Can Dogs Eat Black Beans?

Finding ways to help improve your dog’s diet can depend on several factors. There are a plethora of foods that you can add which can bolster protein levels, reduce fat, and provide a number of health benefits. If you have been considering adding black beans to your dog’s diet, it helps to know the benefits and downsides.

Learning more about black beans, whether your dog can have them, and what you can add to their diet is crucial. Here is your guide to black beans as they relate to your dog.

Are Black Beans Good for Dogs?

Like a few other food types, black beans can be beneficial to your dog. For starters, black beans have high protein levels and low-fat content.¹ If you want to implement more protein into your dog’s diet, combined with eggs or meat, it can make for quite the potent punch of protein.

Dogs who struggle with overeating might benefit from black beans because it is a natural appetite suppressant. If your dog needs to drop a few pounds to get down to a healthy weight, adding black beans into its diet can be a great solution. Just make sure that you talk to your vet before doing anything, as there are negative impacts of giving them black beans (more on that later).

Another reason why you may want your dog to have black beans is because of their flavor profile. Rich, earthy, meaty flavors can definitely entice your dog into eating them. There are also no spices or salts that can be potentially negative to their health. Given that dogs have simple palates compared to their human counterparts, you don’t really need to overdo it.

Finally, black beans are a great source of fiber. Given that nearly 50% of their total weight is fiber, it can definitely be effective in small doses.¹ Just keep an eye on how much you give your dog because dogs aren’t quite as efficient about digesting carbs as humans are.

The Risks of Black Beans

While wondering if dogs can have black beans, it can be all too easy to focus on the upsides. But there are also a few downsides worth considering before making that dietary change. As always, consult your vet before making any changes to their diet.

Dogs tend to do well with new changes in small doses. This way, you can monitor the changes to their diet and ensure that there are no adverse effects. Even still, there are a number of different downsides to giving your dog black beans.

Don’t Feed Them Raw

While dogs can indeed have black beans, they should not consume raw black beans. This is a good rule of thumb with just about anything unless instructed otherwise. Never assume that you can give it to your dog raw.

Raw black beans can not only be potentially toxic but cause any number of digestive issues¹. By cooking them, the toxins are destroyed, making them safe to give to your dog. Even still, there are allergic reactions to be aware of.

Allergic Reactions

Just like humans, dogs can have allergies. Even if there are no blatant adverse health impacts, your dog may show signs that they are allergic to black beans. When introducing your dog to new foods, make sure to do so in small doses.

Watch them closely and look for signs of reaction. Generally speaking, it comes in the form of excessive itching and scratching, hot spots, redness, and digestion discomfort. In more serious cases, you will need to take your dog to the vet as soon as possible.

Digestive Issues

Dogs have unique and sensitive digestive tracts. When something is introduced that throws it into disarray, there are a plethora of issues that can arise. For instance, the sugars within the black bean are tough for your dog to digest. Giving them too much black bean can lead to an upset stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting, among other things.¹

Dogs also don’t really need carbohydrates in their diet. Feeding them items that are high in carbohydrates has the potential to impact their digestive tract in negative ways. This is another reason to give them smaller portions when starting out.

Since dogs are naturally carnivores, their digestive systems aren’t built to handle plant fibers. As black beans derive from plants, it is easy to see that they could present issues to your dog’s digestive system. They also develop bacteria when they eat black beans regularly since their gut doesn’t have the necessary enzymes to break down the bean’s fiber content. In small doses, this isn’t an issue, but larger quantities can play havoc.

Feeding Black Beans to Your Dog

If you have made it this far and still want to implement black beans into your dog’s diet, it helps to know how to go about it. Yes, dogs can eat black beans, but they have a difficult time digesting them, especially in larger quantities.

If you are looking to go away from canned dog food, adding a few beans into their wet or dry food can be a great way to boost not only flavor but nutritional value as well. The key is in portion control. Ignoring all the other things, beans are high in both fat and protein. When you give them too much of either, they can experience diarrhea and vomiting alongside an upset stomach.¹

There is also the concern of dehydration. Make sure that you keep water nearby when feeding them black beans, as there is a risk of serious dehydration that could require emergency intervention. As mentioned previously, never give your dog raw black beans, as they can be seriously toxic to your pup.

Prepare them by thoroughly rinsing, soaking, pressure-cooking, or boiling them before you feed them to the dog. There are a variety of different cooking methods that you can consult; use trial and error to find the method that your dog likes best.

Consult Your Vet

No matter what kind of changes you plan to make, always consult your vet first. Some dogs have sensitivity to proteins, and the last thing that you want to do is introduce food that is high in protein content.

By talking to your vet, you can at least have a reasonable degree of certainty that the changes you are implementing will be appropriate. It can save an uncomfortable or potentially dangerous situation while saving your dog from potential health impacts.

Expert Insights From Spot

While it can be fun to share our favorite foods with our pets, pet parents should keep in mind that sometimes, eating human food can upset a pet's stomach. Spot's internal data shows that on average, pet insurance claims for dietary indiscretions (pets eating too much of what they shouldn't) cost $642.* This high cost highlights why pet parents should keep an eye on what their pets eat, and do their research before sharing their favorite snacks with their dogs. Being mindful of what treats we share with our pets can help keep them healthy while helping pet parents avoid unnecessary vet bills.

Final Thoughts

Knowing whether dogs can eat black beans is important if you plan to start adding them to your dog’s diet. There are more than a few benefits to adding black beans, but watch to make sure that you aren’t overdoing it. Too much black bean can result in bloating and digestive issues over time. What different vegetables can your dog eat? There are plenty of great options. Cucumbers, onion, celery, pickles, lettuce, cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, asparagus, and broccoli are just a few of the choicest options.

Lima beans can make for a great addition to your dog’s diet, so long as it is in moderation. If anything, it makes for a delicious snack that packs a nutritional punch for your pooch. Which beans can your dog eat? In addition to lima beans, they can also eat garbanzo beans, pinto beans, lima beans, black-eyed beans, green beans, and more. They offer a plethora of health benefits that can be beneficial to your dog’s diet.