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No Grains - Please!

http://www.urbancarnivore.com

We know that dogs are fashioned as carnivores with teeth designed to tear flesh, not grind food as the herbivore does. Dogs have simple stomachs and a short acidic intestinal tract that is ideal for digesting meat. The dog does not digest grains and vegetables as readily as it does meat and bone. Although dogs have somehow managed to adapt (to some extent) to carbohydrates in their diet, their body prefers a food high in animal protein.

Grain makes up a considerable portion of both commercial and a number of homemade feeding programs. nograins1

The use of grains in dry processed pet foods became popular because it is a less expensive source for energy than fat or protein. Insufficient animal-derived protein in a dog's diet can cause deficiencies, which is manifested in diseases that may include skin and chronic ear infections, reproductive, heart, kidney, bladder, thyroid and adrenal gland malfunctions. It is fact that dogs do not have a dietary requirement for carbohydrates. There are requirements for essential' fatty acids and essential amino acids (protein), but there is no known necessity for carbohydrates. However, dogs do have a metabolic requirement for glucose, which can be produced within the body or through diet. Metabolic pathways in the liver and kidney can use other nutrients to produce glucose. Therefore, sources of dietary carbohydrate are not necessary if protein and fat intake are adequate to provide the needed precursors of glucose.

There are many issues surrounding the nutritional value of grains. Most refined grain products act more like simple sugars in the body, meaning they are broken down into blood sugar quickly after being eaten. In other words, they have high glycemic ratings. On the other hand, vegetables, with the exception of root vegetables, potatoes and most fruits, have low to moderate glycemic ratings. Foods that elevate blood sugar produce harmful molecules called free radicals, which accelerate aging. Excess glucose reacts with and damages proteins in the body, which also ages tissues. Research is indicating that diets based on low glycemic carbohydrates improve blood sugar metabolism. However, as useful as the glycemic index is for evaluating food's effects on blood sugar levels, it is sometimes overvalued. To get a true understanding of how healthful various carbohydrates are you would also need to consider the amount of carbohydrates different foods supply. The carbohydrate density of a food is determined by the amount of digestible carbohydrates in the food less the grams of fiber. If you evaluate carbohydrates by both their glycemic index and carbohydrate density, refined grain products rate worse than almost any other food.

Are whole grains better than refined grains? At first glance whole grains may appear to contain more nutrients and blood regulating fiber. Due to their higher fiber content, they tend to rate lower on the glycemic index. The more grains are processed, the more they tend to raise blood sugar. Nonetheless, whole grains have their shortcomings, including high carbohydrate content, antinutrients that impair absorption of minerals such as calcium, iron and zinc and lectins that interfere with intestinal and immune function.

Refined grains are missing more than a dozen nutrients found in whole grains, so it's natural to assume that whole grains are higher in nutrients. Unfortunately this isn't the case. Grains do not contain vitamin C, an antioxidant that is important for immunity, protection against allergies, skin health and cancer. Grains do not contain vitamin A or vitamin A precursors such as beta-carotene that is important for the health of mucous membranes. Vitamin A reinforces immunity and helps to prevent both heart disease and cancer. Grains are poor sources of the B vitamins in comparison to the calories they provide. You would have to provide a lot of grain in a dog's diet to provide adequate amounts of vitamin B - yet these vitamins are readily available in meat sources. Antinutrients in grains, called pyridoxine glucosides, reduce vitamin B6, which is important for a healthy immune system and hormonal balance. Vitamin B12 is absent in grains, an important nutrient for nerve and brain health and protection against anemia. Grains contain low levels of bioavailable biotin, which is so necessary in the metabolism of fatty acids. As well, grains alter the metabolism of vitamin D which plays an important role in creating bone health and a strong immune system.

Grains contain low levels of calcium and they also possess other components that contribute to poor calcium metabolism. They are lower in protein and the essential amino acid lysine than animal proteins. Protein is vital for maintaining lean body mass, tissue repair and a strong immune system. Grains do not contain taurine or carnitine. Taurine is a conditionally essential amino acid and carnitine is a vitamin-like nutrient that is needed for energy metabolism. Grains are low in fat, but contain a very high ratio of omega 6 to 3 essential fatty acids. A poor omega 6 to omega 3 ratio promotes insulin resistance and has pro-inflammatory effects.

A high intake of phytate from grains can potentially lead to deficiencies of iron or calcium unless suitable supplementation is provided. Studies have found that retention of zinc in the body is inversely related to the level of phytate in the diet. The phytate in grains not only inhibits the absorption of zinc in the grains themselves but also the zinc available in foods that are eaten with them. Antinutrients such as phytates in grains are believed to have evolved as a defense mechanism so the grains could protect themselves from insects or animals. Besides phytates, other antinutrients in grains have been shown to promote inflammation and induce adverse effects on pancreas cells.

Most of the well-known lectins are derived from grains, legumes and tubers. For example, gluten is a lectin that has been associated with celiac disease. Lectins are glycoproteins that have the potential to interfere with the body's hormonal balance, metabolism and health. Lectins induce structural changes in the intestine that increase gut permeability and contribute to bacterial overgrowth. Once they cross the protective barrier of the gut wall and enter the bloodstream, lectins fool the immune system into reacting to proteins that would not normally be affected, resulting in autoimmune disorders and allergies.

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Grains are a poor replacement for the rich fermented stomach ingesta that is part of the wild canid's diet. Grains stick to the villi of the duodenum, the finger-like projections of the intestine, which are vital for the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream. If nutrients cannot be absorbed, problems arise. This may occur early in life or very late. Some dogs will experience severe problems by the time they are adolescents while the more resilient will not be affected until late in life. But at some point, grains in pet food will likely affect most dogs with their nutrient-blocking capabilities. There is a growing epidemic of chronic health problems in domestic pets that coincides with the feeding of commercial pet foods which contain difficult to digest grains rather than easily digested animal matter. Too high a percentage of grains in a dog's diet may cause nutritional deficiencies and may even create a host of immune-system related diseases.

reprinted with kind permission from Brenda Hagel
The Urban Carnivore
www.urbancarnivore.com