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Dogs & Mangoes: What’s The Deal?
There are few things more satisfying than a super yummy mango. Mangoes have a lovely tropical flavor that is easy to love. Mangoes are a tropical fruit and can be grown in tropical and sub-tropical climates. They are native to South Asia. It is now one of the most widely cultivated fruits in tropical areas. Islands such as Haiti and Trinidad are known for their delicious mangoes. Most mangoes are grown in India, China, and California.
Interestingly, mangoes are related to pistachios and cashews. They were first grown in India over 5,000 years ago and are now considered a gesture of friendship in India when given as a gift. The paisley pattern, which was first developed in India, is based upon the shape of a mango. Seeds began traveling around the world between 300 and 400 A.D. They quickly spread, and now they are one of the most popular fruits in the world.
In addition to being great tasting, mangoes also are nutrient dense. They have a lot of different vitamins, antioxidants, and flavonoids. With all these excellent nutritional benefits, they are a great fruit to have in your diet. So, the question is, as much as you love mango, can your dog eat it? YES!! Yes, they can. So, let’s look at the benefits of eating the mango for your furry friend, and ways to prepare it for them, and some precautions you need to take before feeding them mango.
Health Benefits for Dogs
First off, Mangoes are high in fiber, making them a great choice for your dog to help them have a softer stool and be more regular. In addition, they have Vitamins A, B6, C, E, and potassium. anti-oxidants, and beta-carotene. Mangoes have a high pectin level too. Mangoes have the flavonoids beta-carotene and alpha-carotene. Furthermore, they have tons of antioxidants. These antioxidants include methylgallat, gallic acid, astragalin, fisetin, quercetin, and isoquercitrin.
Mangoes are known for boosting the immune system, improving eyesight, lowering cholesterol, improving health in the digestive system, and decreasing inflammation. Who wouldn’t want their dog to have these wonderful health benefits? After all, we all want our best friend to be around as long as possible!
In humans, mangoes are known for helping control blood sugar in diabetics. While not testing has been officially done on dogs,
How to Prepare Mango for Dogs
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First of all, remove any leaves from the plant and dispose of them. The leaves can be poisonous to dogs, so make sure they are put somewhere your dog cannot get a hold of them. Then wash the fruit thoroughly. After the mango is washed, cut the skin off. Then cut the meat of the mango away from the seed.
Cut the meat into small pieces, and then put it in your dog’s bowl or use it as a yummy treat for good behavior or doing tricks! Keep it to a quarter cup or less of mango per day. Also, as you would do with any new food, introduce a little to your dog at a time to make sure they do not have any allergic reactions to it. You wouldn’t just change their dog food overnight, so don’t change their fruit intake overnight either!
Precautions
There are some precautions to keep in mind when preparing mangoes for your pup. As mentioned above, make sure they do not get a hold of the leaves. Secondly, although the most likely could digest and pass the skin, giving them the skin is not a good idea. It is tough and could be rough on their digestive system.
Also, keep the seed away from them. The seed could accidentally lodge on their throat and choke them, so it is not a good idea to give it to them to chew on. Also, like many fruits, Mango seeds contain small amounts of cyanide. While this is generally not harmful in such a small amount, why risk it?
Like everything, too much mango is not a good thing for dogs. Small amounts can be highly beneficial, but large amounts can cause an upset stomach or diarrhea since mangoes are high in fiber and sugar. So make sure to keep it under a quarter of a cup each day!
Finally, it is best to feed your pooch fresh mango versus dried mango. Dried mango has highly concentrated sugars that may not react well in your dogs’ stomach.
Now You Know!
Like you, dogs love the sweet tropical flavor of mango. It is a great addition to their diet and will give them a ton of health benefits, from better digestion to better eyesight. Adding mangoes to your dogs’ diet is a great way to increase the number of foods they eat, and to diversify their diet. Not only that, it will give you an excuse to eat more mango too, and who doesn’t want that!?
