Find out why it’s important to look for quality protein as the first ingredient when selecting a food for your dog or cat.
Have you ever felt your eyes glaze over when trying to scan a pet food product label, trying to decipher what the terms mean and how to assess the quality of the food?
In the end, what matters to you is providing the best diet you can afford for your furry family members, because you know there is a direct relationship between the quality of food your dog or your cat consumes and its quality of life.
Overall, pet food has improved dramatically in recent years as the pet food industry continues to move upmarket and the bar for food quality continues to rise. increase with it. Still, the labels can be tricky to navigate if you’re not sure what separates the best from the best. Trend reports show growing interest in higher quality diets.
A recent study of pet food consumers by Packaged Facts determined that 75% of survey participants strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement, “I’m willing to pay more for pet food. pets that are healthier for my animal.”
Nielsen, the research company that tracks sales across many consumer categories, recently released a report which showed that between 2015 and 2017, dog food sales volume changed by 7.4 points in favor brands where meat is the number one ingredient.
Additionally, Statista Research found that in 2018, non-GMO pet food sales increased nearly 29% from the previous year. Likewise, other “free” claims continue to gain popularity with consumers, including corn, wheat, soy, hormones, fillers, artificial colors and preservatives.
Recently, I was named to the first Pet Food Industry Transparency Council, established by Champion Petfoods, makers of the ORIJEN and ACANA brands. Their goal is to invite third-party pet lovers and experts like me to observe and report on how they make pet food and the details of their recipes.
If there’s one takeaway from my experience visiting Champion’s DogStar Kitchen and visiting one of their regional fish suppliers, it’s the quality of the ingredients that ultimately determines the quality of the food for your dog or your cat. During my visit, Champion’s animal nutrition experts shared information on the physiology and dietary anatomy of dogs and cats, which helps us understand why protein from real sources of meat, poultry and fish are so important for their natural nutrition and physical needs.
This understanding provides valuable, easy-to-follow guidance on what to look for when reading a pet food label. Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight.
- The best options for your dog or cat will be primarily meat or fish, and ingredients should start with boneless beef, chicken, bison, poultry, or various species of fish. This tells you that fresh or raw meat was used in the preparation of the food. This is important, due to the bioavailability of amino acids and other nutrients that occur naturally in these real food ingredients. Meat meals are also frequently consumed, but are expected to decline After fresh protein on the label. They are basically meat-based dried proteins and are best when described by the source – beef, chicken, fishmeal, etc.
Biologically appropriate pet foods are going to be protein – ideally between 60% and 85% of the ingredients come from protein, hopefully mostly from fresh or raw sources. Some pet foods that claim to be grain-free replace grains with plant-based proteins like peas and lentils that don’t provide the same amino acid benefits as meat and fish options.
- The second thing to look for on the label is the number of synthetic supplements used in the food. Some diets will show up to 20 different supplements added to the food to meet the standards of a complete diet. What this tells you is that the ingredients used in making the food are likely highly processed, and the meat is mostly powder-based, in which some of the essential nutrients have literally been cooked from the food. Therefore, supplements must be added. In.
Fewer supplements means natural nutrients are available in the food ingredients used. This suggests that the ingredients are also of higher quality and the preparation techniques (cooking temperature) have not negated these benefits, so there is no need to use synthetic supplements.
- Finally, it may also be worth visiting the company’s website to take a closer look at their food philosophy and see how they describe their views on nutrition and food preparation. Look for the use of whole prey ingredients, which means using the whole animal, including muscle, organs, and edible bone and cartilage. Check the emphasis on using fresh, raw protein, and be sure to avoid foods with artificial preservatives such as BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin.
In sum, to guide you when choosing a food, you look at the meat and fish ingredients at the top of the list and the number of supplements at the bottom. When I visited Champion’s DogStar Kitchen and walked into the fresh ingredients area, I saw fresh beef, chicken, and fish come into the food. Not everyone can see it firsthand like me, but the tag will help tell the story.
