Yes. Dogs can eat black-eyed peas in moderation. Black-eyed peas are beans that are a good source of protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. They are beneficial for dogs who are diabetic as the nutrients mentioned above will regulate blood sugar levels. They also contain vitamin K, which helps in metabolizing protein and supports healthy blood coagulation.
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What are Black-Eyed Peas?
The black-eyed pea or black-eyed bean is a legume grown worldwide for its medium-sized, edible bean. It is a subspecies of the cowpea, an old world plant domesticated in Africa, and is sometimes called cowpea.
Black-eyed Peas have 23 percent protein, 73 percent carbohydrates, and just 4 percent fats. They also have vitamin B1 (thiamine), iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc.
Are Black- Eyed Peas Safe for Dogs?
Yes, black-eyed peas are safe for dogs, provided they are thoroughly cooked without any seasoning. Black-eyed peas, cooked with seasoning, are harmful to dogs. They can affect the digestive system. Black-eyes peas should also not be fed raw due to choking hazards.
Why Are Black-Eyed Peas Good for Your Dog?
Black-eyed peas provide a lot of health benefits to dogs. The upsides of black-eyed peas for dogs are:
They Prevent Constipation: Packed with fiber, black-eyed peas ensure proper bowel movement and excellent water absorption. In addition, fiber helps the stool to move smoothly in your dog’s digestive system.
Suitable For Obese Dogs: A large quantity of black-eyed peas is not required to make your dog feel full, and therefore, they can be good food for dogs with obesity.
Sugar-Free: Black-eyed peas don’t contain any sugar. Therefore, there are no consequences related to excessive consumption of black-eyed peas.
Suitable For Dog’s Heart Health: Black-eyed peas are a great source of potassium responsible for decreasing blood pressure. Potassium aids in the functioning of electrical charges in the heart and improves dog’s heart health.
Keeps Cholesterol in Check: Not only does fiber help reduce blood pressure, but it also helps control your dog’s cholesterol levels.
Protects your Dog against Anemia: Black-eyed peas are a great source of iron. Therefore, they protect your dog from becoming anemic.
Improves Your Dog’s Skin and Coat Health: As they contain many vitamins, consuming black-eyed peas improves your dog’s skin and hair.
Suitable for Diabetic Dogs: As black-eyed peas are a great source of fiber, they are ideal for dogs with diabetes. They can help keep the blood sugar levels in check.
Why Are Black-Eyed Peas Bad for Your Dog?
Even though black-eyed peas are healthy for dogs, many pet owners replace protein intake with black-eyed peas as it is abundant in protein. Black-eyed peas should not be fed to your dog as a protein replacement. Providing your dog black-eyed peas as a protein replacement means the intake is more than moderation, which has counter-affect to the dogs such as:
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Gas
Bloat
Abdomen pain
Gastrointestinal Issues
How Many Black-eyed Peas Can be Given to Your Dog?
If your dog is small in size, it is recommended that you serve one tablespoon initially. If the size of your dog is large, you could try giving two tablespoons. But it is recommended that you do not feed them excessive amounts of black-Eyed peas as it will probably lead to digestive issues.
It is suggested that you should not give black-eyed peas more than once a week, and even when offered, you should serve in small sizes.
What If My Dog Ate Black-Eyed Peas?
Cooked and unseasoned black-eyed peas are healthy for dogs. If they accidentally consume once in a blue moon, there is nothing to worry about. You can provide him with enough water to relieve himself. However, the matter of concern will be if your dog consumes raw or seasoned black-eyed peas.
If your dog consumes raw clack-eyed peas, it may cause a choking hazard. Hence, it is best to take him to the veterinarian for further procedures.
In the other scenario, if your dog consumes seasoned black-eyed peas, he will have digestive tract disorder, diarrhea, vomiting. Again, it would help if you took your dog to the veterinarian to rule out the issue and prevent other related health conditions.
How can Black-Eyed Peas be served to your dog?
The simplest way to serve black-eyed peas to your dog is to soak the beans overnight and cook them plain by boiling them until they are soft.
Black-eyed peas can also be served as a treat or food topper.
Final Thoughts
Black-eyed peas are a rich source of protein, fiber, and vitamins. However, it would help if you served them in moderation to your dog. Feeding excessive amounts of black-eyed peas might result in your dog suffering from digestive issues.
