Arugula or Rocket is a famous type of green that is being used all around the world. This leafy green is very popular, especially in Italian cuisine dishes. It was used first as herbal medicine back in Roman times. And now, people sometimes use it raw in salads, and sometimes it’s eaten cooked.
But, Can Parrots Eat Arugula?
Yes, parrots can eat arugula and take advantage of the wonderful benefits these leafy greens can provide. In fact, this is not limited only to parrots, but also other types of birds as well. Arugula is one of the best types of greens you can add to your parrot meals.
And in this article, you will find out why arugula can make a great addition for parrots and what benefit they can get from eating it. So, let’s get into this.
What Benefits Parrots Will Get From Arugula?
Not only arugula can provide parrots with the nutrients they need in their daily meals, but there are also a lot of veggies parrots can eat along with arugula, since arugula does not suffice for a parrot’s dietary requirements. And therefore, parrots need diverse diet systems to get what they need of nutrients.
However, Arugula is still one of the best sources of many important nutrients parrots need, and it can make a great ingredient if added to their daily rations. And according to USDA, every 100 grams of arugula contains:
- 25 Calories
- 2.58 g of Protien
- 0.66 g of Fat
- 2.05 g of Sugar
- 1.6 g of Fiber
- 160 mg of Calcium
- 1.46 mg of iron
- 47 mg of Magnesium
- 52 mg Phusphorus
- 369 mg Potassium
- 27 mg of Sodium
- 0.47 mg of Zinc
- 0.076 mg of Copper
- 0.321 mg of Manganese
- 15 mg of Vitamin C
- 0.073 mg of Vitamin B-6
These are the nutrients that arugula comprise in relatively higher amounts. Some other nutrients exist in arugula but with lower levels, and you can find them on the USDA Website.
These nutrients are important for every living being, not only to parrots but also to humans, other mammals, and reptiles. And all of them can be found in Arugula, which makes them a very great addition to our parrots’ diet.
Are There Any Drawbacks For Arugula?
For humans, sometimes there is a need to take a medicine that helps in blood thinning, while the Vitamin K in arugula can reduce the effects of such medicine.
However, the amount of Vitamin K in arugula is too low, and only consuming a lot of it can make such a reduction appear. and this is because Vitamin K is vital for blood clotting, which is the opposite of blood thinning.
And in parrots, it’s extremely rare for them to use such medicine. So, it’s Ok for them to eat arugula.
How to Prepare Arugula For Parrots
It depends on how you always prepare arugula. The easiest way and what I recommend is to serve them to your pet parrot while they are still fresh and raw.
Cooking the arugula for parrots is not as good as serving them raw. Raw arugula contains the highest amounts of nutrients, and cooking will drastically reduce them to lower levels.
Make sure you wash them thoroughly and make sure you removed the rotten parts before serving and adding them to your parrot meals.
If your parrot likes to eat arugula, you can treat him with it, although they don’t contain many benefits on their own. And other fruits and veggies can provide your parrot with more benefits than arugula. Dragon fruit, Passion fruit, mango, cucumber, and dates for example.
Can Parrots Eat Cooked Arugula?
Arugula is usually eaten raw, but sometimes people cook and use it as an ingredient in some dishes. For parrots, it depends on the way of cooking the arugula, if the seasoning was a huge part of the cooking way, then it’s probably not going to be good for the parrot.
However, if you are talking about just boiling the arugula, then it’s ok to serve it to them.
Can Parrots Eat Wilted & Sauteed Arugula?
These two recipes are the most popular, and they both contain many ingredients that may pose harm to the parrot’s overall health. Garlic and salt, for example. So, No Parrots can not eat Wilted Arugula or Sauteed Arugula because of the many unnatural ingredients for the parrot’s system.
Can Parrots Eat Arugula Salad?
Yes, parrots can eat arugula salad, but only if the ingredients were veggies or fruits. The salad should not contain peppers, olive oil, or any type of dressings, just fresh raw salad.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Arugula is Ok for parrots and birds to consume. However, it’s always preferable to add arugula as an ingredient to your parrot daily rations. You shouldn’t use arugula as a major meal for the bird.
The level of nutrients in arugula is not sufficient, and you should use more ingredients like seeds, nuts, fruits, and other vegetables. Because of the peppery taste of these greens, some parrots may love them. So, you can use arugula as a treat to your parrot.
The secret to a healthy diet for your parrot is to diversify the meals as much as possible and focus on adding more seeds and nuts, as they are the natural food for most parrot breeds.
And yes, that’s about it. Hope you find this informative and easy to digest. Thank you for reading.
Hello, my name is sadeq and I am obsessed about parrot And I am here to share everything about raising pet parrots and how to be good owners to your bird.
