It’s More Than Just the Ingredients

Do ingredients matter? Of course! But how those ingredients are processed in order to make a finished product is just as important.

Many pet guardians opt for kibble because it’s super convenient, relatively inexpensive, and easy to store. However, ingredients aside, the manufacturing process itself can be harmful to your dog’s health.

Most kibble is made by rendering and extruding, a process which involves extremely high temperatures. This process helps manufacture a shelf-stable product, but it also creates AGEs (advanced glycation end products) and ALEs (advanced lipoxidation end products).

Additionally, these high temperatures destroy important nutrients, such as vitamins and enzymes, that your dog needs to maintain optimal health, which is why you often see the addition of so many synthetic nutrients.

AGEs

AGEs are a type of harmful molecule that cause inflammation and premature aging. They form in the body when sugars and proteins react together in a process known as glycation. This can occur naturally in the body, but it also happens when foods are cooked at high temperatures.

When AGEs accumulate in the body, they can lead to a number of harmful health effects. They have been implicated in a variety of chronic diseases, including pancreatitis, diabetes, heart disease, and cancers, by causing inflammation and cell damage, and by impairing the normal functioning of tissues and organs.

ALEs

Exacerbating the matter, when proteins and fats are exposed to these high temperatures together, they undergo a chemical reaction called lipid peroxidation. This reaction produces harmful compounds, such as free radicals. These compounds can cause significant damage to cells and tissues in the body and can trigger inflammatory responses that can lead to many chronic diseases.

The Common Sense Factor

Dogs, like humans, are not meant to live on ultra processed, cereal-based animal feeds. They need healthy, fresh, unadulterated fats and proteins to thrive. These nutrients are critical to a dog’s physical and mental wellbeing as well as their longevity. And while it’s nearly impossible to avoid AGEs all together, it’s easy to drastically limit them.

If you want to learn more about why fresh is best, check out our collection of nutrition services, webinars, and books.