How long can you chew through a piece of dumpling? 30 seconds or a minute maybe?
Did you know that Isaac Harding can eat a whopping 30 pieces of dumplings in just 2 minutes?
Unbelievable!
But, yes, this Sydney man has set the new Guinness World Record.
If you are a huge fan of dumplings and a dog owner like the guy in this video, you are probably wondering if it is actually safe to feed your pet some dumplings.
This treat has several ingredients, and I am pretty sure you want to know if any of them are toxic to dogs.
Let us go ahead and dig deeper.
What is a dumpling?
A dumpling is a dough wrapped around a filling, which may include meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and even sweets.
It could also be without any filling at all.
The dough is usually made from a variety of starch sources like flour, potatoes, or bread, which is then mixed with salt and water.
This savory bite-sized treat can be prepared in different ways. It can be boiled, simmered, steamed, or fried.
Dumplings are very famous all over the world, but they are most popular in the UK, China, Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries.
They are also well-loved in North America. Take note though that some countries may prepare and eat dumplings in special ways.
This food has been around since time immemorial.
It has been passed down generation to generation, and you can see it in various cuisines and cultures.
It is believed that dumplings were invented by a Chinese medicine practitioner named Zhang Zhongjing, thousands of years ago.
According to the legend, he basically mixed herbs with chilis and muttons, then wrapped them in dough before steaming them.
This helped keep the ill people warm at the time.
Although experts believed that dumplings originated in China during the Han dynasty, variations of the recipe appeared in Italy, Brazil, and other countries.
If Zhongjing created the very first dumplings to help the sick people survive the difficult winter, other people created their own versions to extend the life of meat and utilize excess grains.
The word ‘dumpling’ was first seen in an English text back in the 1600, which was believed to have a German origin.
Terms like matzoh ball, wonton, and gnocchi are also being used. In Central Asia, dumplings are commonly referred to as manti, manty, or mantu.
In Korea, they call them mandu.
In Japan, on the other hand, dumplings are known as dangu, gyoza, or nikuman.
We can go on and on listing other names for dumplings and their variations. But one thing is for sure, they are very much loved all over the world.
Giving them to your pet dog though may be a whole different story…
Are dumplings toxic to dogs?
You can find dumplings in different sizes, shapes, and ingredients, which make them very appealing.
Your puppy might even be tempted to eat them. However, you should think twice before giving a piece to your furry baby.
Some or most of the ingredients may be unhealthy, or worse, toxic.
Dumplings in Asian countries usually contain garlic, chives, and onions.
Sure, they are quite aromatic, and the combination can really make any dish tempting.
However, they are all highly toxic to dogs.
According to VCA Hospitals, these members of the Allium family can make dogs and cats very sick.
Giving them to your pet can even cause death because they have components that can cause severe damages to red blood cell membranes.
Once they get too fragile, they may burst, and they can no longer transport oxygen to the major organs of a dog.
This can then lead to a series of health issues.
Ingredients like salt, soy sauce, and fat are also dangerous to dogs especially when consumed in large amounts.
Although a piece of dumpling may not contain high doses of unsafe ingredients to dogs, allowing your pet to eat a dumpling may still cause problems like stomach upset and diarrhea.
Other common ingredients for making dumplings include carrots, cabbage, store-bought mushrooms, and flour.
Although these are not toxic to dogs, the mere fact that they are mixed with some unsafe ingredients makes them unhealthy to your pet overall.
Flour, on the other hand, can cause allergies to some dogs.
What are the most popular flavours of dumpling?
Dumplings can be filled with a lot of things, but the most popular flavours include the following:
Plain
This comes with the simplest recipe since you only need flour, butter or margarine, salt, and water. They can be prepared in a flash. You can enjoy them steamed or pan-fried. Either way, they are good, especially when dipped in your favorite sauce.
Is it safe to feed plain dumplings to dogs? This right here does not have any fillings, and we only need to focus on the very few ingredients. According to experts, dogs do not really need flour in their diets because this could be the cause of allergies. However, this ingredient is being used to bind other ingredients. So if you are making plain dumplings for your pet, be sure to use whole-grain flour, which is much safer. Be careful of the amount of butter or margarine that you are putting as well.
Pork
For pork lovers out there, this is the perfect dumpling choice. Pork dumplings are made with ground pork, wonton papers, minced fresh ginger root, sliced green onion, minced garlic, egg, sesame oil, soy sauce, and shredded Chinese cabbage.
This flavour might sound really delicious. To humans, yes, it is savory, but the presence of ingredients like onions and garlic makes this type of dumpling unsafe for your dog.
Beef
With this, you can add the same ingredients above. You just have to replace the pork with beef.
Similar to pork dumplings, this flavour contains members of the Allium family, which is toxic to dogs. It would be better to keep this away from your pup.
Chicken
This type of dumpling contains ground chicken, flour, cabbage, grated ginger, chopped scallion, salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper.
Chicken dumplings also contain scallion which is not good for dogs at all. So no, don’t give this to your pet.
Prawn
If you are into seafood, you can fill your dumplings with prawns, combined with ginger root, spring onions, sesame oil, rice wine, and soy sauce.
Prawns are safe for dogs to eat, but mixing it with spring onions and soy sauce makes it unhealthy for your pet.
With all that said, out of all the most popular dumpling flavours, the plain one is the safest for dogs as long as you use whole-grain flour and minimize the amount of butter. If you want to add flavors like pork, chicken, beef, or prawn, you should eliminate ALL the ingredients that are toxic to dogs as mentioned above. You can create your own recipe of dog-friendly dumplings.
What is the nutrition in a plain dumpling?
One small plain dumpling contains 22 calories. It consists of 23% fat, 66% carbs, and 11% protein. Steamed, plain dumplings are a whole lot healthier than the fried versions. No wonder why people on diet prefer this type.
Can dogs eat popular dumpling fillings?
Like we said earlier, the filling options for dumplings are endless. They can be meaty or sweet. They can also be filled with veggies. In America, the so-called apple dumplings, which are packed with cinnamon sugar and butter are a favorite treat during the fall season. When the Ganesh festival comes in August, Modak, which is filled with coconut, is very popular. Potato dumplings are a favorite in Germany as well.
Whether or not your dog can eat these popular dumpling fillings really depends on what the treat is made of, so let us list some of the ingredients.
Apples with cinnamon sugar and butter
Dogs can eat apples. In fact, they can be a healthy snack since they are packed with vitamins A and C, as well as fiber. However, once this fruit is mixed with cinnamon sugar and butter when making apple dumplings, that is when these ingredients become unsafe to your pet. Cinnamon itself is nontoxic to dogs, but a large quantity may possibly lead to an upset stomach, diarrhea, or vomiting.
Too much sugar also has negative effects on dogs. It can cause teeth problems as well as obesity and diabetes. Butter, just like cinnamon, is nontoxic to dogs, but its high fat content is where the problem comes from. It can present several health risks.
Coconut
Although coconut and coconut-based products are unlikely to cause serious problems to your pet dog when taken in small amounts, the oil that they contain may cause loose stools and stomach upset.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg is one of the ingredients present in Modak. It is toxic to dogs, especially when consumed in large quantities.
Saffron
This right here is another ingredient used when making Modak. Experts say that it is less toxic in small amounts. But when taken in large amounts, this spice can potentially poison a dog. It can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, lethargy, and abdominal pain.
Jaggery
This traditional cane sugar is a no-no for dogs. It is considered toxic to canines. Even in moderate amounts, it can still cause problems like overweight and rotten teeth.
Potatoes
Kartoffelknoedel, also known as potato dumplings, are a favorite accompaniment to various dishes in Germany. Raw potatoes contain high levels of solanine, which is toxic to dogs. With potato dumplings, the cooking process reduces the levels of this toxic compound. But just to be on the safe side, it would be best not to give your pet any of it.
Shrimps
Shrimps are a good choice for dogs that are on diet because they are low in fat, calories, as well as carbohydrates. The downside though is that this seafood is quite high in cholesterol, making it a not-so-good choice for your pup’s diet.
Closing thoughts
Although dumplings are a savory treat for human beings and could definitely tickle your taste buds, giving them to your pet dog may not be that safe. As you can see in the discussion above, dumplings of various flavors contain ingredients that are either toxic or bad for your dog’s health. Never give store-bought dumplings to your furry baby as those contain high levels of sodium and other preservatives.
If you really want your pet to have a taste of this treat, might as well prepare some at home. But be sure to use ingredients that are safe and non-toxic to dogs.
