Yes, dogs can safely eat plain green beans.
Nutritious and low in calories, green beans are a good choice that dogs actually like. As long as the beans are fresh, frozen or canned without any added salt or seasonings, green beans are a perfectly acceptable snack.
Benefits
Plain green beans can be steamed, boiled, raw, frozen, or canned and are vet recommended. As long as they aren’t prepared with other ingredients, dogs can reap the following benefits:
- Green beans are high in protein, iron, and calcium
- They’re also a great source of vitamins B6, A, C, and K.
- Green beans are also full of fiber but low in calories, so dogs can feel full.
Remember: your dog gets all the nutrients she needs from her regular food and doesn’t really need green beans to be healthy, however it’s a great snack regardless. As a general rule, added vegetables and fruits should make up no more than 10-20% of your pet’s diet.
Can Green Beans Help Dogs Lose Weight?
While dogs across the country are showing signs of obesity which can lead to complications like diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular issues, and more, lots of pet parents have started to put their pups on a diet. By treating your dog with green beans rather than a canine cookie or biscuit, you can help them lose weight.
What Is the Green Bean Diet?
“The green bean diet” is a replacement plan to help dogs lose weight. The plan substitutes a portion of a dog’s regular food with green beans. A pet parent begins with 10% and can increase this percentage up to 50% until the dog hits the target weight. Then the pet parent gradually reintroduces regular food back into their dog’s diet. While this sounds intriguing, vets recommend speaking with them first before embarking on a crash diet of this nature. You don’t want to suddenly impose a diet on a dog who has a chronic condition that may be causing her to gain weight!
Hazards
Do not feed the following to your dog:
- Canned or frozen beans with added salt or spices
- Green beans cooked with oils and/or spices
- Green beans cooked with harmful vegetables, such as garlic and onions
- Feeding large, whole green beans to dogs, which can be a choking hazard
Sadly, dogs cannot partake in the Thanksgiving staple, green bean casserole. Only plain green beans will do.
Curious about what is okay and not okay for your dog to eat? Check out our comprehensive guide on what human foods are safe and not safe for dogs.
