy fibres or gritty chunks left. Pour this liquid into silicone ice cube trays and freeze them to make healthy frozen treats for your pup.

A word about vegetable trimmings

While it may be true that today’s vegetables are not as nutritious as once they were, they still offer our dogs a lot of goodness, and most of that goodness is concentrated towards the outside of the vegetable.

Nutrients are concentrated near the surface and skin of vegetables primarily because the outer layer acts as the plant’s frontline defence system.

From an evolutionary standpoint, the surface cells are highly specialised to handle environmental stress, leading to a unique distribution of vitamins, fibre and phytochemicals designed to protect against UV light, pests and environmental stress. So why peel a vegetable and consign so much of its goodness to the compost bin when it could be fuelling your dog’s body instead?

Because I grow much of my own produce in my own organic garden, I don’t even bother washing my home-grown veggies. That said, I believe it’s still a good idea to wash supermarket vegetables to remove harmful bacteria, dirt, chemical pesticides and physical contaminants before eating them. Fresh produce passes through multiple hands, transport vehicles and store shelves, making it a primary vehicle for food-borne illnesses.

Thereafter, you have a choice. Peel your dog’s potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips and swede and feed the worms in your compost bin, or boil them up and feed them as a highly nutritious food source for your dog’s gut bacteria.

As a keen gardener, I naturally understand the benefits of composting, but as a Dog Chef, I better understand the benefits of feeding my dogs’ gut microbiomes!