From Acai to Goji berries many healing super-fruits offer as numerous health benefits to your dog, as they do to you.
Super-fruits are so densely packed with nutrients that they can act as a medicine as well as a food, giving an often needed health boost to your dog.
With exotic names like dragonfruit, acai, mangosteen and goji, super-fruits contain potent antioxidants that defend against environmental damage, while also helping repair the body from within. In recent years, super-fruits have gone from a little-known health fad to a blossoming medical and nutritional innovation.
Here are a few of the many fruity treats that can help heal, as well as feed, your canine companion:
Acai berries
Among the most famous super-fruits is the acai berry, which has a deliciously unusual flavour that is almost chocolatey in its richness. While your pooch can’t join you in sharing a chocolate bar, they can certainly have their fill of acai berries.
These tasty treats are an incredibly dense source of anthocyanins, which are deep blue compounds capable of neutralising superoxides, dangerous compounds that dogs produce in response to stress. Acai berries are also a good source of vegetarian proteins and fats, which dogs require in a balanced diet.
If you do decide to share acai berries with your dog, try to aim for fair trade fruit; they provide sustainable income for people living in the Amazon rainforest, where the berries come from.
Blackberries
Another incredibly rich source of anthocyanins, the common blackberry is a champion among super-fruits. After a well-designed scientific investigation in the US, the USDA ranked blackberries among the top ten antioxidant foods consumed.
Although they may not be as exotic or novel as their tropical counterparts, blackberries can boost your dog’s defences against common sources of free radicals, including stress, disease and pollution. Try mixing blackberries with broccoli and whole egg for a delicious doggie ‘smoothie’.
Blueberries
Perhaps the queen of super-fruits, blueberries are one of the strongest antioxidant fruit grown. They contain extremely concentrated antioxidants that inhibit the growth of cancer cells and actively reduce inflammation. Like cranberries, they hinder the growth of bacteria in an animal’s urinary tract, preventing infections and other common problems.
Blueberries can also improve your pup’s brain health — several studies have found it improves mood and mental function in animals. Most dogs enjoy the sweet flavour of blueberries, but others find them too strong. If your companion declines them, try adding them to a ‘stew’ made with meat and raw greens.
Cranberries
Cranberries have been valued for centuries for their healing powers, and their effects aren’t limited to human beings. A single cup of whole cranberries provides nearly 12 times the antioxidant capacity of a cup of orange juice. Cranberries are well-documented for their ability to improve urinary health in both humans and animals. Cranberries contain a natural medicinal compound that prevents bacteria from clinging to the walls of the bladder, urethra and kidneys. This means fewer infections and better detoxification for your furry friends.
The tangy fruit also contains nontoxic doses of salicylic acid, a natural anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving compound similar to aspirin. It’s a perfect tonic for an ageing or arthritic dog, but some dislike its tartness. Try mixing it with other foods or giving it as you would give a pill.
Pomegranates
Pomegranate fruit has been adored for centuries because of its combination of incredible flavour, balanced nutrition, and often-unexpected medicinal effects. Whole pomegranate is an excellent source of fibre and antioxidants for dogs, who usually enjoy its taste and texture.
But its benefits don’t end there: several studies have found that this ancient fruit can help with heart disease in humans and animals alike. Its natural juices also coat a dog’s teeth with bacteria-fighting compounds that prevent cavities and gum disease. Interestingly, the antioxidants in pomegranate appear to specifically protect animals’ bowels. Given the increasing rates of colon cancer in dogs, it’s prudent to add pomegranate to your pup’s preventative health regimen.
Goji berries
Wolf-berry owes its common name to the wild canines of the Orient, who adore this delicious and powerfully nutritious fruit. Your own little wolf will be equally eager to experience the flavours of the wolf-berry, which are at once fruity, tomato-like, and delicately piney.
Also known by its Chinese name goji, wolf-berry appears to reduce inflammation, improve heart health, prevent eye disease, and even improve brain function in animals. It can also help modulate a dog’s immune system so they respond to infection in an healthy manner, but don’t experience unnecessary fever or inflammation when infection does strike.
Fruits to avoid
Although fruit is a healthy and essential part of a dog’s balanced diet, some fruits can actually be harmful, or even fatal. Grapes, although a healthy super-fruit for humans, contain a compound that can trigger near-immediate kidney failure in dogs – this includes raisins. Just a few can be enough to kill a small-sized dog.
Please Note: Be sure to limit your dog’s intake of pits and seeds in fruit. Although canines can handle an occasional apple seed, most pits and seeds contain cyanide, which can poison a pooch if ingested in large quantities.
Super-fruits can be fed as treats, or sprinkled over or mixed into your dog’s food. They’ll add variety as well as extra nutrition and taste to their diet.