Can Dogs Eat Upma? Is Semolina [Rava] Good for Dogs?

Semolina is made from durum wheat, which is a hard kind of wheat. Semolina is commonly known as rava and has a coarse texture.

Semolina is used all over the world in different food items like breads, porridge, pasta, etc. It is more golden and a little darker in colour than maida (all-purpose flour). Rava also has a mild earthy fragrance.

Rava also has other benefits like it is easy on the digestive system, good for heart health and weight management.

Can Dogs Eat Upma?

Dogs can eat upma sparingly since it is made from semolina (Rava). Semolina is coarse wheat flour and contains a good amount of gluten which may trigger health issues in dogs with gluten-intolerance. Hence, avoid giving food to your dog that is made from rava on a daily basis. You can give them sparingly in low quantities.

What is Rava?

Semolina is also called rava and sooji. It is coarse, granular and darker in colour than maida. Just like maida, it is a ground endosperm of wheat, minus the germ and bran.

Rava is used in India to make a number of savoury dishes like upma, khichdis, rava dosa, rava idli, etc. It is also used to make sweet dishes like sooji halwa, rava ladoo, kesari bath, etc.

If your furry friend is gluten intolerant, then avoid giving him/her rava in his/her food as it can trigger allergies. If your dog is not intolerant to gluten, then you can give him food items made from rava in small quantities, occasionally.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein that is commonly found in many grains like wheat, rye and barley. Common food items made from flours containing gluten are pizza base, bread, pasta, and cereal.

Gluten does not provide any vital nutrients to the body. Dogs experiencing celiac disease may get triggered by eating gluten, thus do not feed them any foods that have gluten in any form.

Dogs with sensitive stomach may suffer from diarrhea when they have foods with gluten.

This means they are gluten intolerant. If this is the case, ensure to consult the vet for guidance and feed them foods that are gluten-free.

What is Rava Upma?

Upma is a healthy and flavourful South Indian dish made from rava, usually eaten for breakfast. Making this dish is super simple.

It involves cooking roasted rava in water (if rava is not roasted, first roast it in a pan), add ghee, urad dal, chana dal, cashews, ginger, onion, herbs and spices. If you like your upma mildly sweet, you can add a pinch of sugar to it.

The primary ingredient of upma is rava, also known as sooji in Hindi and semolina in English.

Upma is a traditional dish of South India but is a staple in many Indian homes. You can feed your dog upma if he/she is not gluten-intolerant. Make sure to start with small quantities and keep an eye while your dog is eating upma for any unusual signs.

Nutritional Value of Semolina (Rava)

Rava is rich in protein and fiber, both these sources are easy to digest and give a feeling of fullness.

Semolina (rava) is also packed with Vitamin B like folate and thiamine, these nutrients are very important for the body as they convert food into energy.

Aprroximate 60-gram uncooked rava provides – [source]

Conclusion

We hope to have helped you understand the scenarios in which you can feed upma to your dog. If your dog is gluten-intolerant, avoid feeding him/her upma and other gluttony foods.

If your dog is able to digest gluten foods, then you can start feeding him/her upma in small quantities. It is a healthy source of nutrition and easily digestible.