November 9, 2022
Benefits of Grain-Free and Grain-Inclusive Dog Food Recipes
With so many premium dog food options available it can be hard to know how to choose the right one for your dog. One of the most common questions from dog owners is whether to go with a grain-free or grain-inclusive formula – which is best for your dog?
Grain-Inclusive
Let’s start off by going over some of the most commonly used grains in pet food.
These grains include:
- Wheat
- Corn
- Rice
- Oats
- Barley
- Rye
- Millet
Grains are an important source of complex carbohydrates – more slowly digested compared to simple carbohydrates. Although carbohydrates are not considered essential nutrients, they play a critical role in your pet’s body. Carbohydrates are a highly digestible, readily available energy source.
Grains in particular are a good source of:
- Fibre
- Protein
- Vitamins
- Minerals
You can find grains included in all of our Go! Solutions Skin + Coat Care and Go! Solutions Digestion + Gut Health recipes for dogs.
Grain-Free
Now, what about grain-free recipes? Grain-free are not carb-free and not the same as gluten-free recipes. Many grain-free pet foods are higher in protein than their grain-inclusive counterparts.
Grain-free doesn't always mean reduced carbohydrates - often, but not always. All foods contain a balance of carbohydrates, fat, and protein – decreasing the amount of carbohydrates in food will increase fat, protein, or both.
For example, our Go! Solutions Carnivore recipes are our lowest carbohydrate recipes formulated to be grain-free and have up to 97% of protein from premium-quality animal sources.
When a food doesn’t contain grains, it will use non-grain carbohydrates sources such as:
- Tapioca
- Potatoes
- Or pulse ingredients like lentils, peas, or chickpeas
Some pets have food sensitivities and may be intolerant to one or more specific grains. For these pets Go! Solutions Sensitivities Limited Ingredient recipes may be a good option.
In Conclusion
So, to grain or not to grain? Overall, there is no “right” choice – only the best choice for you and your dog. Both grain-free and grain-inclusive ingredients offer many health benefits and can be used to make a safe, healthy, balanced, and complete diet. The most important consideration in choosing a high-quality dog food is that it provides complete and balanced nutrition and is the best fit for your dog.
Authors
Natalie Williams
Nutrition Manager
Natalie received both her BSc in Honours Biological Science and MSc in Companion Animal Nutrition from the University of Guelph.
Theresa Lantz
Companion Animal Nutritionist
Theresa received both her BSc in Companion Animal Health and MSc in Animal Science from the University of Alberta.
Michele Dixon
Health and Nutrition Specialist
Michele studied animal nutrition through Colorado State University and the Companion Animal Sciences Institute. Involved in animals and nutrition for over 25 years, Michele had the pleasure of receiving a High in Trial with her first Borzoi Yascha at an early age.
