Ten Unhealthy Dog Food Additives To Beware

Dog nutrition has become increasingly more important for many conscientious dog owners, but there are still many people who are uniformed or mislead by the make-up of popular dog food brands. The ingredients of dog food remain a mystery, with most of us not really wanting to know the truth about the lack of dog supplements or dog vitamins in the meal our beloved pet is feasting on.

Some so-called health dog foods may claim to provide dog supplements or dog vitamins, but these are mixed in with such poor ingredients, they can hardly be recommended over organic dog food, natural dog food, or homemade dog food to maintain good dog nutrition or support good dog health.

Just as it s important to read the labels on the food you bring into your kitchen, the same goes for your pet s food to ensure they receive the right dog nutrition and dog vitamins they need to maintain proper dog health. When it comes to providing the right dog health, many brands claim to be organic dog food or natural dog food, but the details on their label will make you think otherwise. In order to properly read the labels on most commercial health dog food packages, you need to know the inside scoop on what is actually meant by terms like meat and bone meal, and poultry by-products.

Here is your guide to decoding ten of the worst commercial dog food ingredients:

- Wheat: Wheat is the number one allergy in dogs and because of its high carbohydrate content, is a contributing factor in canine obesity. Label may refer to wheat flour, wheat germ, wheat mill run, middlings or mid. Many natural dog food and organic dog food formulas can now be found without wheat in them.

- Corn: Corn is the number two allergy in dogs and another source of heavy carbohydrates because of its high sugar content. While corn can be a source of certain dog nutrients, the corn used in commercial dog food contains the entire corn plant, including the root to the stems making it a less than desirable dog supplement.

- Soy: The number three allergy-provoking food for dogs, soybean meal or soy flour, is a highly processed form of soybeans that are void of the essential dog nutrients, dog vitamins, fats, antioxidants and minerals naturally found in the soybean.

- Brewer s Rice: Refers to rice sections that have been discarded from the rice kernel. Brewer s rice is broken shells of rice that lack dog nutrients and dog vitamins and have been discarded. They are either going to get swept off from the floor and tossed into the garbage or added into the dog food mixer.

- Egg Product: While whole eggs can be a nutritious dog supplement, "egg product" refers to egg shells, eggs that have gone rancid or those that have spoiled.

- Digest: Referred to as "poultry digest" or "meat digest," this term actually refers to roadkill animals and euthanized pets.

- By-Product Meal: In reference to meat, poultry, or beef, by-products refers to any part of the animal other than the muscle tissue. By-product refers to the head, feet or feathers parts of the animal.

- Cellulose: This pulp left over from fibrous plants is just another name for sawdust with no dog nutrition benefits.

- Ethoxyquin: This deadly preservative is banned for use in human foods but is commonly added in commercial dog foods with no regard for dog health.

- Preservatives: Additives like BHA are meant to prolong the shelf-life of the dog food or improve the food s appearance, but they offer no nutritional value to your dog s food and may actually be harmful for dog health.

If you regularly purchase commercial dog food for your beloved pet, here are out top picks for brands that produce quality, healthy and nutritious organic dog food or natural dog food to support proper dog health for your special friend.

Orijen
ACANA
EVO
Planet Organics
Fromm

Homemade dog food is also another health dog food option for many owners. Like organic dog food or natural dog food, homemade dog food can provide your pet with the proper nutrients and vitamins they need without the dangerous additives.