It can be added to smoothies, desserts, pies - and to your pet's food bowl! Yes, your adorable furry love can also eat strawberries.

Not only is this fruit rich in flavonoids and antioxidants, but it also contains a component that may help whiten your pet's teeth (ours too!!) for a brighter smile. Find out how to safely give it to your pets.

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Strawberries can be given as fresh, healthy pet treats or added to your pet's nutritionally adequate, species-appropriate diet
• They are rich in flavonoids like anthocyanins, which offer antioxidative and antimicrobial activities, and may have protective effects against several diseases, like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes
• Strawberries contain fisetin, a flavonoid antioxidant that has neurotrophic, anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory effects
• Strawberries also contain an enzyme called malic acid, which acts as a natural whitener for tooth enamel
  

Strawberries are quintessential and versatile fruits that people add to many kinds of desserts and fresh fruit salads. If you enjoy these berries, you may wonder: Can your pets have them, too? Read further to find out if it's OK for your dogs and cats to eat them, and what benefits they might get from snacking on these fruits.

Yes, Strawberries Are OK for Pets says Dr. Becker!!

Belonging to the rose plant family, the strawberry (Fragaria)¹ is one of the most recognizable and well-loved fruits in the world. But despite its name, strawberry isn’t a true berry — rather, it’s considered an accessory fruit, like apples and pears.² In human health, strawberries are valued for being abundant in “nutritive and non-nutritive bioactive compounds” that may help promote health and reduce the risk of diseases like obesity, cancer, heart disease and diabetes.³

If you love strawberries, then here’s some good news — you can share these juicy, sweet-tart fruits with your dogs and cats (if they’ll have them). They can be given as fresh, healthy pet treats or added to your pet's nutritionally adequate, species-appropriate diet.

Just make sure you buy organic varieties (more about this later) and slice the fruit in small enough pieces so it will not pose a choking hazard, especially to small-breed dogs. When given as healthy treats, strawberries should make up less than 10% of your pet’s daily caloric intake.

Strawberries Are Rich in Vitamin C and Fisetin

Strawberries are rich in antioxidants, and vitamin C is one of the top nutrients you can get from them. Like most mammals, dogs can make their own vitamin C via their liver,⁶ but giving them moderate amounts of this nutrient via their diet can still be a boon for their health.

A two-tablespoon serving of sliced fresh strawberries can give your pet 12.2 milligrams of this potent vitamin.⁷ Vitamin C works by scavenging potentially harmful free radicals in your pet’s body.⁸ It can also inhibit inflammation⁹ and help slow down cognitive aging.¹⁰

Strawberries also contain fisetin, a flavonoid antioxidant that has neurotrophic, anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory effects.¹¹ In one study of 40 different food items, strawberries had the highest concentration of fisetin,¹² and its promise has been demonstrated for several diseases, including diabetes,¹³ as well as impressive antiaging effects.¹⁴

Anthocyanins in Strawberries May Help Support Heart Health

Strawberries are rich in flavonoids, including anthocyanins. This is the most extensive group of water-soluble pigments in the plant kingdom, and they are abundant in berries like blueberries, raspberries, and black currants.¹⁵ They’re also the reason for the colorful red, orange, blue and violet hues in these plants and other crops.¹⁶

According to studies, anthocyanins offer antioxidative and antimicrobial activities, and may have protective effects against several diseases,¹⁷ like heart disease,¹⁸ cancer¹⁹ and diabetes.²⁰ They can also support your pet’s eyesight as well as their neurological health.²¹

Feeding Your Pets Strawberries May Whiten Their Teeth

Giving your pets a few slices of strawberries may also promote good oral health. This is because strawberries contain an enzyme called malic acid, which acts as a natural whitener for tooth enamel. According to a 2018 study, it also “increases saliva production … thereby exerting the anticariogenic property.”²³

How to Feed Strawberries to Your Pet

Misinformation about many healthy fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds abounds on the internet. This is because websites have labeled all risks (such as the risk of overconsumption causing gastrointestinal issues or choking on too large of pieces or pits) as "toxicities," which isn't true but has managed to confuse millions of pet lovers, nonetheless.

In the case of strawberries, the green stems and unripened parts of the fruit can cause GI upset, resulting in some websites touting them as being hazardous to pet health, which has confused thousands of pet owners about the safety of strawberries. A good rule of thumb is to feed the same parts of fruits and vegetables to your pets as you feed to the rest of your family (so in this case, no green stems, or leaves).

One important thing to remember when feeding your pets strawberries is to give them in moderation, as these fruits still contain sugar, which can be detrimental to your pet’s health in high amounts. As a treat, feed a few (sliced) pieces at a time, or cut the fruit up into small pieces and mix into their meals. Remember to only give them fresh fruit — not strawberry jams or purees, as these have excessive levels of sugar and high fructose corn syrup that can be harmful to your pets.

Strawberries Top the Dirty Dozen List, so Buy Them Organic

If you want to feed your pets strawberries, it’s best to buy organic varieties of this fruit as opposed to conventionally grown ones. Strawberries rank No. 1 in the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Dirty Dozen list, meaning they are the most pesticide-laden crop today. According to an Insider article, “EWG testing revealed that 90% of strawberries contained at least one pesticide, and 30% of the crop had traces of 10 or more different toxins.”²⁵

To keep your pet (and your family) safe from these potentially harmful chemicals, opt for organic or “spray-free” strawberries from local farmers markets.

So, for us Humans making a smoothie with strawberries is a no-brainer. For added goodness and nutrition my personal favorite for a smoothie is listed below. Enjoy this delicious meal/snack/or, just because!!

Ingredients:

½ cup strawberries (organic frozen works great)

¼ cup blackberries

¼ cup raspberries or blueberries

½ tsp. organic cacao (optional)

½ to a whole organic avocado

½ or whole frozen organic banana

1 Tbls. Nutritional Flakes

½ cup unsweetened organic almond, or coconut milk

1 cup (or less) of filtered water

¼ cup organic raw walnuts

1-2 Tbls. Whey Protein

1 scoop. Organic Greens Powder

1 scoop Fermented Beets Powder

1 scoop Fermented Turmeric Powder (or the capsules)

1 scoop Fermented Mushroom Powder

A dash of cinnamon

A dash of cayenne pepper to taste

½ tsp. Pink Salt

• Adding ice to your blender will create a thicker smoothie.
  
  

One pouch of Lypo Spheric Vitamin C

Mix all ingredients in blender adding more liquid to taste for a thinner shake. You can also add a little Organic Maple Syrup for a sweeter taste.

Implementing all the above ingredients you are getting optimal nutrition to saturate each and every cell in your body for energy and vitality. Ideal for an afternoon pick-me-up too.

Feel free to add or delete to your personal taste. I’ve listed below links to our powders so you can read the enormous benefit of each.

P.S don’t forget your doggy now!! 


Suggested Products:

Nutritional Flakes

Greens Powder

Fermented Beets Powder

Fermented Turmeric Powder

Turmeric Capsules

Fermented Mushroom Powder

Lypo Spheric Vitamin C

Whey Protein Powder

Pink Salt

D3+K2 -this vitamin is fat soluble so should be taken with FATS!!