Banana cue, corn dogs, and turon are some of my favorite snacks. Having spent some time in the Philippines and Korea, I have come to learn how to love some of their roadside snacks.
Having two dogs at home, I get to see lots of reactions when I make some food or snacks like banana cue to eat. I get four good eyes looking at me from different directions, hoping I will give them some, but is it safe to let dogs have banana cue?
Not all human foods are safe for dogs, and while small quantities may not be toxic, they may pose a long-term risk to your pet. Here is everything you need to know about serving banana cue for dogs.
What is banana cue?
If you have been to the Philippines, you will see the banana cue, a delicious snack or dessert, in almost every corner. It is a common Filipino street food that consists of fried bananas with a caramelized brown sugar coating, skewered onto bamboo sticks, just as we do corn dogs in the US.
The name banana cue is derived from combining the words banana and barbecue, since bananas look like meat grilled on sticks. Banana cue is made with saba bananas (a type of banana that can be cooked and eaten raw), the same kinds of bananas used in making turon (these bananas are different from the Cavendish bananas on shelves in supermarkets).
To prepare banana cue, saba bananas are peeled and deep-fried in oil until a golden hue and a crisp exterior are achieved. Then brown sugar is added to the oil and stored until it melts and coats the bananas. After this, the bananas are removed from the oil and skewered onto bamboo sticks in a formation of two per stick.
This caramelized sugar forms a shining coating as it hardens on the banana, providing it with a sweet, crunchy texture.
Is banana cue good for dogs?
Bananas are great low-calorie, cholesterol, and sodium fruits, which can suffice as a treat dogs can eat and are not a major part of a dog’s diet as they have a high sugar content.
However, when saba bananas are used to make a banana cue, they become a less safe treat for dogs. Banana cue is not good for your dog, and they should not be offered some.
Dogs should not be given snacks like bananas cue because they are deep-fried in oil, and fried foods are overly fatty and could lead to inflammation of the pancreas, which would cause the pancreas to prematurely release digestive enzymes that could damage your dog’s intestines, causing them to digest themselves. Which is why I prefer giving low-fat treats to my dogs.
All the potential benefits your dog would have derived from the saba bananas are not only marred by the deep-frying process of the banana cue but also by the caramelized sugar. Sugar is not toxic to dogs, but it poses both short-term and long-term risks to your pooch. Sugary treats like the banana cue for dogs can lead to diabetes, dental disease, and weight gain. In the short run, they could also have an upset stomach.
Can dogs eat banana cue?
Technically, your dog can have 1/6 of a banana cue without problems. However, it is not a dog-friendly treat and will jeopardize your dog’s health as time goes on. If you want to give your dog some sort of banana cue, it is best to make some modifications to the recipe.
Purchase some saba bananas, peel them, and bake until they become golden brown. You can serve it to your dog like that, or you could dip it in some peanut butter, like Kirkland organic, or dog-specific peanut butter.
My dog ate banana cue, What will happen?
If your dog ate a little banana cue, there is nothing to worry about, as there are no toxic ingredients in banana cue. But if your dog consumes so much, like a stick or more, they may experience an upset stomach because of the amount of sugar they had at once. Nothing life-threatening will occur, except they already have an underlying disease like diabetes or pancreatitis.
So, what should I then offer my dogs?
When thinking of what to offer your dog instead of the banana cue, there are numerous alternatives you could get or make that would satisfy your dog. Here are some treats my dog loves:
Spot Farms Turkey Meatball Recipe with Cranberries
These Spot Far treats contain honey, high-fiber rolled oats, turkey (the main ingredient), and cranberries. They are devoid of fillers, preservatives, artificial flavors, and colors. You can hand them to your dog whole, or you could break them up into bits, enabling you to dish them out throughout the day.
Dog-safe turon
This is a homemade treat made with saba bananas. It is not like the typical turon, which is fried in oil, rather, this version calls for baking instead. To get this treat ready, all you need is some saba bananas, jackfruits, and an egg roll wrapper. Slice the jackfruit and saba banana, then wrap them in an eggroll wrapper and bake for a few minutes. You can get the Turon recipe here.
Can dogs have banana cues? Final thoughts
Banana cue is not a dog-specific treat, and they are not healthy for dogs because they are deep-fried and coated with caramel, which can cause pancreatitis or diabetes in dogs.
The best kinds of treats to give your dogs are those that contain ingredients that are safe or that were made with a dog-safe process.
