Props to Brown Rice!

You can implement rice into your dog's diet to help with upset tummy's, diarrhea, and etcetera. It's also a healthy staple in their diet. Not to mention, dogs love the taste...even if some of us may consider it bland.

My two (2) Bull Terriers love rice. I've added a scoopful to their meals for the last several months and can attest to the benefits of it.

Wait I Thought Grains Were Bad for Dogs? 

It's said that dogs don't do grains well, but rice is the most easily and fully digested of grains. Brown rice is better for dogs, and us humans, because it provides natural B vitamins in the bran coating, is minimally processed, and is nutrient packed. Just make sure you cook it first, even if you give your dog a raw food diet. 

What Else?

Brown rice adds excitement to your dogs' meals, it's inexpensive, and it's so easy to cook. 

Rice is very good for dogs and can be an integral part of their diet. If you notice, most dry dog foods contain rice, so why not cook up your own rice and give it to them fresh? It's easy and your dogs will thank you. Plus, you know exactly where the rice is coming from and the quality of the rice you are feeding your dogs. 

"To Eat" Literally Means "To Eat Rice" in Some Parts of the World

All rice is tasty, but hands down, Brown rice is the best rice for your dog. It is minimally processed by removing only the outermost layer of the kernel, the hull.

Producing brown rice is the least damaging to rice's nutrition value. Conversely, converting brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of Vitamin B3, 80% of Vitamin B1, 60% of Iron, and all dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. 

History of Rice

Rice is an ancient food, having first been first cultivated in China around 6,000 years ago. Rice used to only be a staple in Asia, but Arab travelers introduced Rice into Greece. Alexander the Great brought it to India and the rest is history. 

The majority of the world's rice is grown in Asia. Thailand, Vietnam and China are the three largest exporters of rice.

Nutritional Benefits of Rice

There are many nutritional benefits of rice for you and for your dog.

It helps fuel the body and aids in normal brain functioning. Brown Rice has high levels of neurotransmitter nutrients, which help prevent Alzheimer's Disease. 

Brown Rice is rich in good carbohydrates. It does not contain harmful fats, cholesterol, or sodium...more pluses! 

Vitamins and Minerals: Brown Rice is an excellent source of Vitamins, minerals, Iron, calcium, fiber, thiamine, riboflavin, and Niacin, Vitamin B3, Vitamin E, Protein, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D for your dogs. It's rich in insoluble fiber which can help protect against cancerous cells. 

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) contributes to the quality of your dog's skin and coat. A deficiency produces changes to the skin around the eyes and the abdomen.

Calcium for dogs is beneficial for bone growth and health.

Brown Rice is also a great source of energy. Niacin (Vitamin B3) helps convert food in to energy and may help to reduce cholesterol. Niacin helps with skin and coat health (due to its involvement in fatty acid synthesis). It is needed for the body to break down sugars and fats into energy.

Fiber is known to help lower cholesterol and may reduce the risk of certain cancers and can help improve intestinal regularity.

Thiamine/Vitamin B1 will help your dog metabolize fats and proteins. It also helps your dog convert food, or carbohydrates, into fuel, which in turn is then turned into the energy that runs their body. This critical vitamin is also essential for healthy skin, hair eyes, and the liver.

Iron helps to form hemoglobins, which carry the oxygen in the red blood cells.  Also helps in preventing iron deficiency anemia (fatigue).

Brown Rice is also a great source of manganese, magnesium, and selenium.

Magnesium helps build bone and activate enzymes needed to release energy in the body.

Manganese helps promote a healthy bone structure, bone metabolism, and helping to create essential enzymes for building bones. It also plays a role in skin health. You can even apply powdered rice to your dog's skin to help cure skin ailments. 

Selenium is an antioxidant, which functions in conjunction with Vitamin E and certain enzymes to protect cells.

Energy and Weight Loss

Brown Rice is rich in antioxidants and promotes weight loss, and stabilize blood sugar. Brown rice can make your dogs feel full and offer enough energy. However, it doesn't have enough protein on it's own so definitely make sure your dog is getting plenty of healthy proteins, veggies, and fruits.

Storing Uncooked Rice

Because Brown Rice is not processed, it still features an oil-rich germ and therefore should be stored in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container and it will keep fresh for about six (6) months. 

You can buy some packages of un-cooked rice in resealable, airtight bags and can keep those in fridge. I usually buy Lundberg's Rice. It's affordable, has a full-flavor, and is so easy to cook. After cooking, the grains are soft and cling together. Even though I cook the rice for my dogs, I end up putting all the rice in a container and my husband and I share the rice with our dogs. So good. You can find more information about the Lundberg's Rice here. 

Storing Cooked Rice

Some organizations recommend that you store cooked rice in the refrigerator for 4-7 at most.  But other organizations recommend only cooking enough rice to finish by the following day.

However, if you just cooked 1-2 servings of rice each time, you will have no problem going through the rice before it goes "bad". Just make sure it's fully cooked and stored in the fridge in a tightly sealed container. I haven't had any issues storing my rice in the fridge for a few days.

And on That Note...

Well there you have it. Brown Rice does a dog's body good. In moderation. I've done a lot of research, and it's recommended that no more than 40% of your dog's food be grains, which rice is a grain. Try adding a mix of natural (organic if you can) proteins like fish and chicken, veggies, and fruits to your dog's food. If you haven't added rice to your dog's food yet, definitely start out small and see how they take to it. There are dogs that are allergic to grains. 

I'm not a veterinarian or nutritionist. I'm just a gal crazy about dogs and doing what I can to help other dog lover's out there. If you are having health issues with your dog, you should definitely contact your vet.