Why you should invest in healthy dog food
Now, more than ever, healthy lifestyles and diets are on the front of most everyone’s mind. So, dog owners naturally want the same for their dogs! But what makes a healthy dog diet? What is in healthy dog food and what should you avoid at all costs?
What ingredients to look for in dog food
- Protein: Be sure the animal protein is recognizable. Look for chicken, beef, lamb, and fish. Avoid “meat” as a named product on the ingredients label. If you choose to feed your dog vegan or vegetarian find out more here!
- Fruits & Vegetables: Look for fresh fruits and vegetables that are unprocessed. Green beans, spinach, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, blueberries, asparagus, and brussels sprouts are among the best fruits and begetables for yoru dog. These are high in vitamin A, B, C, D, K, calcium, fiber, iron, magnesium, and omega-3. Here is a list of the great healthy dog treats!
- Whole Carbs & Whole Grains: This may be a controversial topic, however carbs and grains have many benefits for dogs such as providing energy, providing beneficial fibers, and providing dry dog food with teeth cleaning properties. Some of the best carbs and grains include oats, barley, rice, and peas. Whole wheat, corn, and soy can be healthy, but some considered these to be lower quality ingredients. Always look for “whole” carbs and “whole” grains to provide your dog with the healthiest and most beneficial nutrients and fiber.
- Fats: Healthy fats can provide your dog with energy, help your dog absorb essential vitamins, and promote proper cell function & digestion. Look for high quality fats such as Omega-3, Omega-6, fish oils, flaxseed oil, canola oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, chicken fat, and pork fat.
- Vitamins: B-vitamins are certainly important for your dog! B12 and riboflavin help speed up metabolism and digestion. B6 helps regulate your dogs hormones, generate glucose, and aids in the nervous system. Vitamin A helps keep for your dog’s skin and coat healthy. Vitamin E is wonderful for your dog’s immune system.
- Minerals: Essential minerals for your dog’s health are zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. These help with bone & teeth health, energy & metabolism, enzyme functions, and neurological function.
- Natural Preservatives: Look for vitamin E, C, and rosemary extract as natural preservatives in healthy dog food. Because these are more natural, the shelf life of your dog food may be shorter. See WHY we avoid artificial preservatives below!
What ingredients to avoid in your dog food
- Avoid “meat” as a product on the label. Look for chicken, beef, or lamb instead. Avoid “meat meal”, however “beef meal” is ok!
- Avoid meat by-products since this can include liver, kidney, bone, fatty tissue, and much more…
- Avoid generic fat sources such as “animal fat”. Instead look for “chicken fat” on your dog food label.
- Avoid added sweeteners! We don’t want them in our food, and we don’t want them in our dog’s food!
- Avoid artificial everything. Avoid artificial Colors and artificial flavors. Most importantly, avoid artificial preservatives such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), propyl gallate, propylene glycol, and ethoxyquin. For example, Ethoxyquin is not only used as a pesticide but it’s also used to harden synthetic rubber! In addition, many countries have banned the use of BHA and BHT in human foods due to cancer risks. These two terrible preservatives as banned in the UK and many European countries, but in the USA the FDA considers these cancer risks “generally safe”…
Bottom Line
Check the labels and do your research. We are creatures of habit, especially in this day of amazon and chewy autoship! So, whatever dog food you choose will most likely stay the same for a long while. It’s worth your time to take 60 seconds and look at the ingredients to the healthiest options for your dog!
Best Healthy Dog Food