Chicory greens have many forms and can go by many names such as curly endive or frisée. Regardless of the type, learn if your dog can eat all chicory safely in this article.
WHAT ARE CHICORY GREENS?
Chicory can be confusing as there are many types of chicory greens grown for consumption and the common chicory green goes by many names.
You may see common chicory referred to as blue daisy, blue dandelion, blue weed, coffeeweed, cornflower and horseweed among others.
It’s a somewhat woody perennial plant with bright blue flowers (hence the many names with “blue” in it).
Then there’s the chicory root which is precisely what it sounds like, the root of the common chicory plant.
Chicory root can be baked, ground and even used as a coffee substitute.
It also contains inulin, one of the most praised plant sources high in prebiotic fibers and great for gut health. Inulin is becoming popular as a sweetener and prebiotic fiber additive in many foods and drinks.
To further complicate things, common chicory also has many different varieties. Some of which you’re probably more familiar with such as endive and radicchio.
The curly endive or frisée shown here is one of those chicory green varietals.
CAN DOGS EAT CHICORY?
Now that we’ve established what chicory is exactly, the question becomes is chicory safe for dogs to eat?
Thankfully, for as much confusion as there is around the name, the answer to this is simple: yes, dogs can safely eat chicory greens.
Chicory root is also permitted for canine consumption just like celery root is safe for dogs to eat.
It doesn’t matter whether the chicory greens (like this frisée or endive) are raw or cooked, both are ok for your dog to chow down on.
However, since chicory is a bitter green, your dog may prefer the cooked option a little more than raw.
If you’re a bitter green lover yourself, try these sautéed dandelion greens with beans. It’s a fiber packed plant-based meal that’s delicious for summer!
Chicory root is appearing in more and more dog foods because of the powerful prebiotic effects of the naturally occurring inulin in the plant.
In fact, some vets have been recommending chicory to help intestinal worms in dogs because of the natural oils emitted by chicory thought to help eliminate parasites.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHICORY FOR DOGS
As a bitter green, chicory is packed with vitamins and minerals.
These greens, such as the curly endive shown are high in vitamin C and E, betacarotene, folate, potassium and magnesium.
The saying “eat your greens” doesn’t just apply to humans, our furry friends can benefit for all the same reasons when it comes to chicory greens and root!