Welcome to “Going Pro”, our recurring column devoted to the nutrition and performance of working and sporting dogs.
You put a lot of thought and care into selecting an appropriate food for your top athlete canine. And no dog food will do. You want your dog to eat foods that provide the right amount of energy from ingredients that work as hard as he does. After all, you know how important the right fuel is to your canine athlete’s performance, whether your dog sniffs contraband, retrieves birds, runs on agility courses, or searches for lost or missing people.
The energy for all of this work comes from food, as we discussed in a previous article, and is obtained from the fats, carbohydrates, and proteins found in food. One of the new trends in dog food mirrors what has happened in the human diet. It’s the use of ancient grains in place of corn, wheat, potatoes, peas, or other carbohydrate-rich ingredients.
What’s remarkable about ancient grains? Read on to find out how these ingredients contribute to your dog’s nutrition.
What are ancient grains?
As popular as ancient grains are among human foodies, no official definition actually exists. The most frequently referenced definition is that provided by the Oldways Whole Grains Council, which defines ancient grains as “grains which are largely unchanged over the last several hundred years”. The category includes chia seeds, quinoa, sorghum, millet, barley, amaranth, and several “heirloom” wheat varieties.
Why use ancient grains in dog food?
The nutrient profiles of these superfoods make certain ancient grains attractive to pet food manufacturers looking to formulate nutrient-dense foods, such as Diamond Pro89™ Beef, Pork & Ancient Grains Formula for Adult Dogs, and Diamond Naturals.® Chicken and Rice Formula for Extreme Athlete Adult Dogs. Ancient grains are well known for these characteristics compared to grains such as corn and wheat:
- Relatively high protein content rich in indispensable (essential) amino acids
- Naturally high in fiber, including soluble and insoluble fiber
- Rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids such as alpha-linolenic and linoleic acids
- Naturally high concentrations of antioxidants like alpha and gamma-tocopherol
- Varied vitamin and mineral content, including several B vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium and iron
Of course, ancient grains are also loaded with carbs. All three macronutrients – fats, carbohydrates and proteins – are used by your dog’s body to produce the energy needed for peak performance.
Lots to Love About Selected Ancient Grains in Diamond Dog Foods
The pet nutritionists who formulated Diamond Pro89 and Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete gave serious consideration to the ancient grain ingredients used in these dog foods. Chia seeds and quinoa are used in both formulas, while Diamond Pro89 also contains millet and sorghum.
Long before it was made famous by kitschy plant decorations sold in infomercials, chia was enjoyed as a food by the peoples of Central America and Mexico. chia seed contains 19 to 26 percent protein with remarkable levels of the essential amino acids arginine, leucine, phenylalanine, valine and lysine.
The fatty acid profile of chia seed includes high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, primarily alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, which rivals flaxseed. The carbohydrate content of chia seeds consists of modest levels of starches (26-41%) and substantial amounts of dietary fiber (47-60%), most of which is insoluble fiber.
The chia seed brings many minerals to the diet, phosphorus, calcium, potassium and magnesium being in greater quantity. Vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and niacin (another B vitamin) are present in chia along with several tocopherols, compounds that collectively constitute vitamin E and have high antioxidant activity.
Carbohydrates are the main macronutrient found in quinoa, followed by proteins and lipids. Starch is the main carbohydrate component, accounting for 52-69% of grain carbohydrates. Total dietary fiber ranges from 7-9.7%.
The protein content of quinoa ranges between 13.8 and 16.5 percent (on a dry matter basis), although an average of 15 percent is often used. In general, the essential amino acid content of quinoa protein is considered higher than that found in regular grains.
Quinoa has a higher oil content than corn and some other grains, but its fatty acid profile is similar to corn and soy. Quinoa is an excellent source of important fatty acids, including linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids.
Although research on the vitamin content of quinoa is limited, the seed is known to contain high amounts of vitamin B6 and folic acid. It is also an important dietary source of B vitamins, riboflavin, niacin and thiamin. Quinoa is considered an excellent source of vitamin E.
The nutritional profile of grain sorghum is comparable to corn, with starch making up the bulk of the macronutrients at around 75%. At 9 percent or more, the protein content of sorghum is slightly higher than that of maize. Although the fat content of sorghum is slightly lower than that of maize, linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid, makes up more than half of the total fatty acids. The dietary fiber content of grain sorghum consists mainly of insoluble fiber, which plays an important role in stimulating intestinal motility and transit time.
Commonly associated with wild bird food, Millet is one of the most nutrient dense cereals. The protein content of pearl millet, the most common millet produced commercially, ranges from 9 to 13 percent, although some sources report that the average protein content of pearl millet is 14.5 percent. Millet protein is rich in the essential amino acid methionine and provides more lysine than corn.
Millet also contains more fat (4-7%) than most other cereals, which increases its energy contribution to the diet. Linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, makes up about 40% of the total fatty acids in millet. To compensate for the higher level of fat, the starch content of millet is slightly lower than that of other seeds. Total dietary fiber, at around 17%, is high and consists of equal amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber.
What this means for your working or sporting dog
When choosing food for your sporting or working dog, you need to consider its energy needs. Dogs that participate in endurance activities will need more energy given the longer distances they travel. These athletic dogs benefit from higher proportions of fat in their diets, such as those found in performance and high-energy diets. Ancient grains in the ingredient blend can help provide increased energy from fats, carbohydrates, and protein.
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