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Vet-Approved
This article has been rigorously reviewed and validated by Dr. Annina Müller, med. vet., an accomplished veterinarian who earned her veterinary degree at the University of Bern, specializing in Small Animal Surgery. Her expertise ensures that the advice provided is both current and accurate in the field of veterinary medicine.
Yes, dogs can eat sweet potato fries in small amounts. However, it is important to consider whether this is a good practice. While sweet potatoes themselves offer numerous benefits for dogs when served plain, sweet potato fries may cause problems for two primary reasons.
Firstly, sweet potato fries have a significantly higher fat content compared to plain sweet potatoes, resulting in increased calorie intake. Secondly, sweet potato fries are often seasoned with flavorings like garlic, which can be toxic to dogs.
In this guide, we will explore the circumstances under which dogs can eat certain types of sweet potato fries, the advantages of choosing plain sweet potatoes instead, and the benefits that plain sweet potatoes can provide for your dog's health.
Why Dogs Can Eat Sweet Potato Fries
Dogs can eat sweet potato fries as long as they're plain and ideally cooked with no added ingredients or flavorings.
Sweet potatoes are mainly carbohydrates, with an average sweet potato containing 28 grams of carbohydrates alongside many vitamins and minerals. It's the added ingredients or cooking methods that can make sweet potatoes unsuitable for your dog.
There are several health benefits of sweet potatoes for dogs, but before we dive into those, let's take a look at the things you need to avoid when feeding your dog sweet potato fries:
Deep-Fried Sweet Potato Fries
Deep-fried sweet potato fries are super high in fat and calories, with a single serving containing 11 grams of fat and 260 calories. Considering that only 10% of your dog's daily calories should come from treats makes it straightforward to see why this is a problem.
These fats are not high quality either and don't contain the right types of fats that all dogs need, such as omega-3s and fatty acids.
You're much better off feeding them plain sweet potatoes as they're lower in calories and contain much less fat.
A small amount of plain, deep-fried sweet potato fries is unlikely to seriously harm your dog, but it's still best to avoid these treats as they're unhealthy. There are much better alternatives available, as you'll see shortly.
Sweet Potato Fries With Flavoring
Avoid feeding your dog any sweet potato fries that contain flavorings.
This should include just about every type of pre-made sweet potato fry product, and it's crucial to listen to this advice as lots of flavorings are toxic to dogs.
Garlic, for example, is a popular flavoring for sweet potato fries but is toxic to dogs. Onion is much the same, as well as many other flavorings.
What Type Of Sweet Potatoes Are Best For Your Dog?
The best types of sweet potatoes to feed your dog are those that are completely plain, cooked completely with skin removed. This removes the potential choking hazard of the skin and ensures that no harmful ingredients like salt or excessive oil are added.
These can be boiled or prepared in other simple ways, as long as no additional ingredients are added.
Before adding any sweet potato to your dog's diet, consult with a veterinarian first.
You can also opt for our single ingredient sweet potato dog treats, which contain no added ingredients and are completely safe and healthy for your pup. They're also ready to eat, so you don't have to spend time preparing them either.
Benefits Of Sweet Potatoes For Dogs
Let's take a closer look at why you should consider adding (plain) sweet potatoes to your dog's diet.
Vitamin Profile
Sweet potatoes are high in many vitamins, such as vitamins C, B6, B5, and E.
Although dogs can synthesize their own vitamin C, vitamins B and E are helpful for overall health.
For example, vitamin B6 is especially vital as it is responsible for glucose generation, nervous system function, and much more.
Vitamin E is helpful for defense against oxidative damage and essential for cell function and fat metabolism.
Fiber
Sweet potato is also high in fiber, containing 6.6g per 200g of baked sweet potato.
Fiber is beneficial for dogs because it helps regulate bowel movements, but it's important not to overdo it, which is why the 10% rule is important to follow.
Antioxidants
Another key benefit of sweet potatoes is that they contain many antioxidants, mainly beta-carotene, chlorogenic acid, and anthocyanins, which have antioxidant properties:
Beta-carotene has been proven to restore immune responses in older dogs significantly.
Chlorogenic acid is a phytochemical and strong antioxidant.
Anthocyanins have several benefits for dogs, such as protecting the heart and improving visual acuity.
How Much Sweet Potato Can My Dog Eat?
With any treats, you must stick to the 10% rule mentioned earlier, where 10% or less of your dog's total daily calories come from treats.
So, if your dog is small in size and requires a daily caloric intake of 400 calories, for example, that would mean they could only have a few small pieces of sweet potato per day at most.
Sweet potato dog treats offer the most bang for your buck as they don't contain any excess calories.
