Broccoli
Our ingredient score: 3 / 5 · Fruit or vegetable · How We Score
Broccoli is a vegetable that contains vitamins K and C, fiber and antioxidant compounds such as sulforaphane. Its fiber can support digestion. It can cause gas in some cats. Because it is part of the cabbage family, it also contains substances that can affect the thyroid when eaten in very large amounts, but it is not used in cat food in such amounts. No harm is known at the small amounts used in cat food.
Common Questions
Does broccoli give cats gas?
It can. Broccoli causes gas in some cats.
Is broccoli safe for cats?
Broccoli is a green vegetable from the cabbage family, and a small number of cat foods add it in dried form. It contains vitamins K and C along with a sulfur compound called sulforaphane. We found no FDA or Merck guidance specific to broccoli in cat food. If your cat has a medical condition, ask your veterinarian whether vegetables in its food matter for its care.
Why is broccoli in cat food?
Broccoli is added as a vegetable that brings fiber and plant compounds to the recipe. It also gives the label a fresh, whole-food look. Since cats make their own vitamin C, as the Merck Veterinary Manual notes, the vitamin C in broccoli is not needed for that purpose. The amount in dry food is small.
Source: merckvetmanual.com
Do cats need vitamin C from vegetables like broccoli?
No, cats do not need vitamin C from food. The Merck Veterinary Manual says dogs and cats make vitamin C from glucose in the liver, so there is no dietary requirement for it in either species. Vitamin C may still be added to cat food as an antioxidant, but broccoli is not there to meet a vitamin C need.
Source: merckvetmanual.com
What is sulforaphane in broccoli?
Sulforaphane is a sulfur compound that forms when broccoli is cut or chewed. It has drawn research interest in humans and lab animals for its antioxidant activity. We found no study showing an effect in cats at the small amounts used in dry cat food, and processing can reduce how much remains in the finished kibble.
How does Pettings score broccoli?
Pettings gives broccoli 3 out of 5 and lists it as a fruit or vegetable ingredient. It appears on 4 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. It is one of the rarer vegetables in the dry cat foods we track. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.
How Foods With Broccoli Compare
Broccoli is on the label of 4 of the 149 dry cat foods we list.