Friday, June 1, 2012

Going ‘Greens’ With Your Dog’s Nutrition


Green is popular these days…what did we do before we ‘went green’ with so many things? The ‘green’ I want to discuss in this blog isn’t really about the environment, but it is about something that is typically wild in our environment….greens….the vegetable kind.  Mustard, collard, dandelion…those kind of greens.  What is so great about what most people consider to be weeds (especially the dandelion variety)?  Well, not only are they a power house of nutrients, containing Vitamins A, C, K and folate…they also contain ample amounts of calcium and iron….and since there are many of them that grow in the wild, it would not be uncommon for our canine’s relatives to seek them out and include them in their diets!
Dogs with anemia can certainly benefit from the natural iron contained in these, especially spinach and dandelion greens.  The calcium content is good for dogs with joint issues or our ageing canine friends.  Vitamin A is good for the eyes, Vitamin C for the immune system, and Vitamin K, being a fat soluble vitamin can even benefit dogs with cancer.
If you are going to purchase greens in the store, I would strongly suggest buying organic, because greens are not protected by a shell or peeling to keep pesticides from penetrating.  You can always pick them yourself from your own yard, as long as you are not having your yard chemically treated.  You can cut them up very fine and mix them in with your dog’s meat and kibble, but it would be better to at least cook them lightly, as this will start the carb breakdown process and make it easier for your dog to digest.
This is just another way to boost your dog’s diet, that’s fairly easy, low to no cost and a very healthy choice!

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