Can Dogs Eat Bell Peppers?

Bell peppers, also called sweet peppers, or Capsicum is not hot and spicy unlike other species of pepper, such as habaneros and jalapeños, and pack a lot of essential nutrients.

This makes them very healthy and safe for your dogs.

As pet parents, we are always concerned about our pooch’s diet and if it’s getting the essential nutrients needed to live a healthy life.

We opt for including natural supplements and vegetables in their diets to provide some of these nutrients.

If the topic of bell peppers and their safety and relevance in your dog’s diet has been a mystery to you, then this article is for you.

This article covers:

• The different varieties of bell peppers
• Health benefits of bell peppers to dogs
• Quantity to feed and how to feed
• How to prepare bell peppers
• Wrap up

Let’s discuss below as you feed your curiosity.

Different colors of bell peppers: which is best for your dog?

Bell peppers come in green, yellow, orange and red colours.

Green bell peppers are usually picked before ripening. They are slightly bitter.

As they ripen, they turn yellow, orange and finally, red.

Each color of bell pepper contains the essential nutrients and vitamins needed by your pooch.

They are rich in vitamins A, E, B6, C, K, lutein and beta-carotene and also contain a great deal of water.

Compared to green or yellow, red bell peppers tend to have more carotenoid phytonutrients, beta-carotene, antioxidants and vitamins A & C.[1]

Because of this higher nutrient content, red bell peppers are said to be the best for dogs.

Health Benefits of Bell Peppers to Your Dog

As mentioned above, bell peppers contain essential vitamins and nutrients which are beneficial to your dog. Let’s look at the benefits of the nutritional compositions of bell peppers below.

Vitamin A and lutein are important for your dog’s eyesight.

Vitamin B6 is very vital to your dog’s overall health. It is important for nervous system health, 

Vitamin C packs a lot of benefits for your dogs. It is an important antioxidant, it helps maintain healthy skin and coat and boosts your dog’s immune system. Vitamin C is also necessary for muscle and bone development in puppies and helps reduce inflammation and joint problems. 

Unlike humans, dogs can actually synthesize vitamin C on their own in their livers, but in some cases supplementation may offer health benefits.[2]

Vitamin E supports fat metabolism while vitamin K aids in blood clotting. 

As an antioxidant, beta carotene protects your dog from infections and diseases. Beta carotene also has benefits to your dog’s hair, skin, bone development, eye health, and reproductive health.[3]

What Quantity of Bell Pepper Can You Feed?

Although they have been domesticated, dogs are primarily carnivores and as a result, feeding a lot of vegetables is not advised. This may lead to stomach upsets which may be followed by diarrhea. 

Experts recommend that large dogs eat about half pepper while small dogs should be fed a quarter pepper at a time. The seeds and stem should be removed to prevent choking and indigestion.

Bell peppers should be introduced slowly into your pooch’s diet and fed in moderate quantities to avoid issues with your dog’s digestive system.

How To Feed Bell Pepper To Your Dog

Bell peppers can be fed to your dog in the following ways:

• Crushed or cut into small pieces 
• Made into a puree
• Cooked to soften them. They should be cooked on their own without any spices which may be harmful to your dog.
• Mixed with dog food.
• Used as treats.

How To Prepare Bell Pepper For Your Dog

When preparing bell pepper for your dog, it is important that you do not mix them with salt, garlic or any other spices that are potentially harmful to dogs. 

It is advised that you steam or puree the pepper to soften its tough outer skin. This also makes the pepper easily digestible.

Wrap Up

Bell peppers are a very healthy choice for your pooch. They should be fed in moderate quantities and should never serve as a whole meal.

Because of their zero capsaicin content, bell peppers are not hot and spicy like chili peppers which can cause stomach upset when fed to your dog.

If your dog is being fed a highly quality commercial dog food diet, there is really no need to supplement with bell peppers as the dog food already contains all the required nutrients for healthy living.

If you’re still unsure about trying bell peppers and how it will affect your dog, consult a vet or an animal nutritionist.

We have more articles about can dog eat… If you have interesting please follow our post. In our family, another common food that will cause our dog health problems.

Sources

[1] https://canigivemydog.com/bell-peppers

[2] https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/vitamins-dogs-need-healthy-lifestyle/

[3] https://petpattern.com/blogs/dogs/can-dogs-eat-peppers