Fillers In Dog Food

Brewers rice is especially cheap and is missing many nutrients contained in whole ground rice and brown rice.

Fillers in dog food.

There is no regulation when it comes to using the definition and all foods that call themselves natural are not necessarily created equal points out jamie richardson the medical chief of staff at small door veterinary a nyc based practice still if you are eager for a dog food that s responsibly formulated and free. It can come in many forms and names but is still considered to be just a filler. Be thoughtful when it comes to purchasing natural dog food. The tomatoes blueberries and raspberries present in the formula will also help supplement these effects by providing your dog with valuable antioxidants and vitamins.

When it comes to such a hotly debated topic here s our argument. When a dog food contains filler that means that it contains ingredients that have been added for dietary fiber. These ingredients fill out the food but they offer little in terms of nutrient value. Why are these ingredients used if they don t offer much benefit.

The best grain free dog foods typically contain more protein than those made with grain. The ingredients typically thought of as dog food fillers corn wheat soy rice etc don t actually fit the description of fillers. The only ingredients in pet food that fit that requirement are fibers. But don t just take our word at face value let s break down the description and see if each of these filler ingredients fits the mold.

The best dog foods should contain quality ingredients such as whole meat fresh vegetables and quality grains or other sources of carbohydrate such as sweet potato. Another common filler used in dry dog food is rice. Though it is a more complex carbohydrate it does very little in way of nutritional value. There are also numerous artificial colors and flavors in their dog foods.

Premium dog food will include meat for protein vitamin packed vegetables and fruit and omega fatty acids for a shiny coat freeman told nbc news adding it s also likely to have fewer fillers. For example the benefuls originals with real beef dry dog food lists beef as the main ingredient but it also contains five fillers or by products. That s because the 2 most common ingredients used to replace the corn rice and other cereal grains found in other dog foods include. This formula is free from grain corn wheat filler artificial flavors colors or preservatives.

Beneful s wet dog food products are made with wheat corn and soy ingredients as well as artificial flavors. But many are made with grain substitutes that can upset the nutrient balance of the finished food. By definition a filler is an ingredient that adds bulk to a diet without adding any nutritional value.