Vegetarians and Vegans generally appreciate the wellness benefits that are derived from a greener and holistic life style. Vegans, in particular, aspire to a moral and ethical life style.

However, almost every person acknowledges the positive impact that a natural, wholesome and organic diet can have on health and the great value that vegetables offer in terms of mineral and vitamin wealth.

A wholesome diet, including vegetables, fruits and legumes, is also essential in producing natural antioxidants and thus, protects us from sickness and in controlling free radicals, which is the cause of many dread diseases and general poor health.

Some may  argue that a vegetable diet for a dog is unnatural in some way, but its important to note that in nature dogs wouldn't eat anything like what is commonly found nowadays - in a can or in pellet form. Most commercial pet food is made of very questionable meats, not fit for human consumption that would otherwise be thrown away. These foods are filled with preservatives and other additives that, over time, can detriment the health of your pet.

The abstract discussion as to whether our dogs evolved from a wolf or dingo is of no real consequence at all. Dogs have evolved over thousands of years to eat a balanced home prepared diet, very similar to what we eat.

Historically our pets have been fed table scraps and stolen titbits and their metabolism has adapted to accommodate the variation. Our dogs can no longer digest copious amounts of raw meat and actually prefer a diet that is rich in vegetables and nutritious pulses’

Herewith some vegetables and legumes that are great value for money, effective and nutritional for both human and animal: Lentils, Brown Rice, Millet, Peas, Pearl Barley, Wheat Germ, Beetroot, Sweet Potato, Carrots, etc.

So whether you are cooking for the family, two legged or four, make sure that you include vegetable and legumes in their diet.