Can Dogs Eat Green Peppers? What Are the Health Benefits of Bell Peppers to Dogs?

With the lists of safe and unsafe foods for our dogs, we could only wish that whatever is healthy for us, humans, is also healthy for canines.

But, we know that it’s not always the case. Let’s take green peppers for example. These veggies have a strongly aromatic scent that dogs can’t seem to resist. But, can dogs eat green peppers?

Whether we admit it or not, as dog owners, there are times when we can’t just bear the begging eyes of our dogs as we munch on our favorite food. So, with good intentions, we would simply cave into their desires and hand them a bit of what we are eating.

But, is it a safe thing to do?

No, it’s definitely not. As we know, most, if not, all human foods are seasoned with salt, and spices that can be harmful to dogs. Sometimes, they are even mixed with huge amounts of toxic ingredients, such as garlic and onions.

If we are going to think of the risks involved in feeding our dogs human foods, it’s very easy for us to realize that they are better off with their favorite dog food all day every day.

While this is partly true, we can’t simply discount the fact that dogs need a balanced diet. Hence, it’s also important to have variations in their menu from time to time.

So, instead of totally eradicating human foods from our pup’s diet, it’s best to just give them these foods as treats, or as a healthy snack option. And while doing this, we should also be mindful of those that we should not offer to them at all even in a small amount.

And talking about these things, do green peppers belong in the list of vegetables that dogs should avoid?

If not, what would our dogs get by incorporating bell peppers in their diet? Can they eat all varieties of peppers? Can dogs eat red bell peppers? How about red chili peppers?

Let’s answer all of these questions and more in this article.

Can Dogs Eat Green Peppers?

Yes, you can feed your dogs peppers, or more specifically bell peppers. Dogs can eat bell peppers regardless of the color – whether it’s red, green, yellow, or orange.

Any color of sweet pepper, otherwise known as bell pepper is safe for dogs to eat. But, as with the case with any human food, there are always some caveats.

While dogs can eat bell peppers raw or cook, it’s not advisable to feed these veggies to our dogs with their seeds and stems on. Doing so can cause indigestion and stomach upsets.

Also, while dogs may love the crunch of raw pepper, it can be a bit harder for them to digest. So, it’s still best to cook them without adding seasonings and other ingredients that are not dog-friendly.

Can Dogs Eat Any Color of Bell Pepper?

Technically, the colors of the peppers do not translate to different types of bell peppers. Whether it is bell pepper red, orange, green, or yellow, it’s just the same kind of bell pepper. The color only denotes how long the peppers have ripened on the vine.

As for their nutritional value, red peppers contain the highest amount of vitamins and antioxidants. So, this red vegetable is the best bell pepper that you can give to your dog. In particular, the red pepper contains 11x more beta-carotene than the rest of the bell peppers.

Again, your dog can eat any color of bell pepper because they are essentially the same. These colorful vegetables all have the same nutritional content, but, it just happened that the red ones contain the highest concentration of the essential nutrients that are beneficial for overall dog health.

What Are the Health Benefits of Bell Peppers to Dogs?

Bell peppers are nature’s gift to dogs. These veggies are chock-full of essential nutrients that can be beneficial for your pup. As mentioned above, any color of sweet pepper is loaded with vitamins, minerals, beta-carotene, and other helpful nutrients.

A serving of bell pepper can offer your pup the following nutritional benefits:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K
• Antioxidants
• Beta-carotene

These nutrients play an important role in boosting your dog’s immune system, promoting eye health, and reducing inflammation.

Vitamin B6 aids in keeping your pup’s nervous system healthy, while vitamin E helps promote healthy skin and coat. And of course, vitamins a, b, c, and k are also antioxidants that help prevent cell damage and fight cancer.

How Many Bell Peppers Can Dogs Eat?

Our canine friends rely on meat for their nutrients each day, so, they don’t really need lots of fruits and vegetables in their diet.

Besides, eating plenty of vegetables, including bell peppers can upset your dog’s digestive system thereby causing vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pains.

Also, it doesn’t matter whether it’s your dog’s first time eating bell peppers or not, he may still experience these uncomfortable symptoms when he eats too much of these veggies. But of course, the chance that these untoward reactions will occur is higher for first-timers.

Dogs usually exhibit signs of discomfort, and sometimes they may even show allergic reactions when they are eating something that is not part of their regular diet.

When adding new food to your pup’s meal, start with a small amount and gradually increase over time. And as always, don’t forget to observe his reactions afterward.

The number of bell peppers that you can give to your dog, especially if it’s his first time, will depend on his size and type of diet. Small dogs can usually tolerate 1-3 medium slices of bell peppers, while larger dogs can start with up to half of bell pepper.

However, you should not give them to your dog every day because canines need a variety of food in their diet so they can meet their daily nutritional and caloric requirements.

If you use bell peppers as treats, make sure that each portion is smaller than a slice because all treats combined should only account for not more than 10% of your pup’s daily food intake.

How to Serve Bell Peppers to Your Dog?

Feeding bell peppers to your pup is just easy since dogs can eat them either raw or cooked. However, considering the hard outer skin of bell pepper, it’s best to cook it first and remove the seeds and stems to facilitate smoother digestion.

You can steam or puree the bell pepper, but again, never add seasonings and other toxic ingredients.

Can Dogs Eat Chili Peppers?

While bell peppers are perfectly okay for dogs, chili peppers are not. Spicy peppers such as chili peppers contain capsicum that can act as an irritant in dogs.

It is also not recommended to give your pup jalapeños, cayenne, or piri piri peppers. Even if these hot peppers are not toxic to dogs, they still can cause irritating symptoms to our canine friends. Hence, it’s best to just avoid them in their diet.

When a dog eats even just a small amount of spicy peppers, he can experience irritating and uncomfortable symptoms such as coughing and gagging. He may also exhibit gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea.

If you notice these symptoms, you should also watch out for signs of dehydration, which can occur when a dog vomits or passes loose stools several times. Contact your veterinarian if his symptoms persist.