Sweet potatoes are an excellent food for dogs. They’re easy to digest, they taste delicious, and they provide your pup with loads of nutrition. Sweet potatoes have anti-inflammatory properties and can help prevent allergies, diabetes and cancer in dogs.
In fact, sweet potato is one of the most nutritionally dense foods you can feed your dog — but it’s also one of those things that many dog owners don’t know about!
So why should you be feeding your canine friend this nutritious tuber? Let me fill you in on my top 5 reasons below:
Dogs love the taste of sweet potato.
You may be wondering why dogs love the taste of sweet potato. Most probably because it is rich in vitamins and fibre. Sweet potatoes also are a good source of beta-carotene.
Fibre helps keep your pet healthy and happy by providing them with the nutrients they need to maintain good digestive health—it also helps to increase the amount of time the food stays in their system which makes them feel like they are full without eating huge amounts! The high-fibre content of this vegetable also helps prevent constipation and other digestive issues that can occur when your dog eats too many empty calories from animal products like meat or dairy.
Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that can help prevent cancer in dogs (and humans too!). The second reason may seem obvious: sweet potatoes taste delicious!
Dogs love their sweet taste, which makes them an excellent choice for those who want to give their dog something tasty while also giving him or her the nutrients they need to stay healthy.
Sweet potatoes are easy to digest.
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of dietary fibre, which helps to promote digestive health and helps the digestive system function more effectively. They are also a good source of Vitamin C, B6 and A.
If you’re wondering how often you should feed your dog sweet potato treats or if they’re safe for him/her to eat on a regular basis (they are!), keep reading!
Sweet potato is rich in beta-carotene, which gets converted into Vitamin A.
As we mentioned earlier, Beta-carotene is a carotenoid found in sweet potatoes, as well as other vegetables and fruits. Beta-carotene has also been shown to help maintain healthy skin, hair and eyesight in dogs by supporting their immune systems through its antioxidant properties. Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A, which means that it can be converted into vitamin A in your dog’s body.
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for vision, growth, reproduction and maintenance of the skin and mucous membranes (like those in the nose) that protect your dog from infection. It also helps keep your dog’s immune system strong.
Sweet potato can aid nervous system health, eye and heart health, and brain function.
Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation and boost your dog’s natural ability to fight off disease. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin C, an essential nutrient that supports the immune system and plays a key role in the formation of collagen (an important structural protein). Vitamin C helps keep eyes healthy by supporting eye tissue growth, protecting against cataracts, combating oxidative stress on cells and improving night vision. It also helps lower blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease by reducing cholesterol levels. Vitamin C is also an important antioxidant that promotes healthy skin. It can also strengthen your dog’s immune system and fight infections.
Sweet potatoes are loaded with potassium too! Potassium is an important electrolyte that plays a role in nervous system health (including brain function), muscle contraction/relaxation (including the heartbeat), blood pressure regulation, and fluid balance—you name it!
The next time you’re tempted to feed your pooch a dry kibble or a bowl full of processed food, consider giving them dog food enriched with sweet potato instead. Dogs love the taste and can benefit from all of its nutritious benefits.