Can Dogs Eat Banana Chips?

If your pup is a fan of the snack, you are probably wondering, ‘can dogs eat banana chips’.

The truth is that, although dogs can eat banana chips, these chips are not exactly good for them. This is because banana chips involve the use of unripe, deep-fried bananas that are coated in either honey or sugar – both of which are undesirable for canines, especially in larger quantities. Even though neither ingredient is toxic for dogs, such large amounts of sugar – coupled with empty calories and high fats – can lead to long-term health issues.

So, Should my Dog Not Eat Banana Chips?

The truth is that banana chips are quite unhealthy. Even bananas, by themselves, are extremely sugary, which is why a lot of dog owners do not make the fruit a regular part of their pups’ diets. But when this sugary fruit is covered with a large amount of artificial sugars, the problem is immensely compounded.

Apart from sugar, another issue with deep-fried bananas is the high fat content. To put things into perspective, a couple of raw, medium-sized bananas will contain around a gram of fat. A small banana chips portion, meanwhile, will have an alarming fat serving of almost 15 grams. This can never spell well for dogs – especially dogs that are already struggling with weight issues and obesity.

Alongside fats and sugar, the high amounts of fiber present in banana chips can distress your dog’s already-sensitive stomach. If gastrointestinal issues are common with your pup, you should focus on feeding him fresh fruit and avoid processed foods like banana chips.

Even if we assume that banana chips do not cause any problems in dogs, we cannot deny the fact that these chips do not offer any advantages either. As per FoodData Central (the database belonging to the US Agricultural Research Service and the Department of Agriculture), a 100-gram banana chips serving consists of 500 calories, 66.67 grams of carbohydrates, 3.33 grams of protein, 26.67 grams of fat, and 3.3 grams of fiber. In contrast, banana chips contain trace amounts of nutrients (1.2 grams of iron, for instance).

So, perhaps your dog can get decent amounts of nutritional fiber from banana chips. However, the high amount of empty calories, fats, and sugars far outweigh any benefits that this snack might have had to offer.

In addition, there is also the question of quality when it comes to snacks like banana chips. Today, there are numerous brands that offer banana chips, many of whom include heavy flavors and unhealthy additives such as spices, which can prove toxic for your dog. Another compound that might be present in banana chips is myristicin, which is certainly not safe for a dog. These compounds can lead to upset stomach in dogs, as well as more serious issues including arrhythmia and elevated heart rate.

Can Dogs Eat Bananas?

It is true that fruits provide us a tasty way to replenish our electrolytes and boost the immune system. Hence, it is a good idea to share fruits with your dog every now and then, because the high amounts of minerals and vitamins can certainly prove beneficial.

Fresh bananas, for instance, contain excellent quantities of omega-6 fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids, and, of course, potassium. Potassium is an electrolyte which is fundamental to your dog’s health, as it assists in the normal functioning of the numerous electrical charges present in the muscles, nerves, and heart. Potassium deficiency can lead to unnatural fatigue or a loss of appetite.

The fatty acids, meanwhile, boost general health and vitality, while also playing a role in maintaining and improving coat health in dogs. In addition to that, omega-3 and omega-6 can help prevent heart issues and various canine allergies. Unfortunately, many of these benefits either disappear or are greatly reduced, once bananas are converted into banana chips.

Preparing Banana Chips at Home:

If you feel that your dog absolutely have to have banana chips, you should consider preparing the chips yourself. At least this way, you will be able to ensure that the chips do not contain any unhealthy or dangerous additives. In addition, you will actually be able to add some ingredients that will be able to make the overall snack healthier, while also nullifying some of the disadvantages.

Below is a dried banana chips recipe for your dog, which is simple and effective:

Step 1:

Take a couple of medium-sized bananas and slice them (make sure that they are neither too thin nor too thick) and place them inside a bowl.

Step 2:

Preheat your oven to around 120 degrees.

Step 3:

Add a tablespoon of peanut butter (all-natural).

Step 4:

Mix everything.

Step 5:

Use a baking sheet or tray to arrange the banana chips, and place them inside the oven.

Step 6:

Allow the banana chips to reach room temperature, and then serve them to your dog.

You can use this treat for two (or maybe even three) servings, assuming that each serving consists of 7-10 chips.

Wrapping Up:

To sum up, we would like to reiterate that, even though banana chips are highly unlikely to prove toxic to your dog, they are not particularly healthy or desirable either. If you still want to go ahead and feed these chips to your dogs, we recommend that you make them yourself at home.

If that is not an option either, you can look for baked or dehydrated banana chips, which you can find in various health food stores. We recommend dehydrated or baked chips because, compared to deep-fried chips, these varieties contain considerably lower amounts of oil. For example, compared to the almost 24 grams of fat contained in deep-fried chips, preservative-free and unsweetened chips contain less than 8 grams of fat in the same serving.

To learn more about the best food options for dogs, please feel free to check out some of the other blogs on our website.