Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potatoes? Read to Find Out!

Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, and Yams - What’s the Difference?

Sweet potatoes are a root vegetable. They grow around the world. Sweet potatoes and yams look the same, but they are different. Most of the time you can find sweet potatoes in a grocery store, but not always.

What’s the difference between Sweet Potatoes and Yams?

Sweet potatoes are sweeter than yams. You would think that they're related, but they're not.

Sweet potatoes are in the same family as morning glories. Sweet potatoes are smaller with smoother, thinner skins. Yams are bigger, with bark-like flesh and drier meat that has more starch. Both have roots that grow under the ground.

White potatoes are not related to sweet potatoes. White potatoes come from the nightshade family, so they can be toxic if you eat them raw. Sweet potatoes are not toxic but can cause a tummy ache if your dog eats them uncooked.

Are Sweet Potatoes Good for Dogs to Eat? What are the Benefits?

Yes, sweet potatoes are good for dogs and they can eat them.

Sweet potatoes are healthy food for dogs. Sweet potatoes have lots of vitamins and minerals, which are important to the health of dogs and people who own them. Some benefits include:

Dietary Fiber

“Does sweet potatoes help dogs poop?”

Sweet potatoes are one of the best sources of fiber in fruits and vegetables. If your dog has diarrhea or constipation, sweet potatoes can help fix that.

Dogs with obesity can benefit from a diet that has more fiber in it. Fiber makes them feel full. This means they will not eat as much and lose weight. Studies have shown that this kind of diet might lower the chance of heart disease or cancer in dogs.

Antioxidants

Sweet potatoes have antioxidants. These scavenge for free radicals, which can come from things like stress, illness, or the environment. Antioxidants protect from various types of cancer.The purple sweet potato has more antioxidants (anthocyanins), and the orange sweet potatoe has more beta-carotene.

Vitamins

• Vitamin C: Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. It destroys free radicals that can damage cells. Vitamin C may also reduce cognitive aging problems in senior dogs.
• Vitamin A: Vitamin A is a vitamin that helps your body with cell function, reproduction, and the immune system. Beta-carotene becomes Vitamin A once it enters your body. Beta-carotene is what gives sweet potatoes and carrots their orange color- it also promotes healthy vision.
• Vitamin B6: It is important for dogs. It helps keep their blood healthy, they have a stronger immune system, and they can use it to generate sugar when they need it.

Minerals

• Calcium: It is a mineral necessary for many things. It supports strong bones, healthy teeth, and a strong heart. It also helps muscle growth and function, and keeps the nervous system working well.
• Potassium: It is an important mineral for your dog. It helps keep their kidneys working well, which makes it easier for them to digest food and stay healthy. It also supports a healthy heart and muscles.
• Iron: It is important for the production of red blood cells and hemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen throughout the body and produces energy. Iron is an essential nutrient for dogs.

How Much Sweet Potatoes Can Dogs Eat?

“How much sweet potato can I give my dog?”

It is important to use moderation with food. The amount should be based on a lot of factors, such as your dog's size, how active they are, and their overall health.

Carbohydrates are not the best food for your dog. They should also eat protein. If you want to give them new food, talk to your vet first. If they say it is okay, start with only a little of the new food so you can see how your dog reacts.

Can Dogs Be Allergic to Sweet Potatoes?

Yes, and no. Sweet potatoes are not harmful or allergic to your dog in general, but sometimes when they eat a new food, their body might react in certain ways. Watch for any itchiness or breathing difficulties. Give them some time to adjust before you give them more sweet potatoes.

Dogs with yeast or candida issues should be monitored for symptom flares. Sweet potatoes are a starchy carbohydrate and they can turn into sugar, which feeds yeast or candida.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Sweet Potatoes?

Yes!

White potatoes are not good for dogs if they eat them raw. They can be toxic. Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are not toxic since they are not related to white potatoes.

Cooked sweet potatoes are good for dogs. Raw sweet potatoes may make your dog's stomach hurt. For this reason, you should only feed them cooked sweet potatoes.

Can Dogs Eat Canned Sweet Potatoes?

No, they should be avoided.

Most canned sweet potatoes are not healthy for your dog because they have sweeteners and other ingredients. But organic, unsweetened canned sweet potatoes with only water as the added ingredient are okay. They can be used in recipes or eaten by themselves. It should be noted that some nutrients are lost during the canning process.

Can Dogs Eat Cooked Sweet Potatoes?

Cooked sweet potatoes are healthier for dogs because they contain important nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. They also contain calcium, potassium, magnesium or iron.

Vegetables with an orange color contain beta-carotene which is a precursor for Vitamin A and an antioxidant that helps boost immunity.

Boiled, steamed, or baked sweet potatoes are good snacks for your dog. But tell the vet first because too much vitamin A can cause bone problems and muscle weakness.

Can Dogs Eat Potato Skin?

Sweet potato skin is not dangerous to your dog, but in large hunks it could be a choking hazard. This is especially true for smaller dogs.

Also, sweet potatoes can cause problems with digestion because of their tough skin. It is best to peel the vegetables before feeding them to your dog and cut or slice them into small pieces so they can eat better and digest more easily.

Can Diabetic Dogs Eat Sweet Potatoes?

Sweet potatoes are high in starch and can cause your blood sugar to rise quickly. If you eat them, be careful when your blood sugar might go down later.

This is why dogs with diabetes should be given sweet potatoes as a treat only. Talk to your veterinarian about giving them to your dog if they have diabetes.

Besides adding healthy veggies to your dog’s diet, you should also consider putting him on vet recommended dog food that is tried and tested by the vets themselves.

Why should Dogs Eat Less Sweet Potatoes?

Sweet potatoes are starchy carbohydrates that convert into sugar in your dog’s body. This means you must keep the amount to a certain limit, and it is especially important if you have a diabetic dog.

Instead of giving any form of potatoes, it is better to give green veggies to your dog.

Excessive carbohydrates negatively affect the immune system by targeting good bacteria and making the bad bacteria and yeast go wild. Here are some issues that could be the result of this imbalance;

• Cancer
• Liver, kidney, heart, or organ disease
• Chronic bowel disease
• Obesity
• Diabetes

Besides, the glycemic index of foods like sweet potatoes causes a spike in the dogs’ blood sugar level and cause thyroid issues, cancer, diabetes, and insulin resistance.

How to Safely Feed Sweet Potatoes to Dogs?

Dogs like sweet potatoes. They are good when they are boiled or baked and then mashed, sliced, or cubed up. Sweet potatoes can also be mixed in with your dog's regular meal (like kibble) for a healthy and tasty addition.

• Sweet Potato Fried and Chips: Sweet potato fries and chips made for humans can have unhealthy things in them, like salts or sugars. These are bad for your dog. If you want to share them with your pet, make them fresh instead of using processed ones. Also, avoid adding any seasonings.
• Dehydrated Sweet Potatoes: Dogs love dehydrated sweet potatoes. They are good for them because they are healthy. You can make them in the oven or a dehydrator.
• They come out with a slight chewiness, so it satisfies their chewing needs. DIY is an option for those who want to make them themselves.
• Mixing With Other Fruits: Mixing sweet potatoes with other fruits and veggies is a good way to add more nutrition to your dog's diet. Mix them with strawberries, blueberries, broccoli, bananas, or put them in yogurt smoothies.

Preparing Delicious Sweet Potato Treats for Dogs

Many recipes for dog food call for sweet potatoes. For example, this one is called Chicken and Vegetables. Another one says that you need to cook the sweet potatoes first.

Sweet potatoes are also good in a Kong toy that is frozen so that it takes longer for your pup to finish it!

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250.
2. Round-shaped sweet potatoes will make a crispy chip. Slice the potato in half then cut it in slices. The thinner the slice, the crunchier your chip will be. 
3. Place the mixture on a sheet of aluminum foil. 
4. Bake for two hours. Turn them over once.
5. Turn off the oven. Place the sheet on a cooling rack. Put chips in airtight container. 

So, you can safely feed your dog sweet potato chews and true yam in small amounts. They offer many health benefits to your dog's body and make a healthy treat for them.

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