Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Dry Dog Food
Some dogs are sensitive to certain food ingredients, which can cause excessive itching, loose stools, occasional vomiting and other symptoms. Investing in dog food formulated for dogs with sensitive stomachs and skin can help minimize these issues. This option from Purina is crafted without corn, wheat or soy to make it more easily digestible for dogs with an intolerance to these ingredients however, experts told us these types of ingredients should only be avoided if your dog has an intolerance as they are full of healthy vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. To help your dog maintain a complete and balanced diet, the brand says the formula contains high-protein salmon, probiotics and prebiotic fiber for digestive and immune health and omega-6 fatty acids to help support a healthy skin and coat.
How Do We Make Cat Food Recommendations
We know you love your cat and we want whats best for him just as much as you do. The difference is that weve done a ton of research to learn exactly what goes into pet food and how to decipher the information on pet food labels. Dont worry were using our powers for good! Your cats good, that is. Weve evaluated many of the top cat food brands on the market, so we know what were talking about, and wed never recommend something we wouldnt feed our own cats.
Here are some general requirements for a cat food recipe to receive our stamp of approval:
- A source of high-quality animal protein as the first ingredient
- At least 30% crude protein for kittens and at least 26% for adults
- A minimum of 9% crude fat for kittens and adults
- A balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, primarily from animal sources
- A rich blend of nutrients from natural sources and supplements, as needed
- Limited carbohydrate content from digestible sources
- No low-quality fillers, by-products, or artificial additives
The Disadvantages Of Dog Food Without Red Dye
Your dog might seem like the most picture-perfect pet in the whole world. Unfortunately, that is not the case because there are many disadvantages of dog food without red dye. First of all, your dog will not be able to eat healthy foods. He will not have the same taste buds as you do and will not be able to tell the difference between a good piece of red meat and a bad piece of red meat. Therefore, he will only eat foods that he likes.
Another disadvantage of dog food without red dye is that the red dye makes the food look more natural. Without the red dye, the meat looks like it has already been dried out. This is a problem because it will take longer for the meat to come out of the dogs body.
One disadvantage of dog food without red dye is that it is hard to digest. The food has to be processed through your dogs digestive system. If the food is not processed well, it will not be able to be digested properly.
Another disadvantage of dog food without red dye is that it is not healthy for your dog. The food does not have any nutrients in it. Therefore, your dog will be at risk for diseases and other health problems.
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An Example Food To Avoid
Lets look at a real dog food ingredient list to find some of the common color additives we want to avoid. Color additives are in bold.
Example Ingredient List
Corn, Soybean Meal, Beef & Bone Meal, Ground Wheat, Wheat Middlings, Animal Fat , Corn Syrup, Water Sufficient For Processing, Animal Digest , Propylene Glycol, Salt, Apple, Hydrochloric Acid, Potassium Chloride, Caramel Color, Peas, Sorbic Acid , Sodium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Minerals , Vitamins , Dl-Methionine, Calcium Sulfate, Titanium Dioxide , Carrots, Green Beans, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5, Red 40, BHA , Blue 1, Blue 2 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Yellow 6.
This dog food has just about every color additive possible. Its also one of the worst formulas Ive ever seen! Yes, the food above is actually on the market.
Useful tip: Avoid every ingredient listed in this feed.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula
Blue Buffalo always features real meat as the first ingredient. The rest of the ingredients include wholesome vegetables, fruit, and grains. There are no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives in this lamb and brown rice recipe, but there are the companys trademark LifeSource Bits, a blend of nutrients enhanced with anti-oxidants.
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Risks Associated With Blue 1
Blue 1 was approved by the FDA in 1969 for general use in food and ingested drugs. Industry sponsored studies have not shown any clinical signs attributed to Blue 1, however these studies have been short in duration. As noted by the CSPI, adverse effects can occur years after exposure.
Studies outside those sponsored by industry have raised alarming concerns of possible neurotoxicity and an increased chance of kidney tumors.
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Red 40 Yellow 5 & 6 And Blue 2
Your dog does not care what color their dog food is. First and foremost, they can’t see colors as humans do, and natural, non-colored dog food will be brown colored after cooking. Any other color can be attributed to the artificial dyes of Red 40, Yellow 5 & 6 and Blue 2.
Proven to cause behavioral problems and cancer in humans, your 4-footed friend doesn’t need coloring additives either.
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What Is Red Dye Made Out Of
Take your pick: bugs or petroleum byproducts.
Sounds appetizing, no? Well, if learning where this U.S. FDA-approved food coloring comes from makes you a bit squeamish, perhaps youll start really watching what you eat.
If you want a more natural red coloring, bugs it is.
But if not, check ingredient labels for carmine, carminic acid or cochineal extract. These three are the same thing: a bug called a cochineal.
How is a bug turned into food coloring? Not that you asked, but if you want the creepy crawly details, heres how.
Once the bugs are harvested, they work on their tans so to speak. They are sun-dried. Then the bugs are crushed, grounded and placed in alcohol.
Still reading? Planning on quitting red food coloring? Actually, carmine isnt only in food. Check your beauty products. It could be in your cosmetics, in addition to more obvious items like cake frosting and sprinkles.
Well, as disturbing as using bugs to artificially color something sounds, it could be worse.
Carmine is Red dye #4. Red dye 40 comes from petroleum. More specifically, it comes from coal.
Taste Of The Wild Grain
Taste of the Wild has been a popular choice in affordable natural dog food since 2007. Diamond, the makers of Diamond Naturals, own the brand. Taste of the Wild is a great option for dogs with allergies and offers several protein sources to choose from, including bison and venison, lamb, salmon, fowl, and wild boar.
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True Acre Foods Grain
Busy pup parents in search of a grain-free, protein-packed bowl to satisfy and nourish their furry children will find that this brand is highly recommended.
Made with high-quality ingredients, True Acre Foods Grain-Free Chicken & Vegetable is a great solution for pets with food sensitivities or allergies. With no grains like wheat or corn, and artificial color or flavor, only real meat.
True Acre Foods Grain-Free Chicken & Vegetable dog food is natural, grain-free, and only uses proteins from animals like beef. Its sourced from farms across the US without any grains that might cause allergies in your best friend.
With ingredients like pumpkin for fiber and Omega fatty acids to keep those little furry feet healthy, True Acre promises a product with great value for money and tastes delicious due to its naturally complementary flavors of carrots, sweet potatoes, or apples. All food bowls in this pack are filled up high with chicken goodness 24% proteins and 13% fats from animal sources!
Key Features:
How Do You Find Dye
You might have realized by now that the natural label doesnt mean much, but it can help you find a dye-free food.
Artificial colors are prohibited under AAFCOs definition of natural food. Therefore, any food that calls itself natural or 100% natural is legally prohibited from containing any artificial colors, including red dye and other potentially harmful dyes.
Some foods lack the word natural in their labeling and dont contain any dyes, so dont limit your search to foods that feature this labeling. However, if you dont know where to start, natural foods are a good place to look. Again, so-called natural foods cannot legally contain artificial colors.
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Chicken Soup For The Soul Mature Chicken
Chicken Soup for the Soul Mature Pet Food is designed with senior dogs in mind. Made from five different proteins, this formula has real chicken at its base to promote muscle health and higher energy levels. It is an excellent dog food without red dye. No by-products, wheat, corn, preservatives or artificial flavors are included.
When it comes to feeding your mature dog, you have to be extra careful to combat the common problems faced by dogs and their older kidneys. Thats why every meal from Chicken Soup Mature is made with gentle ingredients like chicken broth, salmon, and turkey that you can feed your dog.
This soup is a tasty mixture with treats inside to satisfy your appetite, a mix of dry food, and the craving for adventure. A healthy source of proteins and vitamins, every bite will bring you closer to wellness with each swallow.
Key Features:
Iams Proactive Lamb & Rice
Ingredients List
Lamb, Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Ground Whole Grain Barley, Ground Whole Grain Corn…,
Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken Fat , Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dried Egg Product, Caramel Color, Potassium Chloride, Carrots, Flaxseed, Choline Chloride, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, Fructooligosaccharides, Calcium Carbonate, L-Tryptophan, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, L-Carnitine, Mixed Tocopherols , Zinc Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate , Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Niacin Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement , Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride , Vitamin D3 Supplement, Rosemary Extract, Manganous Oxide, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide.
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The Benefits Of Dog Food Without Red Dye
In the past few years, dog owners have become increasing concerned about the harmful effects of artificial dyes in their dog food. Some of the worst offenders in dog food include Blue 2 , Green 3 and Red 40 .
Why should you avoid food with artificial dyes? There are three main reasons:
1. Artificial dyes are known to cause allergic reactions in dogs.2. Artificial dyes have been linked with hyperactivity in children.3. Artificial dyes have been linked with cancer.
Why do some dog foods contain artificial dyes? Artificial colorants are used in dog food to make the food look more appealing to dog owners. Its as simple as that.
How do you ensure there are no artificial dyes in your dog food?Dont buy dog food that contains artificial colorants. Dont buy dog treats that contain artificial colorants.
Thats it. Really, really simple.
Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Original Recipe Dry Dog Food
Petco
Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food is a nutrient-dense combination of turkey and chicken meal, for a high protein option that leaves out wheat, gluten, corn, soy, eggs, and artificial preservatives. It also includes omega fatty acids, which benefits your dog’s coat.
In addition to its grain free version, Wellness CORE dry dog food is also available in raw meat, digestive health, wholesome grains, and weight management formulations.
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Nutritional Value And Proportions
To make sure youre giving your dog the appropriate nutrients and proportions, Shepherd recommended first checking the foods energy density which is shown as kcal per cup, can or ounce, similar to the nutritional facts on human foods and its feeding guidelines. Once thats determined, you can keep an eye on your pets weight with the Body Condition Score, which is a visual scale that evaluates the amount of fat on key parts of the dogs body .
Unfortunately, the No. 1 nutritional disease in dogs is obesity and, in some breeds, this can take as much as two years off their lifespan, according to Hill. A lot of obesity problems in dogs come down to the owners inability to understand their dogs calorie intake. We just pay attention to whats on the side of the bag and those recommendations are pretty much for the normal, active dog a lot of dogs just arent normal and active, Wakshlag said. Thats one thing to consider thatll help your dog live longer: Its not necessarily about what you’re feeding them, its how much youre feeding them, Hill added.
Do Cheerios Have Red Dye 40
According to the FDA, beverages are the largest source of artificial dyes in the American diet. issued a report last year that found that the average American consumes more than 100,000 pounds of sugar-sweetened beverages each year.
The report also noted that artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and artificial sweeteners are found in a variety of processed foods, including breakfast cereals, cookies, crackers, ice cream, snack foods and snack bars, as well as in many packaged foods sold in grocery stores and convenience stores.
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Purina Pro Plan Adult Large Dry Dog Food
Purina says it employs several veterinary nutritionists to help determine healthy formulations and ingredients the brands highly rated Pro Plan dog food can be good for dogs of different sizes and in all stages of life, including large breed adults and puppies, Purina says. The Purina Pro Plan formula contains natural prebiotic fiber for digestive health and omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin A for skin and coat health, according to the brand. Select writer Zoe Malin said her large 100-pound yellow lab Chance eats the weight management dry kibble from the brand which Purina says contains a more optimized protein-to-fat ratio since hes 9 years old and less active compared to when he was a puppy.
A Brief History Of Food Additives
For thousands of years, humans have been experimenting with additives to preserve food and improve its flavor and appearance. According to historians, the practice of using spices to prevent food spoilage dates back to at least 3000 BC.
In the 1800s, people started becoming more creative with their additives, turning to chemicals and heavy metals like arsenic and mercury to make foods more vibrant. Sadly, many people died from the unregulated use of these toxic substances.
In the early 1900s, food manufacturers began experimenting with byproducts from the petroleum and coal industries to create synthetic food additives for preservation and cosmetic purposes. Unfortunately, many of these additives were just as dangerous as the chemical additives before them.
In 1906, soon after petroleum-based additives were introduced into the supply chain, the US government passed the Pure Food and Drugs Act. The bill aimed to protect consumers from dangerous products, including some of the artificial food dyes already on the market. This bill outlined acceptable manufacturing practices and sanitation measures and made harmful ingredients unlawful. This progressive bill made waves in the food industry and is still in place today.
Most true food allergies in pets are due to food proteins, which food dye doesn’t contain.
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Evangers Dry Dog Food
Evangers Chicken Dry Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutrition levels determined by the AAFCO dog food profiles for all life stages.
Fresh chicken is the first and main ingredient. There is zero corn, soy fillers or wheat.
Other quality ingredients are oatmeal, dried egg, carrots, Vitamin A supplement, d-calcium pantothenate , chicken, chicken meal, dried kelp, cranberries, blueberries, brown rice, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress, spinach, potassium chloride, Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin B12 supplement, Niacin supplement.There is no doubt this product can be considered a good diet plan for your dog.
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