Can Dogs Eat Kale or Other Leafy Vegetables? · The Wildest

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Can My Dog Eat This?

Can Dogs Eat Kale?

Yep — this superfood is good for your dog in small amounts.

by Claudia Kawczynska
July 28, 2022
A dog sniffing leafy greens in a food dish.
Photo: Pixel-Shot / Adobe Stock / TheWritersHQ
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Kale has long been touted as a superfood perfect to toss into your smoothie and sneak in an extra boost in nutrition (without the incredibly rough texture). Turns out this star on the food pyramid is also a nutritional boon to your dog’s health.

In general, leafy green vegetables pack a ton of vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and flavonoids. Many fall into the cruciferous family, which includes kale, spinach, chard, mustard greens, beet greens, collards, dandelion greens, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, and brussels sprouts. If youre looking to add more leafy greens to your dogs diet, kale is a good place to start — as long as you feed it to your pup in moderation. Heres how.

The Health Benefits of Kale for Dogs

A rich source of vitamins A, B6, C, and E, as well as folate and manganese, kale also provides thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and several minerals such as iron, potassium, and phosphorus. Additionally, kale is a great source of two main antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, which can potentially protect your pup from cancer.

Adding small amounts of kale to your dog’s diet can support vision and colon health and liver detoxification; it can also help stave off infections. And, if your dog needs to drop a few pounds, lightly cooked kale can be added to their meal as a topper, increasing their satisfaction without adding too many calories.

Types Of Kale

There are three main types of kale. The sweetest, Lacinato (also called dinosaur or Tuscan kale) is dark green with long, flat leaves, and its the easiest to use. Then there’s curly kale, which — you guessed it — has very curly, green leaves that are somewhat bitter. Finally, the mildest of the three types is a Russian variety with lobed leaves and magenta stems.

How to Add Kale to Your Dog’s Diet

Kale is a great addition to your dog's diet, as long as you feed it to them in small amounts — too much can cause gastric issues, kidney or bladder stones, and/or thyroid disfunction, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). Heres how to safely feed it to your pup:

Steam or blanch it

Boiling diminishes kale’s nutrient profile, so it’s best to lightly steam or blanch it. To blanch kale (and other vegetables), quickly submerge it first in boiling water and then in very cold ice water. Blanching is not only a good way to prepare leafy vegetables, it also cleans off any dirt that may be clinging to the leaves and helps retain more of the vegetable’s vitamins and flavor. 

Sauté the stems

Most recipes intended for human consumption advise you to strip the leaves off their woody stems/ribs before cooking. But when using it for dogs, you can include the ribs by chopping or pulverizing them and then lightly sautéing or roasting them. You can also freeze extra stems to add to a future meal for your dog. (Do not feed the stems to your dog if they are prone to kidney and bladder stones, per the AKC.)

Massage the leaves

First, finely slice or chop the leaves. Then, massage them by hand for a couple of minutes, which will make them tender enough to eat without cooking. Still, you may want to lightly saute them before serving to your pup.

Puree the leaves and stems

You can also puree steamed or blanched kale — leaves and ribs included — in a food processor or Vitamix-type blender. Add a splash of the steaming or blanching water to make pureeing easier.

Add it to a smoothie

Whip up a dog-friendly, superfood smoothie using kale, blueberries, banana, yogurt, chia seeds, and other fruits/vegetables. Add a few spoonfuls to your dog's food as a meal topper or sneak it into a stuffed Kong and then freeze the Kong. You could also freeze the smoothie in silicone forms or ice cube trays to make refreshing, lickable summer treats.

Make kale chips

Another way you can share this nutritious leafy vegetable with your dog is to make a batch of kale chips that you both can enjoy. It couldn’t be simpler:

Crunchy Kale Chips for Dogs (and Humans)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 bunch of kale (the Tucson variety is sturdier for chips)

  • ½ tablespoon olive oil



DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 300°. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.

2. Wash and dry the kale thoroughly — it is important to dry it, so the olive oil can stick to it. Remove the stems and tear the leaves into chip-sized pieces.

3. In a medium bowl, toss and massage the kale chips with the olive oil.

4. Gently lay the chips on the baking sheet. Don’t let the kale pieces touch — it needs space to get crispy. Add seasonings to the portion of chips meant for you. These may include salt, pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, parmesan cheese, etc.

5. Bake for 20 minutes, turn gently, and bake a little longer if you want the chips to be extra crunchy. Keep an eye on them to prevent burning!

6. Cool the kale chips on the baking sheet for a few minutes; they will continue to crisp up as they cool. (You can always pop them back into the oven at a lower temperature if they do not get crispy enough for your liking.)

Illustration of food bowlDog

Claudia Kawczynska

Claudia Kawczynska was co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Bark for 20 years. She also edited the best-selling anthology Dog Is My Co-Pilot.

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