Overview
No, Halawet El Jibn is not safe for dogs to eat. This Syrian dessert is chock-full of sugar and dairy, which can lead to bloating, diarrhea, and elevate the risk for pancreatitis and diabetes in canines.
Can dogs eat Halawet El Jibn?
Risks
- Halawet El Jibn is a semolina and cheese-based dessert rolled into cigars or discs and stuffed with Arabic clotted cream (Ashta) then drizzled with sugar syrup and sometimes garnished with crushed pistachios. It originated in Hama, Syria, and is a beloved dessert in Lebanon, Syria, and the rest of the Levant and the Middle East.
- Halawet El Jibn is not suitable for dogs because of its high sugar and fat content from the syrup and sweetened dairy base.
- Halawet El Jibn uses Akkawi or mozzarella cheese, both of which contain lactose, which dogs have difficulty digesting.
- The dessert is heavily sweetened, with recipes calling for as much as 1 cup of sugar per batch, not including the syrup. Too much sugar can cause a host of problems, including dental disease, diabetes, and obesity in dogs.
