As a horse owner or equestrian, you must know how much pleasure it can bring to give your horse a special treat. But giving your horse the wrong thing might have disastrous results. You may offer your horse a special reward without worrying about the results if you are knowledgeable about the many foods that they can safely consume as well as the ones that they cannot.
Fruits and vegetables that horses may eat include carrots, celery, apples, cucumbers, melons, and many others.
Learning the things that your horse cannot eat is more crucial than knowing the meals that they can consume without harm. In this article, we will give you a thorough knowledge of feeding edamame to your horses, including the benefits and risks involved.
Can Horses Eat Edamame?
Yes, horses can eat edamame, but in very moderate quantities. Edamame is a highly nutritious vegetable that provides your equine friends with a lot of health benefits. However, this vegetable also contains certain chemicals that may pose a threat to your horses’ health. It is therefore advisable that you do not feed edamame to your horse on a regular basis.
Edamame
Edamame beans are young, unripe soybeans that are plucked from their pods. They have a mild flavour and are good cooked, roasted, or boiled. Unlike the ripe soybeans used to create soy milk and tofu, which are hard and dry, edamame is tender and edible. Edamame is a Japanese term that means "beans on a branch." Most frequently used in East Asian cuisine, edamame is available both in the pod and hulled. Edamame in the pod is a great snack since it provides taste even when the pod itself is not edible. The hulled variety tastes fantastic when added to salads and rice recipes. Edamame is not expensive, though hulled edamame is slightly more expensive.
These little green beans are a fantastic source of fibre and energy since they are loaded with vitamins, proteins, and antioxidants. They are naturally low in calories, high in vital fatty acids, and devoid of gluten.
Benefits of Edamame for Horses
Fibre
Fibre, which supports a healthy digestive tract and decreases cholesterol, may be found in edamame, with a cup containing 4 grams. Edamame's fibre can also help with weight loss. Additionally, it gives the body the nutritional power to combat bacterial fermentation in the intestines.
Energy
Energy is required by horses to carry out their vital daily processes, such as food digestion and absorption, activity, development, and reproduction. 507 kilojoules (121 kilocalories) of dietary energy are included in a 100-gram serving of edamame. Therefore, feeding edamame to horses will provide them with enormous energy to perform all their daily processes.
Carbohydrate
The bean edamame has fewer carbs than most other legumes. One cup of shelled, steamed edamame contains about 14 grammes of carbohydrates.
Due to its extremely low sugar content, edamame might be advised for horses that are suffering from metabolic issues.
Protein
Protein intake is essential for good health. A cup of cooked, shelled edamame pods has around 18.4 grammes of protein, making edamame a protein powerhouse. Additionally, soy protein contains all nine necessary amino acids, so it is a high-quality protein comparable to animal protein. For this reason, edamame is a good source of protein for your horses.
Edamame also gets around a third of its calories from protein, another third from carbohydrates, and the last third from lipids. Because of this, edamame is a nutritious item you should include in your horse’s diet.
Contains healthy fats
Omega-3 fatty acids, which are included in edamame, are good polyunsaturated fats that may help your horse's skin, reduce the likelihood of horses becoming obese, and perhaps lessen the symptoms of heart disease.
Vitamins
Edamame is very rich in several vitamins, such as vitamins C, K, B1, B2, and B9, and beta-carotene (a provitamin of vitamin A), all of which are essential for horses’ health.
All bodily tissues require vitamin C for growth, development, and repair. It is also an antioxidant that can defend against damaging chemicals known as free radicals.
Vitamin K is a vital vitamin that the body needs for blood clotting, bone formation, and other significant functions.
Vitamins B1 and B2 allow the body to utilise carbohydrates as an energy source. They also have an impact on the immune and nervous systems.
Because of its involvement in maintaining healthy red blood cells, folic acid helps to enhance haemoglobin levels. This may aid exercising horses by ensuring enough oxygen delivery to their muscles.
Beta carotene is a precursor to vitamin A, which the body easily converts into vitamin A. A carotenoid-rich diet, particularly beta carotene, has been shown in studies to improve eye health and prevent eye disorders in horses.
Minerals
Essential mineral elements, which include calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron, are all present in edamame.
Calcium is required for bone development, integrity, neuromuscular function, and blood coagulation.
Magnesium is a mineral that horses need for normal nerve and muscle function.
Potassium is a mineral that is necessary for the regular functioning of all bodily cells. It is required for cardiac regulation as well as muscle and nerve function.
Phosphorus is essential for energy transmission (ATP), DNA and RNA production, cell membranes, and other processes.
Iron is responsible for the formation of haemoglobin, a pigment present in the blood that helps transport oxygen to tissues.
Potential Risks of Feeding Edamame to Horses
Certain poisonous and dangerous substances can be found in raw edamame. These are antitrypsin proteins that impede the action of trypsin and other proteases in the body, causing an enlarged pancreas. Trypsin is an enzyme that aids in the breakdown of various proteins. When edamame is cooked or roasted, the inhibitor is destroyed and does not damage your horse. The integrity of the nutrients in edamame is not affected by cooking.
Although edamame is a healthy vegetable, it is not advisable that you offer it to your horse daily. Edamame is a frequent allergen in horses; therefore, give a modest quantity at first. Allergy symptoms may not appear immediately but may include intense itching, loss of hair, and gastrointestinal disturbances.
Final Words
Edamame is a very nutritious vegetable that provides your horses with a lot of benefits. However, as a horse owner, you need to keep in mind that this vegetable also comes with some harm that may be detrimental to the horses’ health. It is also important to note that several other vegetables are safe for your horses' health.