Can Dogs Eat Kale (and Other Leafy Vegetables)?

Yes! Leafy vegetables contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and flavonoids that are responsible for better health, especially brain health. They are also a good source of helpful roughage. Many fall into the cruciferous family, including kale, spinach, chard, mustard, beets, cabbage, dandelions, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, and Brussels sprouts. Here we start with super food kale.

Benefits of kale

Kale, one of the most nutritious vegetables, was virtually unknown in many US kitchens until the 1990s. It is a rich source of vitamins A, B6, C and E as well as folic acid and manganese and also contains thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and various minerals such as iron, potassium and phosphorus. Additionally, kale is a great source of two main antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin (lutein and zeaxanthin), which can potentially protect against cancer.

Adding small amounts of kale to your dog’s diet can help improve eyesight and gut health, as well as liver detoxification and fight off infection. And if your dog needs to lose a few pounds, lightly cooked kale can be added to their meal as a topper, increasing their satisfaction without adding a lot of calories.

Types of kale

There are three main types. The cutest lacinato (also called dinosaur or Tuscan kale) is dark green with long, flat leaves and the easiest to use. There’s the Curly variety with, yes, very curly, green leaves that are a bit bitter, and finally the mildest of the three, a Russian variety with lobed leaves and magenta stems. (See picture above.)