I Own a Carnivore!: Sweet Potatoes for Dogs

Sweet Potatoes vs White Potatoes

There is debate among dog nutritionists whether any and all potatoes should be written off for dogs. White potatoes are from the Solanaceae family. These plants contain solanine in the green area of the peel and sprout. Solanine is poisonous to dogs whether eaten raw or cooked. Symptoms of solanine poisoning range from gastrointestinal disturbances to neurological problems. Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are not in the same family. They are a member of the Convolvulaceae plant family and do not contain solanine. Moldy sweet potatoes can cause serious respiratory distress. It's important to always wash and peel your sweet potatoes thoroughly for your dog! Ingesting the sweet potato vine can also cause your dog to hallucinate, so if you're growing them in your back yard make sure to grow them somewhere your dog can not have access too.

The carbohydrate content of white potatoes and sweet potatoes is similar, except white potatoes are high on the glycemic index, which causes a dog's blood sugar to rise quickly. This should be avoided, especially for dogs with diabetes. A spike in glucose requires the pancreas to release large amounts of insulin to lower the blood sugar levels. Sudden fluctuations of blood sugar levels can lead to hyperactivity (which often leads to behavior problems), nervousness, aggression and reactive or compulsive behavior in dogs. Sweet potatoes are lower on the glycemic index, which, along with their high fiber content, allows the dog's blood sugar level to rise more gradually, which is preferable. [1]

Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a high source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients, they're also classified as an anti-diabetic food due to their ability to stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance. They also contain vitamin A which helps protect against emphysema. Sweet potatoes are a common filler source because of their easy digestibility, and seeing as how they're jam packed with not only vitamin A but also vitamin C, maganese, copper, fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, and iron.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest ranked sweet potatoes the most nutritious of all vegetables. Sweet potatoes contain higher levels of the antioxidant beta-carotene than most other vegetables. Receiving high marks for dietary fiber, natural sugars, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium, sweet potatoes earned 100 points more than white potatoes, the second place vegetable. Sweet potatoes are also natural stool hardeners that ease the discomfort of dogs who have diarrhea. [1]

Downfalls of Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are good for dogs if served properly. Dogs cannot break down the cellulose (the large celled plant walls) so any fruits or vegetables need to be puréed or cooked before serving to dogs, or they will serve zero nutritional benefit. Raw sweet potatoes are unsafe for dogs because uncooked sweet potatoes contain a substance that inhibits trypsin, a natural enzyme necessary for the pancreas to digest proteins. The best way to feed sweet potatoes is cooked and puréed. I was unaware of this when I originally fed sweet potatoes to my dog, but am not concerned due to the very low amount that was in the filler mixture.

Both white and sweet potatoes can exaggerate health conditions such as allergies. Because potatoes are high in carbohydrates and sugar, they can aggravate canine candida. White potatoes feed yeast, and this can cause or intensify yeast infections. Sweet potatoes are problomatic as well, as they have more naturally occuring estrogen than white potatoes which can trigger or worsen food allergies. It can also be detrimental to any dog with a hormone antibody imbalance.

Conclusion:

Sweet potatoes are worth the risks they also carry, as long as they are fed properly there is little to no concern when feeding. To sumarize above, here are some points to keep in mind when feeding sweet potatoes to your dog:

serve sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes for best results
never feed white potatoes to dogs with allergies, hormone antibody imbalances, yeast infections or diabetes
never feed sweet potatoes to dogs with allergies or hormone antibody imbalances. Sweet potatoes are safe for dogs with diabetes
wash and peel potatoes to remove mold and chemicals
cook and purée for best digestibility and eliminate trypsin risk
do not over feed potatoes as they can cause weight gain

But wait, isn't this a dog blog about how dogs are carnivores? Yes, but adding a bit of fruit or veggies once in a while will not hurt your dog (unless you feed them something you're not suppose to!). Fruits and veggies can add extra nutrients your dog may be lacking on a limited meat diet (if a large variety of BMO aren't available to you) or if you're feeding on a budget and happen to have some sweet potatoes growing eyes in your pantry, as was my case. Variety is the spice to life, and this greatly applies to feeding a natural diet to your dog! Dogs are naturally "scavenger carnivores" and a variety of all types of foods can help them thrive.