Being a dog lover, you always want to share everything you eat with your friend. But unfortunately, every human food is not safe for dogs. And when it comes to granola, which is commonly eaten by humans, and your dog will also want to eat it when you eat it in front of your dog, you have to think that can dog eat granola?
The answer depends on the ingredients and flavor of the granola and the items the granola is eaten. The dogs can eat granola but in a small amount, and if some ingredients can harm the dog, you must avoid sharing the granola with your dog.
Before knowing further about the effects of granola, we first have to understand what granola is and its nutritional value.
What is Granola?
The granola is cereal, which is commonly used as a healthy breakfast for humans. Granola is basically the roasted oats and nuts, and it can contain the puffed rice and dry fruits. The granola also contains some sweeteners like sugar or honey.
It can be used differently with milk and yogurt and can also be used topping on the different desserts and cakes. The granola is highly nutritious as it contains all the healthy and tasty ingredients, but there is sometimes granola available in the chocolate flavor and peanut butter flavor. This can increase the fat content in the food and can cause weight gain.
Nutritional Value Of Granola
Granola is very rich in nutrients, as it can provide a lot of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. But along with this high nutritional value, the calorie count of the granola is also very high. The nutritional value of the granola depends on the ingredients added to it. So, the nutritional value varies according to the variation in the ingredients. But in general, there are 471 calories in 100 grams of granola. Other nutrients in the 100 grams of the granola are as follows:
| Nutrients | Value in grams | %age daily value |
| Total fat | 20 grams | 30% |
| Sodium | 294 mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 336 mg | 9% |
| Dietary fibers | 5 grams | 20% |
| Sugar | 29 grams | |
| Proteins | 10 grams | 20% |
| Vitamin C | 1% | |
| Calcium | 6% | |
| Iron | 16% | |
| Vitamin D | 0% | |
| Vitamin B-6 | 5% | |
| Cobalamin | 0% | |
| Magnesium | 24% |
Health Benefits Of Granola To Dogs
The granola is highly rich in nutrients, and if providing the granola in a good way and moderate amount, the dog can enjoy the nutritional benefits of the granola as follows:
Digestive Health
There is a very high content of dietary fibers in the granola. And the dietary fiber is perfect for stomach health. The nutritional fibers play a significant role in relieving your dog from constipation because the dietary fibers regulate bowel movement in the gastrointestinal tract.
Muscular Strength
Muscular strength is also essential for dogs because they will feel more active and vigorous if their muscles are healthy. There is a considerable amount of protein present in the granola. So, this protein can play an essential role in strengthening muscles and regulating many physiological functions in the body.
Bone strength
Calcium is present in granola, and we all know that calcium is essential for bone and tooth health. So, if you provide a moderate amount of granola to the dog, the dog will be provided with a good amount of calcium.
Nervous health
The sodium and potassium ions are essential to maintain the excellent health of the nervous system. And there is a good amount of sodium and potassium in the granola. It makes the nervous health of the dog Good.
Health Risks Of The Granola To Dog
The granola contains too many beneficial nutrients; it is richly filled with nutrients. Because there are too many ingredients used in the granola, such as roasted oats, puffed rice, nuts, dry fruits, and oils and butter. But if it is given in high amount, it can cause health issues to the dog as follows:
High-calorie Content
The calorie content is very high in the granola, so if you give too much granola to the dog, your dog can suffer from weight gain problems and obesity. And obesity can lead to many other issues like heart problems, laziness, and lethargy.
High Sugar Content
There is also a high sugar level in the granola. And foods that have high sugar content are not suitable for the dog. Because it can cause diabetes in the dog.
High Sodium And Potassium Level
There is a considerable amount of sodium and potassium levels in the granola. And if your dog has overeaten granola. Then there are chances of an increase in potassium and sodium ions in the body.
This high salt content in the body can damage the kidneys of the dog. The dog will urinate again and again to remove the extra salts from the body. This can lead to dehydration of the dog.
And high salt content in the body can lead to nervous system disturbance.
High Level Of Dietary Fibers
There is a very high level of dietary fibers in the granola. The dietary fiber is perfect for the health of the digestive system of the dog. But if the dog overeats food loaded with dietary fibers, it can cause the dog’s stomach upset.
Xylitol
There is also xylitol present in the granola; it is a sweetener used to give a sweet flavor to the food. This compound is harmful to the dog’s health and can cause health issues to the dog.
What Of My Dog Eats Granola?
If your dog has overeaten granola, you observe the symptoms of illness in your dog. Then you should not waste your time and take your dog to the vet for a complete check-up and proper treatment.
FAQs
Can dogs eat honey granola?
Honey is not toxic in nature and is perfectly safe for dogs. So the dogs can eat the honey granola.
Can dogs eat flavored granola?
The granola is safe for the dogs but in a moderate amount. In the case of flavored granola, you can share the flavored granola with your dog, but not all flavors are safe for dogs. So, it will be wise to talk to the vet to know which flavor is safe and which is not safe for the dog.
Can a dog eat yogurt with granola?
You should not give the flavored yogurt to your dog. And in the case of granola, you should be conscious about which flavor and ingredients are safe for the dog. So, plain yogurt and granola can be given to the dog, but it can increase the calorie content in the granola.
Conclusion
The granola is a very healthy breakfast. And it is commonly used by humans. So, many dog owners ask that can dogs eat granola? The answer depends on the ingredients and flavor of the granola. So many ingredients in the granola, such as roasted oats, nuts, and dry fruits, are not safe for the dog. So, if you want to share the granola with your dog, you have to select wisely, according to t your vet’s advice which granola is safe for the dog.
