Can Dogs Eat Lima Beans?

by Visitor (Anonymous)

Here's an interesting question sent in by one of our Dog Spoiling visitors:

Can dogs eat Lima Beans?

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From the Editors at Dog-Spoiling

Can Dogs East Lima Beans

Answer From Dog Spoiling:


Yes, as it turns out, they most certainly can eat Lima beans as well as other types of legumes. Even better, most dogs really seem to like them and they are very nutritious.

Limas, also known as Butter Beans, are native to south America where they have been grown for thousands of years.

They are available both fresh and green, as well as dried when they take on a light beige color. While the fresh are harder to find, it's fun and pretty easy, to grow them from seed yourself.

If you do this, you can choose between two varieties: Fordhook and Butter also called baby Lima. The Fordhook are the larger in size of the two.

Good Source of Protein

Beans provide a considerable amount of protein - a vital ingredient in a dog's diet.

How much protein depends on the type of legume, but to give you an idea: Soybeans provide almost 10 grams per ounce, while Lima beans have a little over 5 grams per ounce.

Lentils on the other hand have about 7 grams per ounce and these can also be sprouted from seeds.

Other Nutritional Facts

The Lima bean also contains a significant amount of fiber which helps keep blood sugar levels from rising too quickly after meals - making them a good addition to the diet of diabetic pets.

In addition, Limas are also fat free, a good source of iron and have a nice, quite buttery taste.

Beans and rice when added to any recipe contribute a significant amount of useful protein (almost complete) and are an ideal addition for a pet on a vegan diet.

Cooking Tips

Because dogs have shorter digestive tracts, these and other beans are best cooked and even pureed.

They can easily be added to homemade dog food. In fact I have a tasty recipe for pets that has Lima beans along with rice and meat.

There are various ways to cook Lima beans, here's one way:

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  - To 4 cups of boiling water, slowly add one cup dry beans that have been picked over and well rinsed.


• - Boil for 3 minutes; remove from heat and let stand (covered) for approximately one hour.


• - Drain off the cooking water and rinse before using.

If your dog gets gassy after eating beans, try this:

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  - Pre-soak dried beans in water for three hours.


• - Bring the water to a boil and then simmer for half an hour.


• - Drain and replace water and continue cooking at a simmer until done - about another 30 minutes.


• - Discard water and rinse.

This last method helps reduce the starchy sugars that contribute to gas. Or, you can also add an anti-gas probiotic supplement, which also does wonders for overall health.

Can You Freeze Lima Beans?

Glad you asked. Well yes you can.

This is especially useful if you make a big batch for your family, including your dog of course, and don't want to use them all at once.

Just for reference, you'll get about six cups of cooked beans from a pound of dry ones.

So, if you plan to freeze them, first let the beans cool in the cooking liquid, then drain. Save the liquid if you think you might want to add it to another recipe such as a family soup, or the pet recipe I have included below. Then label some bpa-free freezer bags of the size you need with the contents and date.

Fill the bags with the beans and freeze. I'd recommend planning to use the beans within the next 5-6 months. Just let a bag defrost overnight in your fridge when you want to use them. Voila!

Lima Bean Recipe For Dogs

Here's a tasty recipe you might like to make for your special dog pal. Just make sure you have some rendered bacon fat on hand before starting - it's essential to the flavor!

Bacon Flavored Bean Burgers

To one cup of cooked, mashed lima beans add

2 tablespoons of cornmeal

1 rounded teaspoon of A/P flour and

A pinch of salt

Add a just enough of the bean cooking liquid to create a burger consistency.

Heat some bacon fat in a skillet until quite hot.

Make patties using about one tablespoon of the bean mixture for each one.

Cook on both sides until brown.

Let cool a bit and then watch your dog enjoy!

We hope this information has been of help to you and others.




Comments from our visitors who have first hand knowledge of including beans in their dog's diet, are very welcome.