All of us who own dogs
or cats have walked the pet food aisle, searching for the
highest-quality food within our budget.
We’re attracted by a product’s appearance and by the claims on the
label. I don’t know about the rest of
you, but even as a veterinarian, I can get a little perplexed. Organic, holistic, all natural, premium,
human grade — what do those really mean?
To add to the
befuddlement, over the past few years it’s been hard to ignore the latest
category in the pet food aisle: grain
free (hereafter called GF, not to be confused with gluten free). The phrase alone evokes the idea that grain
must be harmful. But for years, dogs and
cats have thrived on pet foods containing grain. So what’s the deal here?
Pet food companies are
making claims about GF diets to appeal to consumers. They claim that GF food more closely mimics a
dog’s or cat’s natural ancestral diet, lessens the risk of food allergy,
contains more meat-based protein, is easier to digest and is lower in
carbohydrates compared with food containing grains.
I decided to ignore the
spin and talk to a real expert, so I called Hill’s veterinary division and
spoke to one of their board-certified veterinary nutritionists. I noticed that Hill’s Science Diet division
also offers GF alternatives, and I asked the doctor why they developed
them. She acknowledged that the GF food
isn’t necessarily better but said that Hill's had to offer it to compete
with the glut of similar foods on the market.
If pet food manufacturers don’t use grain as a
carbohydrate source, just what do they use?
Hill’s uses potatoes, but other popular grain replacements include sweet
potatoes, beans, lentils, tapioca, and quinoa.
So far, that sounded pretty good to me!
But the doctor explained that some of the carbohydrate replacements are
actually less nutritious than the grain they replace. A good example is white potatoes, which are
carbs of dubious nutritional value for dogs and cats.
Okay, maybe GF food
isn't necessarily more nutritious, but wouldn't its lower carb content be
beneficial? First, it turns out that not all GF foods are lower in carbs
than their grain-containing counterparts.
And second, even if they were, the idea that carbs are bad for dogs and cats seems to be an offshoot
of the wildly popular (and scientifically unsound) human diet fads on the
market, such as the Grain Belly and Paleo diets.
Perhaps better
digestibility is an asset? Nope: The
Hill’s veterinarian said it's not universally true that GF food
is more digestible; it depends on the food and the individual pet. What about the idea that it's less
allergenic? Again, it ain’t necessarily so.
Most food allergies (which are really less common than most pet owners
think) are from the animal protein, not the grain.
What’s the confused
consumer to believe? Well, you can start
with the bag, can or package your pet food comes in. GF or not, a food will be
labeled "complete and balanced" if it meets the strict standards established
by AAFCO, the Association of American Feed Control Officials. A food that
doesn’t measure up must state on the package that “This product
is intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding only.”
You might think that I’m
anti-GF food, but I’m not. Certain dog
breeds, such as soft coated wheaten terriers, are prone to serious gluten
intolerance, so a diet free of wheat and other grains (which may be
contaminated with wheat) is essential. Just
as in humans, grain intolerance exists and can cause bloating and diarrhea. In our practice, when a dog or cat has
digestive problems, a GF diet is one of the weapons in our armory. Some itchy dogs do better on GF diets,
although in my experience, that doesn’t happen often.
If you find a particular
GF diet that your pet loves, there’s nothing wrong with putting it on his
menu. But if you have a couch potato or
senior pet, GF food could cause weight gain and constipation. Because the benefits of GF food really
depend on the individual dog or cat, our job as veterinarians is to help you
decide whether it's ideal for your pet.
The bottom line:
Although GF food can be the subject of exaggerated
claims, it can also be tasty and useful for your pet. So let’s
call it somewhat legitimate hoopla!
