Grains in home cooked food

Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Messages
62
Likes
0
Points
0
#1
Is it okay to exclude grains completely from my home cooked dog food? Does rice contain any absolutely essential nutrients, or is it just a source of carbohydrates?
 
Joined
Jul 17, 2005
Messages
5,634
Likes
0
Points
0
Age
35
Location
Ontario, Canada
#3
I dont feed my guys any grains at all. They get everything they need from raw meat, fruits/veggies, apple cider vinegar, missing link, and the grain-free kibbles I feed them.
 

dogsarebetter

EVIL SHELTIES!!!!
Joined
Jul 9, 2006
Messages
3,999
Likes
0
Points
0
Age
37
Location
kentucky
#4
i do feed mine grains. thats just what the book i am reading calls for in the recipe. maybe later i will be comfortable not giving them.
 

Gempress

Walks into Mordor
Joined
Aug 12, 2005
Messages
11,955
Likes
0
Points
0
#5
Mordy's site dogfoodproject.com has very interesting information about carbohydrates. In this tidbit, she's addressing the myth "A dog's digestive system is not able to fully digest and utilize grains"

This one at least has some truth to it. Compared to herbivores a dog's digestive tract is much less specialized for digesting grains, or carbohydrates in general for that matter - especially in their raw, unprocessed form. However, dogs are not true carnivores but opportunistic feeders and can digest and utilize the starch from grains in dog food that has been converted by the cooking process. Digestibility depends on quality and type of grain used: rice (72%) is for example more digestible than wheat (60%) or corn (54%). Dogs can absorb the digestible carbohydrates from rice almost entirely, of the other grains about 20% are not absorbed. Indigestible fiber from grains contribute to intestinal health.
So carbohydrates aren't exactly necessary. But they aren't harmful, either. Dogs do get nutrition from carbs, and the fiber it provides is good for a dog's system.

I personally give my boys a bit of cooked rice once a week. Not much, just a cup. But I figure it doesn't hurt anything, and it may help.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top