If you are into Japanese cuisine, then you probably like ramen noodles. A bowl of these noodles can keep a person satisfied and full for hours.
And although authentic Japanese ramen is not cheap and is hard to find, there is also the highly popular instant ramen. Instant ramen is known for being cheap and makes for a common favorite snack and meal amongst college students. And ramen noodles are comfort food for most of us.
But can we share it with our dogs? A lot of people wonder about this and have the common question “can dogs eat ramen noodles?”
In this article, you’ll learn whether dogs can eat ramen noodles or not. You’ll also learn if this food has health benefits and/or harmful effects on our dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Ramen Noodles?
The short answer is no; dogs should not eat ramen noodles. Ramen noodles are not a healthy food choice for dogs.
There are many types of foods that are not good for dogs, such as grapes, bones, and chocolate. You can add ramen noodles to that list.
Why Are Ramen Noodles Bad for Dogs?
Although ramen noodles are not necessarily toxic for dogs, they are considered to be an unhealthy food for our dogs. This is partially because dogs cannot handle carbs as well as humans generally do.
Excessive carbohydrates can lead to conditions such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
In some cases, ramen noodles can be toxic or very bad for dogs. This is because ramen noodles are cooked with a lot of seasonings which can be very harmful to dogs.
Effects of Ramen Seasonings on Dogs
First, ramen contains a lot of sodium, or salt. Salt is always bad for dogs.
At the very least, salt can cause kidney problems for your dogs. At worst, salt may cause salt poisoning. Many people tend to put a lot of seasonings on their ramen noodles.
We have mentioned before that seasonings can be harmful and unhealthy, if not toxic, to your dog. For example, you should not put garlic powder, onion powder or poultry seasoning in your ramen noodles.
Some ramen noodles also tend to be spicy. And dogs should stay away from spicy foods. Spicy ramen noodles can cause a severe problem to a dog’s stomach and digestive system. It may cause diarrhea. Aside from that, it may also cause discomfort among dogs.
The thing about dogs is that they cannot really taste spicy foods. Or at least they will not react to it as we do.
The science behind that is that dogs only have about 1,700 taste buds. On the other hand, we humans have about 9,000 taste buds.
Can Dogs Eat Raw Ramen?
What about raw ramen noodles? Can dogs eat it?
The answer is still no; raw ramen noodles are hard. Your dogs will have a hard time chewing raw ramen noodles, and they will also have a hard time digesting it in the process.
So, in conclusion, it is best to avoid feeding your dogs ramen noodles altogether. Although ramen noodles are not toxic, they will cause more harm than good to you and your dogs.
Learn More About What Human Foods Are Healthy or Harmful for Dogs
This article is a part of our special series of articles about “What Human Foods Can Dogs Eat?”
In the next article, find out Can Dogs Eat Chorizo?
