Plantain is almost everybody’s delight. This fruit offers tremendous nutritional and health benefits, whether cooked, baked, or fried. However, can dogs also eat plantain like humans?
Yes, dogs can safely eat plantains. Besides their high vitamin C content which is good for your pooch’s immunity, these tropical fruits are also rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to help keep your pups healthy. Plantains or cooking bananas are in no way toxic to your dog.
Nevertheless, you shouldn’t make plantains the bulk of your dog’s food because of their sugar content. Serving raw or fried plantains to your furry friends is not advised either. What about cooking bananas? Can your dogs eat them? Is it safe to give plantain herbs to your dogs?
No doubt, there are many things to know before placing this yummy fruit before your canines. But, first, let’s look at what happens if your pups eat plantains.
What Happens If Dogs Eat Plantain?
If served in moderation and your dog has no blood sugar issues, plantains will do them no harm. Its abundant fiber, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C content are essential nutrients for your pup’s healthy growth.
However, dogs’ digestive systems can be sensitive to fiber. As such, when overfed with this tropical fruit, your furry friends can come down with diarrhea.
Similarly, if you are trying to keep your dog’s weight in check, don’t feed them with plantains too often. That’s because plantains are high in carbs and sugars, the main culprits of unhealthy weight gain in dogs.
A diabetic dog feasting on ripe plantains can quickly shoot up its blood sugar level. Of course, this portends danger to their health, as it can lead to complications.
So, going by the above facts, it is clear that dogs can only eat plantains with caution. They need to meet some conditions before it can be safe. Even at that, moderation is essential with this tropical fruit. But are plantain herbs safe for dogs? This question is worth examining.
Are Plantain Herbs Safe For Dogs?
Plantain herbs are not entirely safe for dogs because of their high fiber content. While they are not toxic, your pup’s digestive systems will have a tough time breaking down all the fibers.
However, if plantain herbs have been accidentally consumed, your canine should be alright, so long as it is not an everyday consumption.
But let’s clarify something at this stage; plantain herbs and plantain tree leaves are not the same. The latter, biologically known as Plantago major, is oval-shaped, often regarded as an edible and therapeutic weed.
The leaves on a plantain tree, or Musa paradisiaca, are broad and closely attached to its trunk. Your canines will probably not eat these leaves accidentally because they grow some feet above the ground.
On the contrary, Plantago major leaves are easily accessible because they are lawn weeds that grow close to the ground. Both leaves, while not toxic, are quite rich in fiber and should not be used as regular dog food.
Can Dogs Eat Broadleaf Plantain?
No, dogs should not habitually eat broadleaf plantain. Broadleaf plantain, which is unrelated to the plantain fruit, contains high fiber, which can upset your pup’s digestive systems.
Broadleaf plantain is another name for Plantago major (plantain herbs), which grows like a weed on our lawns. For many years, this flowering plant has been used to treat infections, inflammation, bleeding, constipation, and coughs.
As many sources have opined, dogs would probably find this plant beneficial in combating ulcers, infections, and intestinal imbalances. However, the susceptibility of canines to fiber is a significant drawback.
For the actual plantain fruit, many dog parents ask whether they can feed boiled plantain to their pups. Can dogs eat boiled plantain? We’ll consider this in the next section.
Can I Give My Dog Boiled Plantain?
Yes, you can give your dog boiled plantain. In fact, that is the best and safest way to prepare this fruit for your furry friend. Boiling helps break down the starch and fiber into bits that your pups can consume. It also makes the plantain soft and easy to chew for your dog.
That said, the tips below will help you achieve the best output when preparing boiled plantain for your canine:
- If you like to peel your plantain, it’s better to steam it to preserve the nutrients.
- Unripe plantains are better than ripe ones if you’re concerned about your dog’s sugar level.
- You don’t need to add salt or seasonings to the plantain while preparing it.
- For easy digestion, you should mash the steamed or boiled plantain before serving it to your dog.
Can Dogs Have Bananas?
Yes, dogs can have bananas. Like plantains, bananas do not have any toxic component to dogs and can be an excellent way to give your four-legged friend a treat once in a while. Apart from their sweet taste, bananas have low calories and essential vitamins for your dogs.
Some bananas are as big and long as plantains, but this does not make them the same. This is because the starch content of plantains is higher than that of bananas.
Hence, when both are ripe, plantains still maintain their turgidity longer than bananas. Also, while bananas are mostly eaten raw, plantains have to be cooked or fried.
Since bananas by nature are soft when ripe, you probably want to know whether dogs can eat them when cooked. Can dogs eat cooked bananas? Find out below.
Can Dogs Eat Cooked Bananas?
Yes, dogs can eat cooked bananas. The reason for cooking this fruit is to make it softer and reduce the starch content, especially since they are still green.
If done correctly, your pups won’t miss out on any nutrients. However, if your bananas are ripe, it is pointless cooking them.
It would help if you only served your canines cooked bananas occasionally. That’s because the fruit is high in sugar and can quickly shoot up the blood sugar level of your pups.
Another thing to note is that banana peels are not toxic to dogs. So, if, by chance, your pooch consumed the banana unpeeled, you have no cause for fear.
Similarly, most banana variants grow flowers, which intermittently fall to the ground. If your dogs eat these flowers, will they be alright, or is it toxic? Find out below.
Is Banana Flower Good For Dogs?
Yes, banana flowers are safe for dogs. Neither the flower nor leaves of bananas are toxic to dogs. As such, you can safely cultivate this plant around your home if you are a dog parent.
However, the appropriateness of banana flowers for dogs depends on how often they feed on them. Overconsuming these flowers can result in digestive problems due to the flower’s high fiber content.
