No doubt, you’ve probably heard all sorts of information regarding grain-free dog diets in the news. Are they good? Are they bad? What does grain free really mean? What’s the connection between grain-free diets and Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)? Is there really a connection? There is just SO MUCH information out there!
What IS a Grain Free Diet?
For years, pet food companies have utilized cheap, grain-based fillers like corn and wheat in the extrusion process of dry pet food. To start, some type of binder product is needed. This binds the proteins together. In short, it’s a similar process to making chocolate chip cookies. The cookies need some type of flour/binder to hold everything together in the baking process.
These cheap fillers often create problems. Problems range from allergies, skin issues, and leaky gut syndrome. Plus, many of these crops are treated with chemical fertilizers that are harmful to our dogs’ health. Additionally, since dogs don’t have a carbohydrate requirement, eating a carb-laden diet leads to issues like obesity and increased inflammation.
To respond to these issues, pet food companies came up with grain free formulations. Accordingly, these formulations use lentils, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, pea starch, or tapioca as binders. This is a win for the pet food companies. These ingredients are also higher in protein.
However, this plant-based protein isn’t always as beneficial to our dogs. Not to say our dogs shouldn’t ever eat these things; lentils and sweet potatoes are full of vitamins and minerals in their whole food form. However, when they’re processed into kibble, the high heat kills off the nutritional benefits of these otherwise super-foods.
Grain Free is Not Carb Free
A common misconception regarding grain free dog foods is that they are low carb or carb free. This is not the case. In fact, many grain free dog foods actually have MORE carbohydrates than their grain-based counterparts. Another downfall related to grain free dog foods is that they are often much more expensive than grain based pet foods. While the consumer wholeheartedly believes they are feeding a heathier diet, their best friend is consuming even more carbs that ultimately metabolize into sugar.
I recently calculated the carbohydrates in my dogs’ fancy, expensive, grain-free, limited-ingredient kibble, and they were through the roof! The carb content in it was 41%! This is high, considering dogs don’t have a carb requirement according to the National Research Counsel, the organization that regulates pet food.
Remember, pet food manufacturers are NOT required to list carbohydrates on their nutrition labels. As a result, that fancy grain-free kibble you may feed your dog is actually packed with carbohydrates that burn into sugars.
Grain Free’s Link to Dialated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)
You’ve probably heard something about Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) in the news. It begins with a taurine deficiency. Taurine is an amino acid that aids in cardiac function, eye health, immune system function, and other body systems. Meats are rich in taurine. Plant-based protein isn’t. When a dog’s taurine levels are low, the heart muscle weakens and pumps blood less efficiently. DCM in dogs causes the heart muscle to get bigger and weaker, struggling to circulate blood through the circulatory system.
Because commercially produced grain free diets are very high in carbohydrates and lower in actual animal proteins, digesting these starches interferes with taurine absorption in animals like dogs and cats. DCM and taurine deficiencies in cats is far more studied than in dogs. However, a connection between grain-free dog food and DCM in canines has been established.
Why a TRUE Grain Free Diet is Better for Your Dog
What is a TRUE grain free diet? A truly grain free diet is fresh. Yes, while dogs don’t have a carb requirement, they have evolved to tolerate carbohydrates in their diet. Just not a diet that is 40-60% carbs. Like I mentioned before, foods like sweet potatoes and lentils have solid nutritional benefits for our Best Friends. While those kinds of proteins are good for us, our dogs still evolved from carnivores and benefit from animal protein.
A fresh, species appropriate diet is high in moisture and does not include conventionally grown crops like corn or wheat. Many holistic veterinarians recommend a raw diet. Accordingly, raw diets contain moisture your dog’s body needs to easily process the food.
Alternatively, fresh, higher-grade canned food, gently cooked, or dehydrated raw diets are beneficial. These diets are more biologically appropriate. Also important, the ingredients haven’t been exposed to the high heat kibble has. High heat effectively kills off living nutrients. Finally, a 100% kibble diet is more difficult for your dog to digest than a moist, fresh diet. Digesting a 100% processed kibble diet recruits moisture from the kidneys and other organs and has an overall dehydrating effect.
With so Many Options, What Should You Do?
Indeed, there are SO many pet food options. If you opt for a commercially grain free diet, remember you can calculate the carbs this way:
- Check out your pet food label:
- Add the protein + fat + moisture + ash (often, ash is not listed on pet food labels. Ash is the left over minerals if the bag of food was incinerated)
- Most foods contain 5%-8% ash content; If you cannot find ash on the label, use 8%
- Then subtract this number from 100
- The remaining number is the % of carbs in your dog’s food
Since there isn’t a carb requirement for dogs, it is difficult to make any kind of recommendation for an acceptable amount. I did learn that dog’s wild ancestors consumed about 14% of their diet as carbs, so my “off the cuff” recommendation is to trend towards a lower amount of carbohydrates in your pet’s food if feeding a commercially produced kibble.
Easy Add-ins for a Nutrient Boost
Your dog can and does benefit from added moisture. If feeding a commercial, dry food, float that kibble in water, coconut water, or bone broth! Seriously, add a good cup of clean, warm, filtered water before feeding. This makes the kibble easier to digest. It also benefits your dog’s organs with an added hydration boost.
Additionally, boost up the nutrient content by adding lightly steamed green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, green beans, or kale. You can pop in a fish product like sardines for omega 3 acids. These instantly boost the nutrients and health in your dog’s dish. Remember, add-ins should make up no more than 20% of your dog’s overall diet.
Even incorporating small steps as above will pay off in spades in relation to your dog’s overall health. Plus, you know how stoked your dog is at regular, kibble mealtime. Imagine a mealtime with delicious, healthful extras!
What do you add to your dog’s dish to boost the nutrients and health? Do you opt for a grain free diet for your Best Friend?