Can Dogs Eat Bananas?

Wondering if dogs can eat bananas? The answer is  yes! Bananas are one of those human foods that are good for your dog! However, as with any food not normally on your dog's diet, there are a few cautions. First though, the benefits of feeding your dog bananas.

Your dog can get these benefits from eating bananas:

Bananas contain a high source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals that are beneficial in protecting your dog’s (and your) body and maintaining good health. The main benefits including the following: 

• Potassium. Potassium is great for heart health, and controlling blood pressure. 
• Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 helps the body produce red blood cells, metabolize carbs and fats and keep the nervous system healthy.
• Vitamin C. Vitamin C has many benefits for humans and canines alike, the main one being that it helps the body absorb iron and protects against tissue and cell damage. Vitamin C is also great for skin, bones and brain health.
• Manganese. Manganese helps produce collagen, which in turn protects the skin and bones.
• Fiber. Both soluble and insoluble fibers are present in bananas. Soluble fibers help maintain blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol while insoluble fibers help soften and regulate bowel movements, so both are super beneficial for your dog.

Use Bananas to Help Calm Your Dog’s Upset Stomach

Bananas are a gentle food for your pooch. This means, along with sweet potatoes and oatmeal, they’re great for calming a dog’s stomach. If your dog has chronic upset stomach or just isn’t feeling well, mash up a little banana into his regular meal to help his tummy settle.

Photo by Manyapeace45/bigstock.com

If your dog has never eaten a banana before, only give a few small pieces to him first and monitor for the next few hours. With any new food, your dog could potentially react negatively (perhaps with a lot of smelly gas!) so it’s best to start slow for both of your sakes.

The Cautions of Feeding Your Dog Banana

• Your dog shouldn’t eat the peel. Banana peels are non-toxic to dogs but can cause health risks if they’re eaten because they’re very hard to digest and could block up your dog’s system. If your dog accidentally ingests an entire banana (which is unlikely for most dogs) don’t worry, just keep an eye on them for the next 24 hours and if there are any signs of illness or irregular bathroom movements, make sure you call your vet right away.

• Feeding bananas to puppies. Puppies should only eat bananas with veterinarian approval because bananas are a very high-carb fruit that contains sugar. Since puppies have specific nutritional diets to maintain growth and development, bananas might fill them up or make them less likely to eat the proper food. 

• Bananas contain sugar. Like most fruit, bananas have natural sugar in them and should only be fed to your dog in moderation. If your dog is watching his weight, only feed small amounts of banana (or skip altogether) since they should only be given as a treat. Bananas are lower on the sugar-scale when compared to other fruits though, so still make a great choice if you want to give your pup something extra.

How to Feed Your Dog Bananas

Sliced, frozen, mashed, blended with peanut butter, there are many options for giving your dog a banana treat. As long as bananas are given in moderation (treats should be less than 10% of your dog’s total daily calories), you can play with how you’d like to share bananas with your dog and what’s the most fun for both of you. Here are some of our favorite recipes that combine bananas with peanut butter (two of a dog’s favorite foods!).

• Peanut Butter and Banana Pup-Cakes. Is your dog’s birthday coming up? These PB & banana cupcakes might be a bit more labor intensive, but they’re super fun and delicious (for you as well!). The recipe contains no flour, so is good for dogs with gluten sensitivities as well. 

• Peanut Butter and Banana cookies. Yum! Mix, bake and share these cookies wih your dog as a treat or training tool (though don’t overdo it!). These cookies contain flour, oats and an egg, so if your pup is sensitive, try making the treats below instead.

• Peanut Butter and Banana Treats. Containing just a banana, peanut butter and rolled oats, these treats are super easy to make and bake in just 20 minutes.

• Frozen Banana Treats. While you can just freeze bananas and serve them raw, why not have a little fun with it? These frozen banana bites are super easy to prepare and also include peanut butter, simply mix the ingredients together and freeze. Feel free to add in ingredients your dog loves to make the treats extra irresistible.

Now that you know dogs can eat bananas, give it a try. If you make any fun banana treats for your dog, make sure to show us your pictures!