What makes up a Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF) diet? Here’s a breakdown of ingredients and the nutritional value that the best raw dog food brings to your pet’s bowl. Click on the icons below to learn about the following ingredients:
Bones are living tissue composed of living cells with a complex source of a wide variety of nutrients, and for millennia, bone chewing has kept dogs healthy. A dog’s system is designed for and needs bones to function.
Bones contain:
Bones are nature’s storehouse of minerals for your dog. With the addition of meat, it supplies methionine and most of the B vitamins. Puppies and adult dogs who don’t get bones may suffer from indigestion or diarrhea, producing smaller quantities of solid, minimally offensive stools. Bones play a similar role to fiber, removing toxins and promoting general bowel health. Bone-eating dogs are long-lived and healthy, remarkably free of old-age degenerative diseases.
Some people assume a natural diet for dogs is exclusively meat, but this approach is neither natural nor balanced. Meat should form only a part of the healthy diet, including bone, offal, fruits, vegetables, and other supplements.
Muscle meats for dogs contain:
In the wild, dogs eat the stomach content and organ meat from animals; internal organs form a vital part of the wild dog’s diet. Although organ meats are valuable, you don’t need them in large quantities. They’re a concentrated source of essential nutrients and valuable during growth and reproduction.
Liver - the most concentrated source of vitamin A and should be regularly fed in small amounts. It also contains vitamins D, E, and K in substantial quantities. Excellent source of minerals zinc, manganese, selenium, and iron. It also includes all the B vitamins, particularly B2, B3, B5, biotin, folacin, B12, choline, and inositol. It contains B1 in adequate or smaller amounts and is a good source of vitamin C. Liver provides a source of good quality protein and the essential fatty acids, both omega-3 and omega-6.
Kidneys - supplies good quality protein, essential fatty acids, and many vitamins, including fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Kidneys are a rich source of iron and all the B vitamins and have good zinc levels.
Heart - an excellent source of protein, B vitamins, and iron, with essential fatty acids and a little vitamin A. Appreciable levels of taurine, an important food for the heart!
Our wild-caught Pacific salmon is a beneficial protein, fat, vitamin, mineral, and an exceptional source of long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids high in EPA and DHA. It is abundant in vitamins A, B, and D and contains minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and zinc.
Fatty acids can help control the inflammatory process in the body, reducing the occurrence and symptoms of allergies. They help fight specific allergy-based skin reactions that cause rashes, dryness, and fur loss while providing relief from red, itchy, flaky skin. It can also support healthy joint function, producing more collagen and helping reduce inflammation. Fatty acids can promote healthier skin quality, improving your pet’s coat. Additionally, it may help promote cardiovascular function, which helps prevent and fight heart disease and lower blood pressure and triglycerides.
Vegetables, mainly green leafy vegetables, should form part of the domestic dog’s healthy diet because they contain essential health-promoting nutrients. Raw vegetables offer soluble and insoluble fiber and nutrients, including difficult-to-obtain omega-3 essential fatty acids (most of a dog’s vitamin needs), masses of enzymes, and anti-aging factors, including antioxidants and phytochemicals. Recommended vegetables include broccoli, celery, and carrots.
Fruits are mostly water and soluble carbohydrates. But it also offers fiber, vitamins (including A and C), minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants. Because fruit is a whole food, it contains small amounts of protein and fat. Enzymes make it an important addition to your dog’s diet, especially if they’re older and showing signs of degenerative disease.
Is it essential that dogs eat fruit?
Not necessarily. They can get these nutrients from other sources. However, adding fruit ensures a balanced diet that supports longevity. Dogs can eat almost every fruit, but tropical fruits offer many antioxidants. Scientists have discovered that the enzymes and antioxidants present in fruit keep the skin and body free of degeneration and old age diseases. Ideal fruits for a natural diet for dogs include unpeeled apples, pears, grapefruits, oranges, and blueberries.
Whole eggs are brilliant nutrition for your dog, often considered the perfect protein source. Eggs contain a full complement of minerals, including excellent levels of calcium (mainly in the yolk), all vitamins except vitamin C, a range of high-quality saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, the nutrient lecithin, a whole range of enzymes and other longevity factors present in raw foods. Egg yolks are essential for dogs with skin problems because they contain sulfur-containing amino acids, biotin, vitamin A, essential fatty acids, and zinc.
Flaxseed oil is a rich source of essential fatty acids, necessary nutrients the body can’t produce. EFAs are polyunsaturated fats, which are considered “good” fats. EFAs contribute to the healthy functioning of cell membranes. They are critical for synthesizing eicosanoids, a family of hormone-like substances that help in cell maintenance on a minute-to-minute basis.
Garlic is nature’s antibiotic and is often called nature’s wonder drug. It offers effective antimicrobial properties, inhibiting the growth of both bacteria and fungi. Garlic helps stabilize blood pressure and gives a good solid boost to the immune system while keeping infections at bay, particularly upper respiratory tract infections. Much of its success is due to various compounds of sulphur. Garlic is a health-building and disease-preventing herb, rich in potassium, zinc, vitamins A and C, and selenium. It also contains calcium, manganese, copper, vitamin B1, and iron.
Kelp contains over 60 minerals and elements, 21 amino acids, and simple and complex carbohydrates, which promote glandular health, especially the pituitary, adrenal, and thyroid glands. Kelp supplies a natural source of iodine and acts as an antibiotic to kill germs.
Alfalfa helps the body assimilate protein, calcium, and other nutrients. This sprout is a body cleanser, infection fighter, and natural deodorizer. It is the richest land source of trace minerals and contains vitamins A, C, E, K, B, and D. Alfalfa also contains bioflavonoids and eight digestive enzymes to promote proper assimilation of foods.
Fenugreek has vitamins C, B6, folate, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, and dietary fibers. As well as minerals zinc, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, and phosphorus. This herb can improve digestion, coat, skin and can assist in reducing inflammation; the antioxidants help neutralize free radicals. Research shows that Fenugreek aids with cholesterolemia and balances blood sugar levels in diabetic dogs suffering from hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia.
We added these four ingredients thanks to scientific studies and recommendations from staff nutritionists. They form a more complete, fully nutritious product for a natural diet for dogs.
Natural Salmon Oil: Excellent source of vitamin A, D, omega-3 fatty acids and for improving coat quality.
Vitamin E: Potent antioxidant.
Zinc Oxide: Promotes good hair coat, optimal growth, and better activity levels.
Manganese Oxide: Component of several cell enzymes that catalyze metabolic reactions. Benefits include increased growth, aids in reproduction, and helping balance lipid metabolism.
Now that you understand our products’ ingredients, let your pet try them. Shop through the best raw dog food available and give your pet nutrients to support their bodies and minds.
