Can dogs eat chickpeas?
Yes! In fact, chickpeas, also referred to as garbanzo beans, are nutrient-dense so they are definitely good for your buddy.
Chickpeas are among the best dog-friendly beans, so you don’t have to worry about giving them to your pet. Actually, garbanzo beans are a perfect treat for doggies with obesity issues.
In this post, I will give you some tips about giving chickpeas to your puppy, including how you should serve them and what kind of garbanzo beans are just right for his consumption.
How to Properly Prepare Your Chickpeas
What kinds of garbanzo beans are safe for your buddy? Your best options are dried and floured chickpeas. You may give him canned garbanzo beans but take extra precautions.
- Dried chickpeas – Your pooch may have a hard time chewing the dried ones, so it’s best to soak them in water overnight prior to cooking. Remove the excess water when you are ready to cook and put the garbanzo beans in boiling water for an hour so they become soft enough for your pup. Don’t add any seasoning when preparing the chickpeas.
- Canned garbanzo beans – try to avoid the canned variety as much as you can. However, if you don’t have any other choice, remove the liquid inside the can and drench the beans in water for about 10 minutes. This is to make sure your dog’s food is not swimming in a chockfull of salt and additives.
- Chickpea flour – also referred to as gram flour and besan is a typical ingredient in gluten-free dog foods. Make your own chickpea flour by running the dried beans through a blender or food processor. You may also roast it first if you prefer a toasted flour. You may use this flour for a variety of tasty treats.
The Benefits of Garbanzo Beans for Dogs
What’s in a chickpea? Here’s what your buddy gets from every serving of chickpeas:
- Protein – canines need to consume around 2 grams of high-quality protein each day. Garbanzo is a type of whole food that is packed with protein.
- Fiber – chickpeas are loaded with dietary fiber that is perfect for weight-control. The bean’s high fiber content makes it a healthy filler for pups who need to lose weight.
- Potassium – dogs need this macro-mineral for the functioning of their muscles and nerves. Drs. Foster and Smith of the Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department said our pups should have at least 0.6% potassium in their diet.
- Iron – just like us, dogs can also suffer from anemia when their red blood cells drop to an unhealthy level. It’s not that you need to rush to your vet and request for an iron supplement to avoid this from happening. Just give your pet iron-rich staples that meet his iron needs.
- Magnesium – your dog needs magnesium so his body can easily utilize and absorb all the vitamins and minerals. Magnesium can be found in various grains and beans, such as garbanzo beans.
- Vitamin B6 – this B-vitamin is essential for red blood cell production and for the proper function of the brain. Your pet can get this from meat, fruits, and of course, from chickpeas.
- Vitamin C – canines can get along just fine without vitamin C, but a little bit of it won’t hurt. In fact, dogs are capable of producing their own so you don’t have to worry about not giving enough vitamin C to your furry little friend. Likewise, you should not worry if certain fruits, veggies, and beans contain vitamin C.
- Calcium – this is an important nutrient in every canine’s diet. His best sources of calcium are yogurt, fish, spinach, and beans.
Best Chickpea Recipe for dogs
When your buddy finds plain chickpeas boring, show him some love and create your own version of these recipes:
Honey roasted chickpeas – with a bit of honey, sea salt, and cinnamon, this yummy treat will leave your buddy wanting for more. But save the remaining chickpeas for next time, dog has something to look forward to!
Chickpea cookies – made with gram flour, this treat is loaded with flavors because of the added peanut butter, banana, and a bit of flax meal.
Roasted chickpeas with herbs – your pooch will likely munch on this crunchy dish because seriously, the crunch of it makes the beans more interesting. It uses basil but you can use other types of herbs, depending on your pet’s preference.
Chickpea stew – thinking of going vegan? Start with beans. This dish uses completely organic ingredients, right from the oil and down to the peanut butter and the veggie stock.
Toasted chickpea – this baked treat uses canned garbanzo beans but it was mixed with healthy staples so you don’t have to feel so guilty about feeding it to your pup.
Chickpeas and sardines treat – when your dog loves sardines but is not used to eating legumes, this treat could be a nice way to introduce this bean to him. It’s so tasty eve you will fall in love with this recipe! Didn’t we mention it only uses three ingredients? Yes, they are cheap, but they are wholesome.
Salmon dog treat – this one uses chickpea flour, turmeric, and chia seeds so it’s truly a guilt-free dish. Plus, who doesn’t love salmon?
Cheesy chickpea chips – when you’ve got a pup that can’t refuse cheddar cheese or any kind of dairy, this one is a must-try! The almond flour and coconut oil in it make it a healthy dish.
Chickpea meatballs – this one is a special treat, the kind you would make on certain occasions like Christmas or Thanksgiving because it contains quite a lot of ingredients. But if you are feeling a little extra generous today and you don’t need a big reason to celebrate, just go to your kitchen now and start creating this sumptuous meal for your pooch.
Pumpkin Dog Treat – for this baked goodie you may opt for a chewy version and bake it for 10 minutes or go for a hard treat and set the oven timer for up to 25 minutes. Either way, your dog will surely have fun devouring this treat.
Pancakes for Dogs – instead of using wheat flour, this pancake uses chickpea flour which is actually a more wholesome option than the former. It has mince in it but you may go for apple or carrot if you like.
Pumpkin chickpea patties – you will need some cooked rice, pumpkin puree, and half a can of garbanzo beans for this delicious treat. All you have to do is mix these three ingredients and bake them for around 15 minutes on each side.
Coconut doggie treats with chickpeas – this uses both gram flour and coconut flour. It is indeed a coconut feast because it also has light coconut milk and shredded coconut.
Mashed chickpeas – if you are looking for something to top your pet’s kibble, try this mashed garbanzo beans. So easy to prepare, all you need to do is to combine the canned chickpeas with nutritional yeast and shredded carrots.
Grain-free Sweet Potato and Banana Power Bars – this recipe uses three generous cups of gram flour with a bit of egg, mashed banana, and raw honey. It’s jam-packed with flavors and it’s wholesome too, so it’s a win-win!
Well, most of these recipes are not suitable just for your buddy. They are good for you, too! You two can bond over these tasty, healthy, and easy to make dishes. Believe me, those honey roasted chickpeas are truly drool-worthy.
Note: Some pups have green bean allergy. If you haven’t fed your pet garbanzo before, start by giving him small servings and observe if he gets any reaction.
In case your buddy has diarrhoea or starts vomiting after eating garbanzo beans, stop giving them to him. Other symptoms to watch out for are excessive licking and intense itching.
In the event that any of these happen, let your vet know especially if this is the only new food in your pet’s diet. This way, your pet doctor can start a food trial elimination that determines whether the allergy came from green beans or not.
Safety of Giving Chickpeas to Your Pet
Have you ever given chickpeas to your dog before? How was it? I hope he’s enjoying his garbanzo beans. Before ending this post, I’d like to give you a few pointers.
- Choose dried beans over canned beans – you might be tempted to buy canned chickpeas that say they have no salt added or that are entirely organic. When in doubt, consider the fact that dried beans are more affordable and easier to store than the canned ones.
- Never ever give hummus to your dog – yes, hummus is made from chickpeas but these two are still different things. Take note that hummus contains lots of garlic and salt that can upset your dog’s stomach.
- Prepare them yourself – nothing beats the goodness of home-cooked meals. Homemade dog food is still the best kind of food for pups because you are pretty knowledgeable about all the ingredients. When you try to cook for your dog, you will realize that there are ways to maximize the food’s flavor without so many additives. Plus, there are a lot of easy-to-follow recipes out there. Just hop on to Pinterest for some inspiration!
Finally, only give your buddy small servings of chickpeas. Too many beans can make him gassy and worse, bloated. We want our dogs to enjoy their meals, but we also need to ensure they are definitely safe for them.
