Banana chips or banana crisps are simply the crispy banana slices that may be deep-fried, baked, or dehydrated. These can be either sweet or salty and are generally made from plantains (cooking bananas). Sugar, honey, salt, spices, or a variety of other seasonings can be used to coat them. This processed banana food is enjoyed worldwide because it is delicious and nutritious at the same time. It is popular as an outdoor picnic snack.
Being the favorite snack of many people, it is very possible that your furry friend comes begging for it as soon as you sit to enjoy a bowl of banana chips in front of the TV. You may wonder if your dog can eat banana chips or not. Let’s dive deep into the discussion:
Can Dogs Eat Bananas?
Dogs can eat bananas; in fact, these fruits make a healthy treat for your furry friend. But there’s no need to regularly add it to your dog’s diet, as they are high in sugars.
You can let dogs eat bananas as long as they don’t show any signs of intolerance or allergy, including coughing, sneezing, itching, and difficulty in breathing.
Can Dogs Eat Banana Peels?
A short answer is no. Banana peel is not toxic; instead, it’s loaded with many nutrients. With these nutrients comes large amounts of dietary fiber as well. Unfortunately, the high content of fiber makes the banana peel tough and difficult to digest.
Banana peels can actually make dogs sick, causing indigestion and gastrointestinal problems in them.
Can Dogs Eat Banana Chips?
Yes, giving your dog banana chips in moderate amounts is perfectly safe for him. Unlike many other chips, it’s a healthy snack and offers a lot of benefits. They can be made in a variety of ways. Some people deep fry it, while some like the baked ones better and feed their pups with the one they like the most.
Can dogs eat banana chips bought from stores?
Banana chips available in the market are made for humans, not dogs. Therefore, manufacturers have added preservatives, artificial colors, and flavors. These are safe for human consumption as an occasional treat while maintaining a balanced diet but are a big NO for dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Banana Chips Made at Home?
Preparing your own banana chips at home and making use of ripe bananas is a great idea. You can feed your dog banana chips after deep frying them in coconut or any other oil. As human food, these chips are either seasoned with salt, pepper, and chilies or with icing and cinnamon to give a savory and sweet taste, respectively. But it’s best not to add seasonings in them while serving it as a dog treat.
Dried banana chips are a healthier alternative to deep-fried ones. You just need to apply peanut butter to the slices, preheat oven at 120° C, bake the chips, and feed your dog. There are other ways of serving dried bananas as well, but your dog will like this dried fruit having peanut butter in it. Peanut butter is completely safe and is liked by many dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Banana Bread?
The addition of banana bread to dogs’ diet is a healthy choice. Most of the time, bread bought from the stores has nuts that are not safe for dogs. If you can make banana bread free of nuts for your dog at home, that’s well and good.
Health Benefits of Banana Chips
Banana chips provide numerous health benefits due to the following nutrition values:
Energy Boost
Unlike potato chips which are considered totally junk food, banana chips add some beneficial nutrients to your dog’s diet. This is an energy diet rich in calories and makes a magical snack to satiate hunger on picnics.
Vitamins
Banana chips provide many vitamins, including vitamin A, C, and B6. Vitamin A is required for improving vision and boosting immune function in dogs. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and fights off free radicals produced by pathogens. Vitamin C also proves to be helpful in inflammation and aging.
Carbohydrates
An adult dog can have 50% of carbohydrates in his daily diet, and banana chips are a great source. Dogs need carbohydrates for getting energy and maintaining the cells and tissues of the body.
Potassium
Potassium is a vital mineral and is required for the conduction of nerve impulses and muscle contraction. In addition, it is required to regulate heartbeats.
Magnesium
Magnesium promotes bone growth and is required for the production of energy at the cellular level. This energy is required for the movement of muscles and other body functions. Therefore, magnesium deficiency in dogs can cause serious issues.
Dietary Fiber
Dietary fiber aids dogs’ digestion, improves blood vessel function, and lowers cholesterol levels. In addition, dogs need fibers to keep weight and diabetes in check.
Above are all the reasons that make dried banana chips and bananas good for your dog.
Is It As Healthy As Fresh Banana Fruit?
Bananas are healthy fruits rich in essential nutrients. Banana chips, on the other hand, aren’t quite as nutritious. No doubt, it provides some vital vitamins and minerals, but fresh bananas are healthier for your pup. He’s not likely to benefit more from a single serving of banana chips as compared to a raw whole banana. This is because the chips have been heavily processed and are loaded with added saturated fats and carbohydrates. Your dog will ingest a significant amount of cholesterol, carbohydrates, and calories if he eats enough fried banana chips to receive the same quantity of vitamins and minerals as a full banana.
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How Many Bananas Can A Dog Have?
Too many bananas or other fruits rich in carbohydrates can cause high blood sugar levels, diabetes, and related diseases in dogs. Normally, a large dog can have a half banana, and a puppy can safely have a few banana slices.
Consuming too much banana can cause constipation, and if peel was eaten, there might be an intestinal blockage.
How Many Banana Chips Can A Dog Have?
There’s always a chance of allergies to new foods, so the vets advise starting with a small quantity. A few chips are more than enough for a small dog. For a large dog, you can add a bit more of this dried fruit to his food. However, never feed your dog too many banana chips as they result in an upset stomach and digestive issues.
Drawbacks of Banana Chips
You can feed your dog bananas and banana chips, but don’t exceed the said limit. When eaten in moderation, your dog can experience the benefits described above. But too many chips do not make a healthy dog treat.
Too Many Saturated Fats
Banana chips, especially the fried ones, are full of saturated fats because they have absorbed a lot of oil when deep-fried to give a crunchy texture. These saturated fats elevate the blood cholesterol levels of your dog, thus making him prone to heart diseases. Increased fats in his diet can also lead to diabetes and obesity. Fats and saturated fats specifically are not good for your dog’s health.
The dried banana chips have a plus point here. Because it is not deep-fried in oil, its fat content is relatively smaller.
Too Many Sugars
Bananas as fruits have high amounts of sugars and carbohydrates, making overconsumption of bananas bad for dogs. The same amount of sugar is also found in chips which means feeding them regularly can bring many health hazards for your dogs, including diabetes and weight gain.
Digestive Issues
Instead of feeding your dog bananas, giving him banana chips is not suitable for his gut health either. The high sugar content can make the dog’s stomach upset. In addition, high levels of both fats and sugars can imbalance the microflora of the gut. When his microflora are unable to do their job properly, the gut environment becomes susceptible to the growth of several pathogens, hence harming the dog’s gastrointestinal system.
Conclusion
Dogs can eat banana chips as it’s safe for them. But it can be fed as an occasional treat only. These chips’ benefits can only be experienced when consumed in moderation. Too much consumption can become the cause of many health complaints. As an owner, it’s your responsibility to make sure whatever you are giving your dog to eat doesn’t pose any harm to his health. Instead, you can opt for fresh bananas and many fruits available out there that are both tasty and healthy for your pup.