Can Dogs Eat Jackfruit? Is Jackfruit Good for Dogs?

If you’re an adventurous eater, you may have heard of or even eaten jackfruit. It’s a large spiky fruit indigenous to Southeast Asia that has a sweet, mellow taste and semi-firm texture.

And when cooked certain ways, jackfruit is quickly becoming a meat substitute for vegans all over the United States. But while it’s yummy and nutritious for us, can dogs have jackfruit?

The short answer is: nobody’s quite too sure. Thus, it’s safest to avoid it.

While this may seem like a cop-out answer, there just hasn’t been enough scientific studies performed and evidence collected to give a real dedicated answer.

What Vitamins and Minerals are Contained within Jackfruit?

Jackfruit is a very unique fruit often touted as one of the world’s superfoods. Weighing up to 80 pounds, these behemoths are jam-packed with plenty of essential vitamins and nutrients that both you and your dog need.

Jackfruit is a great source of the following:

This magical fruit also contains a great amount of fiber and antioxidants to help your body function properly.

So how can something so good be bad for your dog?

Jackfruit Seeds and Their Dangers

First off, we’ll start by saying that you shouldn’t feed jackfruit seeds to your pup. We’ll explain more about why we know this answer, but first a bit more information on this unique sweet treat.

The fruit itself isn’t the only edible part of the jackfruit. In fact, the seeds can be consumed as well (by humans). They’re often roasted or turned into some kind of sweet, like a brittle.

However, like many other seeds, they shouldn’t be eaten raw. When consumed raw, jackfruit seeds actually have an antinutrient content, meaning they reduce the absorption of essential nutrients, inhibit digestive enzymes, and precipitate proteins.

And your pup doesn’t know the difference between raw and cooked seeds. If your dog gets a hold of some raw jackfruit seeds, they could have an upset stomach after eating them.

They are also a major choking hazard as well. While many fruit seeds are small and easily swallowed, jackfruit seeds can be rather large. The fruits themselves can weigh up to 80 pounds, and their seeds look like they can produce 80-pound fruits. Small dogs in particular should beware of eating them — cooked or otherwise.

Is Jackfruit Rind Safe?

This answer we know for sure, and it’s a resounding no.

First of all, we’re not sure many people, or animals for that matter would be caught gnawing on the rind of a jackfruit. It’s thick, tough, and covered with dull spikes. However, who’s to say that’s going to stop your Labrador Retriever from trying?

However, that wouldn’t be good at all. The rind is indigestible and tends to come out the same way it went in — as a whole piece. This can pose some very serious dangers, including the ripping of the stomach or intestinal lining.

For this reason, letting your dog eat jackfruit rind should be avoided at all times.

What About the Jackfruit Latex?

When breaking open a jackfruit, you’ll find that the fruit itself is surrounded by a layer of white, sticky material known as latex. This latex isn’t good for either humans or dogs alike. And in humans, it’s the most dangerous part of the fruit for those who are allergic.

While there haven’t been any cases directly tied to jackfruit latex poisoning and dogs, it’s best not to take chances to produce the first statistic. It’s been seen that some dogs develop eczema when latex of other fruits are consumed. So, if your pup is one of these fruit sensitive dogs, it’s best to avoid jackfruit altogether.

Jackfruit and Diabetes

While jackfruit has a bunch of great vitamins and minerals, it’s also full of natural sugar. But due to its high fiber content, vitamin C, and other antioxidants, the effects of that sugar aren’t felt right away in humans. However, diabetic effects can be quickly exhibited in dogs, especially those who are smaller in stature.

Conclusion

Can dogs eat jackfruit? Since we can’t say for sure that the meat of the jackfruit is safe, we’d recommend choosing one of the dozens of fruits we know for certain are safe over this one.

The science is still too uncertain as to whether or not jackfruit would make a good treat or meal for your pup. So, if you plan on preparing jackfruit for yourself, take extra precaution. Keep the rind and seeds away from your pooch and ensure that you’ve safely peeled away and disposed of the fruit’s latex. Then offer a tasty doggy-approved treat to your pup while you enjoy the tropical freshness of jackfruit.

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Featured Image Credit: kieutruongphoto, Pixabay