Do Dogs Need Carbohydrates?
The quick answer is no. Dogs have ZERO nutritional need for carbohydrates, not even fiber. They may be able to process them in small amounts, but they have no actual need for them. So why do most of the popular brands of dog food contain such high percentages? And why shouldn’t dogs be eating it?
First, let’s tackle why dog food manufacturers are including such high percentages in dry dog food:
The machinery that produces dry kibble requires sufficient carbohydrates to make the dough pasty and expandable.
Dog food must provide sufficient energy (calories), and carbs are the cheapest source of calories. Excessive carbs are an indicator of poorer quality food.
Dry food is far more profitable to manufacturers because it reduces the cost of ingredients. It also lowers the cost of packaging, transportation, storage, and other aspects of bringing dog foods to market.
In both dry and canned foods, carbs are used for taste and texture. Those nuggets, cuts and chunks are made of – and held together by – sticky carbs like glutens, gums, and proteoglycans (proteins coated with sugars).
All carbohydrates (except fiber) ultimately break down into simple sugars. And some foods have added sugars as well … keep reading to learn more about those ingredients.
Can Dogs Digest Carbohydrates?
Dogs are perfectly capable of digesting and using carbohydrates, especially when they are pre-processed by cooking, as they are in processed dog foods. But dogs are also perfectly able to convert proteins in their diet into the glucose they need for metabolic functions. Carbs do provide energy (calories), and they may taste good. Vegetables and grains usually contain protein, a little fat, and other nutrients as well as carbs.
A few years ago, pet food makers made much ado about a study showing that dogs have more copies of a gene involved in carb digestion than wolves. But this just shows the evolutionary flexibility dogs have developed in response to the food that was available to them. It does not mean dogs should eat carbs. It just means that they can derive nutrition from them if that’s what they’re given to eat. Remember, our dog’s ancestors were eating 7% to 14% carbohydrates in their diets.
Health Impact Of Carbohydrates In Dog Food
Most dry kibble dog foods contain 30-60% grains or other starchy vegetables like potatoes and legumes. Foods that are high in carbohydrate aren’t healthy for your dog because they …
Play havoc with insulin metabolism
Disrupt the gut microbiome
Cause excessive hunger and obesity
Create inflammation that leads to tissue and organ degeneration
The highly-refined carbs in dog food can actually make your dog hungrier, because they are so quickly digested, transported, and absorbed into cells. Blood sugar goes down, which triggers hunger hormones. So starchy foods are often a cause of obesity in dogs.
Given that inflammation is at the root of many canine degenerative diseases, reducing or eliminating foods that contribute to inflammation makes sense.
Diet has a major impact on the gut microbiome. Research suggests that this is a major factor in obesity. Fortunately, when kibble-fed dogs are switched to a raw diet, their microbiome is able to substantially shift back to a more wolf-like gut bacteria population.
Grain-Free Isn’t Always Better - Read Your Labels
Quality proteins like Fish, Poultry and Game Meat are expensive. Grain-free used to mean a higher percentage of these quality proteins. But as costs increased, manufacturers turned to legumes, potatoes, and sweet potatoes as affordable replacements. All of which are high in carbohydrates. Using them in “grain-free” foods does not equate to “low carb.” As a result, some grain-free and even minimally processed dog foods are actually higher in carbs than most dry dog food.
Dogs benefit from specific nutrients found in meat based proteins and these will naturally be missing from most grains and legumes used as substitutes. Taurine for instance is naturally occurring in meat proteins but will need to be artificially added to a dog food when manufacturers are using legumes as an economical way to replace meat. This is possibly what contributed to the DCM scare some years back.
So grain-free is best but make sure your brand of grain-free kibble is not substituting in cheap legumes.
Sugar Feeds Cancer Cells
All carbohydrates except fiber break down into simple sugars. Many dog foods contain other sugary ingredients as well. Watch out for ingredients like bakery products, beet pulp, cane, molasses, sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, glucose, molasses and anything that ends in “ol.” They’re all sugars!
One of the best reasons to avoid foods with starch and sugar ingredients is that sugar is the favorite food of cancer. Cancer cells have limited metabolism that requires glucose. While the rest of your dog’s body can utilizee protein and fat for energy, cancer can’t. This is the philosophy behind feeding ketogenic diets that are very low in carbohydrates to dogs with cancer.
Recommendation
For your dog’s health, avoid processed kibble and high carbohydrates in dog food as best you can. Keep the total carbohydrate percentage to under 29% if possible. With dry kibble, you may be hard pressed to find anything under 40% but it is worth the effort. Even better, look for raw, dehydrated, air-dried, freeze-dried or canned products for the least processed and best quality protein possible.
And don’t think “raw” has to mean throwing down a t-bone or a chicken drumstick for their dinner. There are many excellent companies that provide balanced, ground raw meals, in pre-packaged portions you can keep in the freezer, thaw and serve. Or choose dehydrated raw meals you just pour into a bowl, rehydrate and serve. Most quality canned products contain no carbohydrates or artificial ingredients so they also provide an easy way to serve a healthy meal. And if none of these sound convenient, choose a freeze-dried or air-dried option that is as simple to pour and serve as dry kibble but significantly healthier.
And if you truly prefer a traditional dry kibble, serve the healthiest brand you can. Farmina and Carna4 are our personal favorites. Both Farmina and Carna4 have a moderate carb level with recipes ranging around 30% for Farmina and 34-40% for Carna4.
With Carna4, almost all the carbs in the recipes come from organic sprouted ingredients. Sprouting significantly lowers glycemic levels and increases nutrient density, making sprouts a much better carb option than what is used in conventional kibble.
You can also split the difference. Serve a pre-made raw in the morning and an air/freeze-dried or even a dry kibble option for their evening meal. And remember, regardless of what you serve, rotate proteins. The variety is good for your dog!
See our Favorite Foods for Dogs for some of our recommended options.
