Dogs are carnivores that can process plant based foods; also called scavenging or facultative carnivores. This is a subsistence mechanism. To thrive, dogs need meat in higher proportions.
Meat is protein. Proteins are made of chains of amino acids. There are 20 amino acids commonly found in proteins, ten of which are essential in a dog’s diet. Essential because the body cannot produce them independently. Quality protein depends on digestibility and its amino acid profile. For dogs, this means the appropriate food would have a balance of the essential amino acids in levels to support growth and maintenance, readily available through digestion.
Grains are carbohydrates that have some protein value. Grain proteins are not good substitutes for animal protein because the balance of essential amino acids is incomplete. What isn’t protein is broken down to glucose, which goes into the bloodstream. The more a grain is processed (cooked), the faster it enters the bloodstream as glucose. Excess glucose, beyond what the body needs for energy, is stored as fat. At high enough levels, excess carbohydrates create sugar-related inflammatory conditions and disease. Continue reading “What’s wrong with carbohydrates?”