Content
DIET - Nutrition Chart
SUGAR at a Glance
The following chart dramatically demonstrates how fruits can contribute a significant amount of sugar to the diet of your guinea pig. Sugar can negatively affect the gut flora in a guinea pig, promoting the overgrowth of "bad" bacteria. Guinea pigs depend on their digestive system to break down complex foods like hay. Beneficial bacteria produce B-vitamins which are important to good health.
Fruits are color coded light orange; vegetables are color coded light green with crucifers (brassicas) a paler green. The most current data from the USDA food database is used. Vegetables with no USDA listed sugar content are listed as UNKN. It is likely some vegetables were not tested for sugar.
Note that 10 calories is a relatively small amount. There are perhaps 3.9 calories per gram of sugar meaning that most of the energy value in some of the high sugar fruits comes almost exclusively from sugar. High sugar content may contribute to obesity besides affecting the bacterial balance of the digestive system.
Use fruits only as an occasional treat, not as a significant portion of your guinea pig's diet.
After calculating the number of grams of sugar per 10 calories, fruits and vegetables were ordered from high to low. Many fruits are very high in sugar. While both fruits and vegetables contribute vitamins and minerals, it is advised to take into consideration sugar content in planning the diet you offer your guinea pig, along with vitamin and mineral content.
See also:
NOTES:
- All vegs and fruits raw except for raisins.
- CILANTRO = CORIANDER
- ROCKET = ARUGULA
- Find squashes like zucchini under "squash".
Category Headings
- Phosphorus = Phos
- Magnesium = Magn
- Potassium = Pot
Remember: Don't feed anything you wouldn't eat yourself (i.e. no spoiled food) and rinse food thoroughly.
| GUINEA LYNX' Sortable Veg & Fruit Chart Pre-sorted for SUGAR 10 Calorie Quantities | Grams | Sugar gm | Calcium mg | Ca:P | Phos mg | Magn mg | Pot mg | Sodium mg | Vit_A RAE | Vit_C mg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MELONS,CANTALOUPE | 29 | 2.31 | 2.65 | 0.6:1 | 4.41 | 3.50 | 78.53 | 4.71 | 49.71 | 10.79 |
| MANGOS | 15 | 2.28 | 1.54 | 0.9:1 | 1.69 | 1.40 | 24.00 | 0.31 | 5.85 | 4.26 |
| MELONS,HONEYDEW | 28 | 2.26 | 1.67 | 0.5:1 | 3.06 | 2.80 | 63.33 | 5.00 | 0.83 | 5.00 |
| GRAPES,RED OR GRN (EURO TYPE,SUCH AS THOMPSON SEEDLESS) | 14 | 2.24 | 1.45 | 0.5:1 | 2.90 | 1.00 | 27.68 | 0.29 | 0.44 | 1.57 |
| PLUMS | 22 | 2.16 | 1.30 | 0.4:1 | 3.48 | 1.50 | 34.13 | UNKN | 3.70 | 2.07 |
| PEACHES | 26 | 2.15 | 1.54 | 0.3:1 | 5.13 | 2.30 | 48.72 | UNKN | 4.10 | 1.69 |
| WATERMELON | 33 | 2.07 | 2.33 | 0.6:1 | 3.67 | 3.30 | 37.33 | 0.33 | 9.33 | 2.70 |
| CHERRIES,SWEET | 16 | 2.04 | 2.06 | 0.6:1 | 3.33 | 1.80 | 35.24 | UNKN | 0.48 | 1.11 |
| MELONS,CASABA | 36 | 2.03 | 3.93 | 2.2:1 | 1.79 | 3.90 | 65.00 | 3.21 | UNKN | 7.79 |
| APPLES,WITH SKIN | 19 | 2.00 | 1.15 | 0.5:1 | 2.12 | 1.00 | 20.58 | 0.19 | 0.58 | 0.89 |
| ORANGES,ALL COMM VAR | 21 | 1.99 | 8.51 | 2.9:1 | 2.98 | 2.10 | 38.51 | UNKN | 2.34 | 11.32 |
| RAISINS,SEEDLESS | 3 | 1.98 | 1.67 | 0.5:1 | 3.38 | 1.10 | 25.05 | 0.37 | UNKN | 0.08 |
| PINEAPPLE,ALL VAR | 20 | 1.97 | 2.60 | 1.6:1 | 1.60 | 2.40 | 21.80 | 0.20 | 0.60 | 9.56 |
| RAISINS,GOLDEN SEEDLESS | 3 | 1.96 | 1.76 | 0.5:1 | 3.81 | 1.20 | 24.70 | 0.40 | UNKN | 0.11 |
| SQUASH,SMMR,CROOKNECK&STRAIGHTNECK | 53 | 1.86 | 11.05 | 0.7:1 | 16.84 | 10.50 | 116.84 | 1.05 | 4.21 | 10.16 |
| NECTARINES | 23 | 1.79 | 1.36 | 0.2:1 | 5.91 | 2.10 | 45.68 | UNKN | 3.86 | 1.23 |
| TANGERINES,(MANDARIN ORANGES) | 19 | 1.76 | 6.98 | 1.8:1 | 3.77 | 2.30 | 31.32 | 0.38 | 6.42 | 5.04 |
| BLUEBERRIES | 18 | 1.75 | 1.05 | 0.5:1 | 2.11 | 1.10 | 13.51 | 0.18 | 0.53 | 1.70 |
| CHERRIES,SOUR,RED | 20 | 1.70 | 3.20 | 1.1:1 | 3.00 | 1.80 | 34.60 | 0.60 | 12.80 | 2.00 |
| PEARS | 17 | 1.69 | 1.55 | 0.8:1 | 1.90 | 1.20 | 20.52 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.72 |
| PEARS,ASIAN | 24 | 1.68 | 0.95 | 0.4:1 | 2.62 | 1.90 | 28.81 | UNKN | UNKN | 0.91 |
| BEETS | 23 | 1.57 | 3.72 | 0.4:1 | 9.30 | 5.40 | 75.58 | 18.14 | 0.47 | 1.14 |
| RUTABAGAS | 28 | 1.56 | 13.06 | 0.8:1 | 16.11 | 6.40 | 93.61 | 5.56 | UNKN | 6.94 |
| STRAWBERRIES | 31 | 1.53 | 5.00 | 0.7:1 | 7.50 | 4.10 | 47.81 | 0.31 | 0.31 | 18.38 |
| PAPAYAS | 26 | 1.51 | 6.15 | 4.8:1 | 1.28 | 2.60 | 65.90 | 0.77 | 14.10 | 15.85 |
| SQUASH,SMMR,ZUCCHINI,INCL SKN | 59 | 1.47 | 9.41 | 0.4:1 | 22.35 | 10.60 | 153.53 | 4.71 | 5.88 | 10.53 |
| KIWIFRUIT,GRN | 16 | 1.47 | 5.57 | 1.0:1 | 5.57 | 2.80 | 51.15 | 0.49 | 0.66 | 15.20 |
| TOMATOES,RED,RIPE,YEAR RND AVERAGE | 56 | 1.46 | 5.56 | 0.4:1 | 13.33 | 6.10 | 131.67 | 2.78 | 23.33 | 7.06 |
| LETTUCE,ICEBERG (INCL CRISPHEAD TYPES) | 71 | 1.41 | 12.86 | 0.9:1 | 14.29 | 5.00 | 100.71 | 7.14 | 17.86 | 2.00 |
| CRESS,GARDEN | 31 | 1.38 | 25.31 | 1.1:1 | 23.75 | 11.90 | 189.38 | 4.38 | 108.13 | 21.56 |
| SQUASH,SMMR,ALL VAR | 63 | 1.38 | 9.38 | 0.4:1 | 23.75 | 10.60 | 163.75 | 1.25 | 6.25 | 10.63 |
| BANANAS | 11 | 1.37 | 0.56 | 0.2:1 | 2.47 | 3.00 | 40.23 | 0.11 | 0.34 | 0.98 |
| TURNIPS | 36 | 1.36 | 10.71 | 1.1:1 | 9.64 | 3.90 | 68.21 | 23.93 | UNKN | 7.50 |
| CARROTS,BABY | 29 | 1.36 | 9.14 | 1.1:1 | 8.00 | 2.90 | 67.71 | 22.29 | 197.14 | 0.74 |
| PEPPERS,SWT,RED | 32 | 1.36 | 2.26 | 0.3:1 | 8.39 | 3.90 | 68.07 | 1.29 | 50.65 | 41.19 |
| CABBAGE | 40 | 1.28 | 16.00 | 1.5:1 | 10.40 | 4.80 | 68.00 | 7.20 | 2.00 | 14.64 |
| CABBAGE,RED | 32 | 1.24 | 14.52 | 1.5:1 | 9.68 | 5.20 | 78.39 | 8.71 | 18.07 | 18.39 |
| PEPPERS,SWT,GRN | 50 | 1.20 | 5.00 | 0.5:1 | 10.00 | 5.00 | 87.50 | 1.50 | 9.00 | 40.20 |
| RADISHES | 63 | 1.16 | 15.63 | 1.3:1 | 12.50 | 6.30 | 145.63 | 24.38 | UNKN | 9.25 |
| CARROTS | 24 | 1.16 | 8.05 | 0.9:1 | 8.54 | 2.90 | 78.05 | 16.83 | 203.66 | 1.44 |
| CELERY | 63 | 1.14 | 25.00 | 1.7:1 | 15.00 | 6.90 | 162.50 | 50.00 | 13.75 | 1.94 |
| BLACKBERRIES | 23 | 1.14 | 6.74 | 1.3:1 | 5.12 | 4.70 | 37.67 | 0.23 | 2.56 | 4.88 |
| CUCUMBER,WITH PEEL | 67 | 1.11 | 10.67 | 0.7:1 | 16.00 | 8.70 | 98.00 | 1.33 | 3.33 | 1.87 |
| BEANS,SNAP,GREEN | 32 | 1.05 | 11.94 | 1.0:1 | 12.26 | 8.10 | 68.07 | 1.94 | 11.29 | 3.94 |
| KOHLRABI | 37 | 0.96 | 8.89 | 0.5:1 | 17.04 | 7.00 | 129.63 | 7.41 | 0.74 | 22.96 |
| PEAS,EDIBLE-PODDED | 24 | 0.95 | 10.24 | 0.8:1 | 12.62 | 5.70 | 47.62 | 0.95 | 12.86 | 14.29 |
| ASPARAGUS | 50 | 0.94 | 12.00 | 0.5:1 | 26.00 | 7.00 | 101.00 | 1.00 | 19.00 | 2.80 |
| CABBAGE,CHINESE (PAK-CHOI) | 77 | 0.91 | 80.77 | 2.8:1 | 28.46 | 14.60 | 193.85 | 50.00 | 171.54 | 34.62 |
| CABBAGE,CHINESE (PE-TSAI) | 63 | 0.88 | 48.13 | 2.7:1 | 18.13 | 8.10 | 148.75 | 5.63 | 10.00 | 16.88 |
| CRANBERRIES | 22 | 0.88 | 1.74 | 0.6:1 | 2.83 | 1.30 | 18.48 | 0.44 | 0.65 | 2.89 |
| RASPBERRIES | 19 | 0.85 | 4.81 | 0.9:1 | 5.58 | 4.20 | 29.04 | 0.19 | 0.39 | 5.04 |
| CABBAGE,SAVOY | 37 | 0.84 | 12.96 | 0.8:1 | 15.56 | 10.40 | 85.19 | 10.37 | 18.52 | 11.48 |
| ARUGULA | 40 | 0.82 | 64.00 | 3.1:1 | 20.80 | 18.80 | 147.60 | 10.80 | 47.60 | 6.00 |
| CAULIFLOWER | 40 | 0.76 | 8.80 | 0.5:1 | 17.60 | 6.00 | 119.60 | 12.00 | UNKN | 19.28 |
| CORN,SWT,YEL | 12 | 0.73 | 0.23 | 0.0:1 | 10.35 | 4.30 | 31.40 | 1.74 | 1.05 | 0.79 |
| LETTUCE,BUTTERHEAD (INCL BOSTON&BIBB TYPES) | 77 | 0.72 | 26.92 | 1.1:1 | 25.39 | 10.00 | 183.08 | 3.85 | 127.69 | 2.85 |
| LETTUCE,COS OR ROMAINE | 59 | 0.70 | 19.41 | 1.1:1 | 17.65 | 8.20 | 145.29 | 4.71 | 256.47 | 14.12 |
| PEAS,GREEN | 12 | 0.70 | 3.09 | 0.2:1 | 13.33 | 4.10 | 30.12 | 0.62 | 4.69 | 4.94 |
| SQUASH,WNTR,ALL VAR | 29 | 0.65 | 8.24 | 1.2:1 | 6.77 | 4.10 | 102.94 | 1.18 | 20.00 | 3.62 |
| PARSNIPS | 13 | 0.64 | 4.80 | 0.5:1 | 9.47 | 3.90 | 50.00 | 1.33 | UNKN | 2.27 |
| MUSTARD GREENS | 38 | 0.62 | 39.62 | 2.4:1 | 16.54 | 12.30 | 136.15 | 9.62 | 201.92 | 26.92 |
| CHARD,SWISS | 53 | 0.58 | 26.84 | 1.1:1 | 24.21 | 42.60 | 199.47 | 112.11 | 161.05 | 15.79 |
| LETTUCE,GRN LEAF | 67 | 0.52 | 24.00 | 1.2:1 | 19.33 | 8.70 | 129.33 | 18.67 | 246.67 | 12.00 |
| PUMPKIN | 38 | 0.52 | 8.08 | 0.5:1 | 16.92 | 4.60 | 130.77 | 0.39 | 141.92 | 3.46 |
| BRUSSELS SPROUTS | 23 | 0.51 | 9.77 | 0.6:1 | 16.05 | 5.40 | 90.47 | 5.81 | 8.84 | 19.77 |
| BROCCOLI | 29 | 0.50 | 13.82 | 0.7:1 | 19.41 | 6.20 | 92.94 | 9.71 | 9.12 | 26.24 |
| SQUASH,WNTR,BUTTERNUT | 22 | 0.49 | 10.67 | 1.5:1 | 7.33 | 7.60 | 78.22 | 0.89 | 118.22 | 4.67 |
| SWEET POTATO,UNPREP | 12 | 0.49 | 3.49 | 0.6:1 | 5.47 | 2.90 | 39.19 | 6.40 | 82.44 | 0.28 |
| CORIANDER (CILANTRO) LEAVES | 43 | 0.38 | 29.13 | 1.4:1 | 20.87 | 11.30 | 226.52 | 20.00 | 146.52 | 11.74 |
| LETTUCE,RED LEAF | 63 | 0.30 | 20.63 | 1.2:1 | 17.50 | 7.50 | 116.88 | 15.63 | 234.38 | 2.31 |
| RADICCHIO | 43 | 0.26 | 8.26 | 0.5:1 | 17.39 | 5.70 | 131.30 | 9.57 | 0.44 | 3.48 |
| TURNIP GREENS | 31 | 0.25 | 59.38 | 4.5:1 | 13.13 | 9.70 | 92.50 | 12.50 | 180.94 | 18.75 |
| PARSLEY | 28 | 0.24 | 38.33 | 2.4:1 | 16.11 | 13.90 | 153.89 | 15.56 | 116.94 | 36.94 |
| BEET GREENS | 45 | 0.23 | 53.18 | 2.9:1 | 18.64 | 31.80 | 346.36 | 102.73 | 143.64 | 13.64 |
| CEREALS RTE,WHEAT GERM,TSTD,PLN | 3 | 0.20 | 1.18 | 0.0:1 | 30.00 | 8.40 | 24.79 | 0.11 | 0.13 | 0.16 |
| WATERCRESS | 91 | 0.18 | 109.09 | 2.0:1 | 54.55 | 19.10 | 300.00 | 37.27 | 145.46 | 39.09 |
| SPINACH | 43 | 0.18 | 43.04 | 2.0:1 | 21.30 | 34.40 | 242.61 | 34.35 | 203.91 | 12.22 |
| BROCCOLI RAAB | 45 | 0.17 | 49.09 | 1.5:1 | 33.18 | 10.00 | 89.09 | 15.00 | 59.55 | 9.18 |
| DANDELION GREENS | 22 | 0.16 | 41.56 | 2.8:1 | 14.67 | 8.00 | 88.22 | 16.89 | 112.89 | 7.78 |
| COLLARDS | 33 | 0.15 | 48.33 | 14.5:1 | 3.33 | 3.00 | 56.33 | 6.67 | 111.00 | 11.77 |
| ENDIVE | 59 | 0.15 | 30.59 | 1.9:1 | 16.47 | 8.80 | 184.71 | 12.94 | 63.53 | 3.82 |
| BASIL,FRESH | 43 | 0.13 | 76.96 | 3.2:1 | 24.35 | 27.80 | 128.26 | 1.74 | 114.78 | 7.83 |
| ALFALFA SEEDS,SPROUTED | 43 | 0.08 | 13.91 | 0.5:1 | 30.44 | 11.70 | 34.35 | 2.61 | 3.48 | 3.57 |
| YAM | 8 | 0.04 | 1.44 | 0.3:1 | 4.66 | 1.80 | 69.15 | 0.76 | 0.59 | 1.45 |
| MUSTARD SPINACH,(TENDERGREEN) | 45 | UNKN | 95.46 | 7.5:1 | 12.73 | 5.00 | 204.09 | 9.55 | 225.00 | 59.09 |
| BUTTERBUR,(FUKI) | 71 | UNKN | 73.57 | 8.6:1 | 8.57 | 10.00 | 467.86 | 5.00 | 2.14 | 22.50 |
| LAMBSQUARTERS | 23 | UNKN | 71.86 | 4.3:1 | 16.74 | 7.90 | 105.12 | 10.00 | 134.88 | 18.61 |
| DILL WEED,FRSH | 23 | UNKN | 48.37 | 3.2:1 | 15.35 | 12.80 | 171.63 | 14.19 | 89.77 | 19.77 |
| NEW ZEALAND SPINACH | 71 | UNKN | 41.43 | 2.1:1 | 20.00 | 27.90 | 92.86 | 92.86 | 157.14 | 21.43 |
| PURSLANE | 63 | UNKN | 40.63 | 1.5:1 | 27.50 | 42.50 | 308.75 | 28.13 | 41.25 | 13.13 |
| KALE | 20 | UNKN | 27.00 | 2.4:1 | 11.20 | 6.80 | 89.40 | 8.60 | 153.80 | 24.00 |
| ANISE SEED | 3 | UNKN | 19.17 | 1.5:1 | 13.06 | 5.10 | 42.76 | 0.48 | 0.48 | 0.62 |
| RADISH SEEDS,SPROUTED | 23 | UNKN | 11.86 | 0.5:1 | 26.28 | 10.20 | 20.00 | 1.40 | 4.65 | 6.72 |
| SWEET POTATO LEAVES | 29 | UNKN | 10.57 | 0.4:1 | 26.86 | 17.40 | 148.00 | 2.57 | 14.57 | 3.14 |
| SQUASH,SUMMER,SCALLOP | 56 | UNKN | 10.56 | 0.5:1 | 20.00 | 12.80 | 101.11 | 0.56 | 3.33 | 10.00 |
| SQUASH,ZUCCHINI,BABY | 48 | UNKN | 10.00 | 0.2:1 | 44.29 | 15.70 | 218.57 | 1.43 | 11.91 | 16.24 |
| SQUASH,WINTER,ACORN | 25 | UNKN | 8.25 | 0.9:1 | 9.00 | 8.00 | 86.75 | 0.75 | 4.50 | 2.75 |
| SQUASH,WNTR,SPAGHETTI | 32 | UNKN | 7.42 | 1.9:1 | 3.87 | 3.90 | 34.84 | 5.48 | 0.97 | 0.68 |
| SALSIFY,(VEG OYSTER) | 12 | UNKN | 7.32 | 0.8:1 | 9.15 | 2.80 | 46.34 | 2.44 | UNKN | 0.98 |
| BEANS,FAVA,IN POD | 11 | UNKN | 4.21 | 0.3:1 | 14.66 | 3.80 | 37.73 | 2.84 | 1.93 | 0.42 |
| PEPPERS,SWEET,YELLOW | 37 | UNKN | 4.07 | 0.5:1 | 8.89 | 4.40 | 78.52 | 0.74 | 3.70 | 67.96 |
| SQUASH,WINTER,HUBBARD | 25 | UNKN | 3.50 | 0.7:1 | 5.25 | 4.80 | 80.00 | 1.75 | 17.00 | 2.75 |
| PEAS,MATURE SEEDS,SPROUTED | 8 | UNKN | 2.90 | 0.2:1 | 13.31 | 4.50 | 30.73 | 1.61 | UNKN | 0.84 |
| LENTILS,SPROUTED | 9 | UNKN | 2.36 | 0.1:1 | 16.32 | 3.50 | 30.38 | 1.04 | 0.19 | 1.56 |
| OATS | 3 | UNKN | 1.39 | 0.1:1 | 13.45 | 4.60 | 11.03 | 0.05 | UNKN | UNKN |
| WHEAT GERM,CRUDE | 3 | UNKN | 1.08 | 0.0:1 | 23.39 | 6.60 | 24.78 | 0.33 | UNKN | UNKN |
NOTES
- Baby carrots are miniature carrots. Not large carrots, trimmed.
- 50 gm of feed (pelleted or in other form), nutrients specified by The National Academy of Sciences in Nutrient Requirements of Laboratory Animals, Fourth Revised Edition, 1995 - the Nutrient Requirements of the Guinea Pig. Calorie content is unknown. Values provided as a possible minimum daily vitamin/mineral guideline. I believe a couple tablespoons of pellets weigh about 20 gm.
These vegs have been removed because they are similar or identical in nutrition to companion items (plain green beans, broccoli, corn and cabbage) or because many of the values were missing (tomatoes):
- BEANS,SNAP,YELLOW
- BROCCOLI,FLOWER CLUSTERS
- BROCCOLI,LEAVES
- BROCCOLI,STALKS
- CABBAGE,COMMON (DANISH,DOMESTIC,&POINTED TYPES),STORED
- CABBAGE,COMMON,FRESHLY HARVEST
- CORN,SWEET,WHITE
- YARDLONG BEAN
- ORANGE, YELLOW, AND GREEN TOMATOES