More than just a crunch: why celery is a great addition to your dog's bowl
Celery… it might not be the most exciting of all vegetables, but this green salad favourite is actually packed with nutrition and benefits for your pets. Read on for more about why celery adds more than just a crunch to your pet’s diet.
1. Nutritious and Delicious
Celery is packed with vitamin A, K and C. Vitamin A is beneficial for eye health - as well as the health of your dog’s skin, muscles and nervous system, while vitamin C is great for the immune system. Vitamin K also has an important role to play in keeping bones strong and healthy - and in maintaining proper blood clotting functions.
2. Good for hydration - and dental health!
Celery - when eaten raw - has a high percentage of water, so giving celery to your dog on a regular basis (particularly if it’s hot out!) can help add extra hydration to their body. Chewing on those crunchy sticks can also help clean teeth and gums - an added bonus!
3. Full of minerals
Celery contains minerals such as calcium, potassium, zinc and iron, all of which help to improve your pet’s overall health. Zinc in particular is good for promoting healthy digestion, improving cognitive function and giving their immune system a boost, while the mineral manganese helps reduce inflammation, aids bone health and promotes proper blood sugar balance.
4. Don't forget the folate!
The folate (or vitamin B9) in celery functions as a co-enzyme and is important for the immune system, tissue growth, blood function and cell division.
5. A good source of antioxidants - and more!
The antioxidants found in celery can help to protect your pet’s cells from free radical damage. Antioxidants also have an important role to play in reducing inflammation and helping to combat disease. Celery also contains choline - essential for dogs in promoting healthy brain and muscle development, heart and liver health as well as aiding the nervous system.
6. A digestive aid
With its high fibre content, celery is also good for helping to regulate your dog’s digestive system, preventing constipation (although overdoing the celery could have the opposite effect - diarrhea - so feed in moderation!). Pectin-based polysaccharides found in celery have been shown to improve the integrity of the stomach lining in animals, and reduce the risk of stomach ulcers and help control healthy levels of stomach secretions.
What about Smack?
Here at Smack, we LOVE celery - in fact, you can find our Canadian-grown, organic, GMO-free celery in all but one of our lip-smacking recipes!).
Check out our celery-packed offerings below!
As with any food, too much celery could cause issues for your pet. Start with small quantities, and always consult your veterinarian with any concerns or questions.