Did you know that processed food diets have been tied to reduced animal lifespans? Or, that one in four dogs is now overweight or obese? While processed dog foods are affordable and convenient, they can negatively impact your dog's well-being. Fresh dog food not only provides superior nutrition but also helps avoid potentially harmful ingredients found in many processed products. Incorporating organic options can enhance these benefits.
Major Concerns with Processed Dog Foods:
- Unwanted Ingredients in Processed Dog Food: Many processed foods contain animal by-products, such as hides, skins, hooves, and feathers, that you might want to avoid your pet consuming.
- Impact on Lifespan: Diets based on processed foods have been linked to reduced animal lifespans. Studies suggest that the quality of food dramatically affects health and longevity.
- Additives and Preservatives: Processed dog foods often include harmful additives like added sugars, artificial colouring, and preservatives like BHA, which can lead to metabolic and other health problems.
- Concerns About GMOs: Many processed dog foods contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which may expose your dog to substances like glyphosate which is linked to various health issues.
- Imbalanced Omega Fatty Acids: An improper ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in processed foods can contribute to inflammation, affecting your dog's skin, coat, and overall health.
This article will explore why fresh dog food could be the best choice for keeping your dog healthy and extending its lifespan.
1. Unwanted Ingredients in Processed Dog Food
Although the UK has strict rules on what is allowed in dog food to ensure immediate safety, there are still items included that you may want your pet to avoid eating. These allowed categories include:
- Domestic catering waste
- Hides and skins from slaughterhouses
- Animal hides, skins, hooves, feathers, wool, horns, and hair from animals that showed no signs of infectious disease at death
What This Means for Your Dog:
A fresh diet using only human-grade ingredients and no industry by-products avoids these questionable components.
2. Impact on Lifespan
When it comes to your dog's food, it's not just about the ingredients but also how those ingredients are processed. Processing can affect your dog's longevity.
Insights from Scientific Studies on Processed Food
At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, researchers divided monkeys into two distinct groups to study the effects of diet on longevity. One group received a calorie-restricted diet consisting of processed food known as "monkey chow," while the other group had unrestricted access to the same processed diet. Remarkably, the calorie-restricted monkeys lived longer and exhibited fewer age-related diseases. However, this does not mean we should restrict our dogs' calories.
A similar study conducted by the National Institute on Aging found that monkeys fed an unprocessed diet had lifespans comparable to those of the calorie-restricted monkeys in Wisconsin, regardless of their calorie intake. This critical finding highlights the importance of food quality: monkeys that consumed unprocessed diets outlived those on processed "monkey chow."
What This Means for Your Dog:
Switching to fresh, unprocessed dog food could help your dog live a longer, healthier life.
3. Additives and Preservatives
Processed dog foods typically contain additives and preservatives that are not in your dog's best interest.
Additives
Processed dog foods often contain added sugars like sucrose, corn syrup, or dextrose, leading to metabolic issues, insulin resistance, and inflammation. Dogs do not require sugar, just as humans do not. Over time, excessive sugar consumption can lead to weight gain and obesity, the primary drivers of metabolic dysfunction in dogs.
Furthermore, processed dog foods can contain artificial colouring to make the food look more appealing to humans who may not want to feed a grey sludge to their cherished companion. Dogs, being mostly colour-blind, do not have a preference for their food’s colour.
Fresh ingredients are naturally palatable and visually appealing, eliminating the need for sugar or other unnecessary additives.
Preservatives
It is standard practice in processed dog food to add preservatives to keep the dry food from spoiling over its long shelf life. Preservatives such as Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is commonly used. According to The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), BHA is a possible human carcinogen and studies have shown that it can cause cancer in laboratory animals.
Organic dog foods are free from artificial preservatives and additives, minimizing potential health risks.
What This Means for Your Dog:
Feeding fresh food supports better metabolism, reduces exposure to harmful chemicals, and provides better health outcomes.
4. Concerns about GMOs
Many processed dog foods contain GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), which have been linked to various health issues.
Glyphosate Exposure
Glyphosate is a common herbicide used on GMO plants. It has been widely used since its introduction in 1974. It has been linked to various metabolic disruptions in both plants and animals.
Research by Research by Swanson, Leu, Abrahamson in 2014 revealed strong correlations between glyphosate applications and numerous diseases, including diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's, and various cancers. While these findings are correlational, meaning they show a relationship between two variables but not a cause-and-effect relationship, they suggest caution should be used when feeding GMO foods to our pets.
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Corn Exposure
Another concern with GMOs is the use of genetically engineered Bt corn. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) produces a natural toxin that kills insects by damaging their stomachs. It was first sprayed on plants as a natural insecticide. However, Bt was then engineered into corn, making the toxin thousands of times more concentrated than the Bt spray and unable to be washed off, as it was now part of the corn itself.
This Bt corn is now present in nearly all corn-based products, including cornmeal (e.g., pet food kibble) and many other processed foods. A controversial 2014 study by Séralini found that mice fed Bt corn contracted tumours as well as liver and kidney damage. While the consensus among major environmental and health agencies today is that Bt corn is safe, we think it’s better not to take the risk.
What This Means for Your Dog:
The best way to avoid potential health consequences from GMOs is to choose a fresh organic dog food, as organic products are required to follow strict regulations that exclude GMOs and are verified by third parties. This choice supports your dog's overall health and may prevent future health problems.
5. Imbalanced Omega Fatty Acids
It's not only important what your dog eats, but also important to consider what the food source of your dog was nourished with. In particular, their food source's ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids.
Imbalance in Processed Foods
Too much omega-6 fatty acid has been linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in humans. Processed foods have been linked to higher levels of omega-6, partly because of what traditional livestock is fed. Animals raised on grain-based diets have higher levels of omega-6 fatty acids.
Benefits of Proper Balance
An appropriate balance of omega-3 to omega-6 promotes healthier skin and a shinier coat. Animals left to roam in pasture and eat grass are found to have up to five times as much omega-3, providing a much healthier balance for your dog.
What This Means for Your Dog:
Feeding your dog food with a proper balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids supports their heart health, reduces inflammation, and improves skin and coat condition. Choosing fresh dog food from animals raised on natural diets can significantly benefit your dog's health.
Conclusion
Switching to fresh organic dog food requires an investment, but the benefits to your dog's well-being and the possibility of spending more time with them by increasing their lifespan are worth it. By avoiding processed foods that contain unwanted by-products, additives, preservatives, GMOs, and imbalanced fatty acids, you can help your dog lead a healthier, happier life.
References:
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