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Can dogs eat sweet potato skin? Do you have a furry friend who begs you for every item available in your kitchen, the one who loves to sneak peek into your plate every time, or who does not even spare the leftover sweet potato skin.
Are you worried about your dog who has consumed sweet potato skin, and now you are searching out can dogs eat sweet potato skin? Is sweet potato skin safe for dogs? Then you are in the right place to get your answers.
Yes, dogs can eat sweet potato skin. As humans like the crunch of baked sweet potato with skin, these are also safe for a dog to consume. Let’s learn about the health benefits caused by sweet potato skin and what makes them hazardous.
The nutritional profile of sweet potato skin
Sweet potato skin is as good as inside pulp and contains a significant source of macronutrients, i.e., starch and protein. Other than these also contains Vitamin A, C, E, provitamin A (carotenoids), potassium, manganese, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and most importantly, dietary fibers.
Sweet potatoes are rich in bioactive plant compounds concentrated primarily on the skin. Flavonoids, tannins, anthocyanins, and phenolic acids are high in concentration in sweet potatoes. The peels of sweet potato have the highest antioxidant activity compared to tuber and leaves.
Sweet potato varieties with cream, yellow, orange, and purple tubers are rich in polyphenols, a type of antioxidant. Catechin and lutein are antioxidants; the former makes one-third of polyphenols, and the latter boosts eye health.
Anthocyanins are compounds with strong antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-aging, and anti-hypertensive properties. Phenolic compounds in sweet potato peel have anti-allergenic, anti-microbial, vasodilatory, and cardioprotective effects.
Is sweet potato skin safe for dogs?
Yes, sweet potato skin is safe for dogs unless it does not contain dirt or mold growth and is consumed moderately. Remove the pesticides, dirt, and mold growth by proper washing before consuming.
Moreover, the sweet potato vine is poisonous to dogs, can result in severe reactions, and leads to hallucinations and seizures.
Did you Know?
We have written many articles about what dogs can eat. But did you know about this one? Can Dogs Eat Turkey Bones?
Can dogs eat raw or cooked sweet potato skin?
Sweet potato skin can be a delicious, crunchy treat for dogs. But the raw sweet potato skin is a real danger for your dog.
Dogs can’t eat raw sweet potato skin because of the oxalates, trypsin inhibitors, and solanine presence. If they are consumed, your puppy can get hurt and may suffer some severe health issues similar to food poisoning.
Another reason dogs should not be fed raw sweet potato skin is it is difficult to chew and can cause choking or obstruction in the digestive tract. High fiber content makes it difficult to digest for canine as their stomach is not designed to digest fibers.
Also, unwashed raw sweet potato skin can also have pesticide residues. Moreover, overfeeding sweet potatoes with skin can cause a high glycemic index in your dog, resulting in obesity, diabetes, and urethral stones due to high oxalates.
However, a tiny portion of cooked sweet potato skin can be fine unless it does not have salt, seasonings, and oil. Cooking can remove trypsin inhibitors.
Health benefits caused by sweet potato skin
Removing the sweet potato peel can dump the nutrients into waste as its skin is rich in fibers, antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and E, proteins, and many essential micronutrients.
Dietary fibers can improve digestion and help in balancing a healthy weight. Vitamin A, C, and help maintain the muscles and healthy skin, boost the immune system, and improve the cell’s longevity. Beta-carotenoids improve healthy vision.
Proteins present in sweet potato skin are also required to build muscles and bones. Nutrients like calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium in sweet potato are needed for various vital actions like muscle contraction, maintaining bone health, a healthy heart, and treating anemia.
Sweet potato peels are abundant in antioxidant compounds and can be used to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and for better liver functioning.
Conclusion – Can dogs eat sweet potato skin?
To sum up the discussion, can dogs eat sweet potato skin? The clear answer is yes; dogs can eat sweet potato skin as an occasional treat due to its enrichment with various macro and micro nutrients essential for your puppy’s health.
Feeding a moderate amount of sweet potato skin can benefit your dog’s heart, kidney, and bone and improves gut health.
