Can Dogs Taste Black Beans?

Black beans are inexpensive and are a great way to add some extra nutrition to your diet. You probably have a can or bag of uncooked black beans in your home most of the time, so you may have been wondering if your dog can eat black beans as well. 

If you want to tell if your dog likes black beans or if they are not a fan, look out for some of the common signs below! We should note that all dogs are different, so some of these signs may vary from dog to dog. You know your dog the best, so telling if they like black beans should not be that difficult. 

If you feed your dog some black beans and they like the taste and the texture of the beans, your dog will eat them quickly and without any signs of hesitation. Your dog is then likely to beg for more of the food after they finish their initial serving of black beans. 

Your dog may beg for more black beans by standing close to you until you give them more black beans, pawing at you, staring, wagging their tail and picking their ears up so they are alert and pointing forward. Your dog will likely drool and lick their lips, often excessively, and this is one of the most common signs of begging to show a dog likes a certain food. Other typical signs can include pacing, spinning in circles, and jumping up at you. 

On the other hand, your dog may also not like black beans. Your dog will likely try the black beans but will proceed to spit the beans out. Your dog may walk away from the food or they may try and play with the black beans they did not eat. Pawing at the food, flinging it around, growling, exposing their teeth, or giving it the snarly "ugly face" is a sign they do not like beans. 

Beans come in a ton of different varieties and they are considered legumes. Beans have an extensive history and are one of the very first plants to have been cultivated on our planet. Beans date back thousands and thousands of years. 

Beans were grown and ate as food as their main purpose more than 9,000 years ago in Thailand. Although those beans were a bit different than the ones we have today, wild beans, like fava beans, were first found in Afghanistan. We have also found beans in the tombs of Ancient Egyptian Kings and royalty, suggesting beans have not only been around for many thousands of years, but they were seen as sacred and very special. Beans were left in the tombs so the those in the afterlife could feast on them. 

Humans began to cultivate beans beginning 4,000 years ago, when many different bean varieties were planted for food. Some common beans were soybeans, lima beans, and fava beans. Black beans were not a part of the human diet until some years later when more varieties of beans became available. 

Whether or not undomesticated dogs would eat wild beans while out hunting and gathering food is largely unknown because there has been little interest in this area. However, it is likely beans would not have been a source of food for wild dogs or wolves. Dogs would stick to eating flesh from animals and fish. 

Black beans are loaded with protein, fiber, potassium, B vitamins, iron, and magnesium. Black beans actually have high levels of antioxidants that can help fight many kinds of cancer and remove free radicals from the body, which can be very harmful to humans and animals - including dogs. 

Black beans help with the regulation of your dog's blood sugar levels as well. This means that black beans are great for dogs who suffer from diabetes and similar conditions. If you are looking to include these beans in your dog's diet to help with medical issues, we highly recommend speaking with your vet so you can come up with an appropriate feeding plan. 

Protein is one of the main nutrients your dog needs on a daily basis, so adding black beans to your dog's diet can help up the amount of protein they are getting without adding any more meat to their meals, which can be much more cost-effective. Beans are also lower in fat than meat, so they are a healthy and nutritious way to keep up protein levels but without giving too much fat and calories at the same time.

Just because dogs can eat black beans, doesn't mean there isn't a proper way to include beans in their diet. If your dog does not like beans, do not force black beans into their diet unless absolutely necessary. There are other foods with similar nutrient profiles your dog will enjoy and that won't be a struggle to get them to eat. 

If you find your dog does enjoy black beans, adding a small amount of cooked black beans to your dog's meals is the best way to go. Always make sure you cook any dried black beans first because uncooked beans are much too hard for your dog and they will not digest them properly.  You should wash the beans before serving as well. 

Canned beans are another option, but canned beans can contain many unnecessary ingredients that are harmful to your dog. You do not want to give your dog canned beans with seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic, onions, or any added sugars. These ingredients are not healthy for dogs and foods like onions can even be toxic. 

Dried beans are much cheaper, especially if you are feeding beans to more than one dog. Making a portion of black beans for your dog to eat for a few weeks is a great option for busy dog owners. Dried beans have much less sodium than canned beans, which is what you want for your dog. Reduced sodium options have higher levels of sodium compared to dried black beans. 

When preparing dried beans, you must soak them in cold water overnight, wash them off before putting into a pot, and then boil the black beans in unsalted water on the stove until they are soft. 

At all costs, you must never give your dog baked beans, spicy beans, or pre-seasoned chili beans. 

You should stick with the following types of cooked beans when looking for safe beans for your dog to eat: 

• Pinto 
• Black
• Kidney
• Soybeans
• Garbanzo
  
• Green beans 
• Lima beans 
• Lentils