What Are The Health Benefits of Giving Brown Rice To Your Dog?
Brown rice is a gluten-free food, which could help dogs that have sensitivities to other grains. Brown rice contains an acceptable amount of protein for your dog’s diet and has many essential nutrients such as magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and iron. It also does not contain any animal products meaning it can be given to vegan dogs if needed.
Giving brown rice instead of white will provide more fiber in the diet while still being low calorie so some owners may want brown rice due to weight loss concerns with their pets or allergies they are trying to avoid like grain sensitivities often seen with wheat intolerances in humans. There are no known risks associated with brown rice for most breeds but there are reports that brown rice can be a choking hazard for dogs with shorter snouts, like pugs.
Some brown rice varieties have been grown and processed in such as the way they contain higher amounts of arsenic than other types but there is no evidence to suggest these low levels will harm your dog while the FDA recommends eating brown rice without soaking it first or cooking it before giving to pets.
It’s best not to give brown rice raw because uncooked brown rice contains harmful bacteria including Salmonella which could make your pet very ill if consumed so you should cook brown rice before feeding it directly to them and always wash hands thoroughly after handling it any food products for both humans and animals. If you’re still unsure about whether or not your pet can eat brown rice, it’s always best to consult your veterinarian.
How to feed?
You can feed home cooked brown rice to the dogs with chicken or veggies.
Put rice and water (water should be twice the amount of rice) in a boil and simmer for 45 minutes. Brown rice takes more time to be cooked. If you bring brown rice which are precooked and take less time in cooking, there will be less nutrients in that rice. Mix the chicken or veggies whichever you want to add and feed to your dog. [ Stay Informed-
Brown Vs White Rice
It may be a topic of debate as which rice is better for dogs. Brown or white?
Well, the answer lies in their manufacturing.
After harvesting, the rice is processed through rice huller to remove husks. After removing the husk, you get the brown rice.
For the manufacturing of white rice, a few more steps are added which kill all the nutrients. The rice is polished which is not good for absorption. Synthetic nutrients are added which worsen the situation. For a good health of dogs, brown rice is highly recommended. [ Stay Informed-
The TRUTH about RICE Good or BAD For Dogs?
With so many diet options on the market — keto, paleo, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, carb-free, lectin-free, meat-free — we’re all finding ourselves adding on restrictions in an attempt to reduce food choices. This process of narrowing down the “right” dietary lifestyle as a curated part of one’s everyday identity is not just happening to people; it’s affecting our pets, too.
Even though you may have discovered newfound freedom from not eating grains, gluten, sugar and [insert 1000 other ingredients], that doesn’t mean your dog requires the same for optimal health and living (yes, we know that they need to stay alive for the next 100 years!).
So, what about feeding your dog rice? This simple grain, which has been around for thousands of years, has been up for grabs in the pet world in regards to whether rice is good for dogs.
With almost 50% of dog food brands using feed-grade rice in their kibble — which is rice that has been specifically prepared for animal consumption — many dog owners are not sure if they should be feeding their dog rice, or the right way to include it if they do. Brown, white, cooked or kibble-d, we’ll break down what you need to know when standing face-to-face with this tiny grain and your dog’s health.
Yes, dogs can eat white rice without much harm. Like when humans have an upset stomach, cooked white rice is an excellent go-to when dogs are experiencing loose stool or diarrhea. Why, you ask? Because white rice is quick to prepare, low in fiber, and easy to digest, helping bind the stool when things get dicey.
You might be wondering, but I thought more fiber meant more nutrition and better health. Although we hear, “EAT MORE FIBER FOR BETTER DIGESTION” from doctors and TV commercials everywhere in our daily lives, too much fiber can actually cause or increase stomach upset for dogs and people alike when the digestive system is already having a hard time. White rice is a simple carbohydrate, having had its bran layer removed, making it very easy to pass through a dog’s gut and a great source of natural energy.
If you’re adding cooked white rice to your dog’s grain-free kibble, or you’re feeding your dog a bland diet to help reset their gut, look for high-quality, organic white rice that is free of toxins and arsenic. Because white rice is more processed (and cheaper) than brown rice, it can be contaminated with chemicals and preservatives.
Preparing it for your pup to eat is no different than you’d prepare it for yourself. Start off by soaking one cup of rice for 5-10 minutes to get rid of any excess starch content. Then boil the rice in four cups of water for 20-30 minutes. Spices and seasonings are never necessary!
Brown rice is for dog parents who care about the product as much as the process. Compared to white rice, brown rice is higher on the cost scale and the nutrition scale, with more fiber and protein (remember that bran layer we were talking about?).
Because of brown rice’s rich fiber and nutrient content, it is digested more slowly in the gut, preventing your dog’s blood sugar from spiking. Not only does brown rice have high amounts of insoluble fiber, but it is also low in sodium, making it a really great option for dogs with high blood pressure or diarrhea.
Depending on the breed or the state of your dog’s digestive system, giving your dog some brown rice to eat is the preferred, unprocessed way to go.
