Amino acids: The building blocks of proteins. Used in muscle protein synthesis. Used also for some liver functions. ‘Essential’ amino acids are required but cannot be produced by your dog. Therefore, these must be present in a complete & balanced diet. They are used as building blocks to maintain muscle, create enzymes, and provide energy.
Ash: Most simply put this is the mineral matter present in a food. It’s measured by burning a sample at 500° C till all organic matter is burned and removed. This process leaves behind just the mineral content. Some minerals are important to health and wellbeing of your dog and are often listed separately on the packaging.
Cellulose: The scientific term for ‘dietary fibre’. It can be found in the cell walls of all plants and is almost entirely indigestible by dogs. Much like in humans, cellulose can aid the digestion process helping things to 'keep moving' though the digestion process and to aid passing stools comfortably. Some dog foods use powdered cellulose, literally a by product of sawdust! You really don't want to see this on the ingredients list. All the cellulose your dog needs should be naturally sourced by using quality vegetable ingredients. For example, Bone Idol Dog Food uses natural sources of cellulose found within the human grade raw and fresh vegetable ingredients rather than a powdered version.
Carbohydrates: A term you may be familiar with, Carbohydrates include sugars, starch, dietary fibre, gums, and related substances. To understand this, simply break the word down. 'Carbo' (Carbon) 'Hydrate' (Fill with water). These are long chain-like molecules. At a basic level, as carbohydrates are digested, they are broken down into shorter and shorter chains until they can be absorbed in the intestine. Essentially the longer the carbohydrate or ‘more complex’ the slower the digestion process and therefore lower on the glycaemic index.
Cold Pressed: Cold Pressed Dog Food is an exciting innovation in the dog food market. The new cold pressed style dog food is a healthy dog food that is made using gentle pressure at 45 degrees to form a healthy, highly digestible ‘pellet’ style food as an alternative to traditional dry dog foods.
Cold pressed dog food is seen as a gentle, healthy and convenient alternative to raw dog food and can even be fed alongside a raw diet.
