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There are numerous benefits to feeding your furry family members a healthy whole food diet. Unlike processed dog food, your pets can better absorb and use the nutrients found in a whole food diet. This is because ingredients in a whole food diet don’t undergo extreme cooking processes, which ultimately destroys the nutrients that they offer.
The key to providing your pet with the most species appropriate complete and balanced diet comes down to the ingredients. Above all else, your dog’s food should be made with recognizable unprocessed foods and with limited-to-no artificial ingredients and free of byproducts like chicken meal. An example of an ingredient to watch out for includes tricalcium phosphate. Oftentimes this is added in place of ground bone which is a species appropriate form of calcium.
By and large, making a change to the ingredients you feed your pet can be quite beneficial. According to a Purdue study, changing 25% of your dog’s food to real ingredients decreases the risk of cancer by 90%. That is just one of the many benefits that real ingredients can bring to your furry family members!
When looking for a better way to feed your furry family member, you may have tried a raw dog food diet. While this can be beneficial, a raw food diet can be difficult to make complete and balanced without knowing what ingredients to include. Even if you know the right ingredients for your pet, it can be difficult to access them. For example, organ meat is beneficial to include in a raw diet because it includes taurine, an important nutrient for the long-term health of your dog. Nevertheless, ingredients like organ meat can be hard to find so it can be challenging to include these important ingredients in your pet’s diet.
In this article, we take a closer look at various whole foods you can, and should, include in your pet’s new diet. Keep reading to learn more about each ingredient and the benefits they can offer your furbabies.
Delicious Whole Foods to Include in Your Dog’s Diet
Carrots
When it comes to delicious natural foods your dog will love, one great food to try is carrots. Carrots are an excellent source of nutrients that benefit your pup’s health. Not only do carrots support your pet’s digestion, but they also support their respiratory and immune systems too! Carrots are also known to clear toxins from your pet’s body, leaving them feeling healthy and happy.
Celery
If your pet tends to run warm, you may want to incorporate more cooling ingredients like celery because it helps to clear heat in your pet’s stomach and liver. Celery aids in moisturizing your pet’s intestinal tract, plus it can even help freshen stinky puppy breath! What more could you ask for? You can also give your pet celery juice, which is beneficial for dogs that have arthritis or joint pain.
Green Beans
Another ingredient to include in your pet’s diet are green beans. Not only are green beans low in calories, but they also help to improve your pet’s digestive system. These veggies are packed full of important vitamins and minerals, including iron, protein, calcium, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K. As a neutral ingredient, green beans help improve your pet’s digestion by supporting their kidney function and their energy.
Sweet Potato
Another whole food that’s great for digestive health is sweet potato! If you’ve noticed your pet has been constipated, add some sweet potato to their diet. Sweet potato is a common ingredient used to alleviate constipation because they are high in fiber. Sweet potatoes also help your pet maintain healthy and strong muscles while also boosting the antioxidants in their body.
Pumpkin
If your pet runs cooler, a great warming ingredient to include in their diet is pumpkin. Pumpkin is a soluble fiber source which as a result aids in managing both constipation and diarrhea. It is also a delicious source of vitamin A, C, Beta Carotene and Zinc.
Kale
A nutritional powerhouse and superfood, kale is a nutrient-dense ingredient packed with various vitamins and minerals that support your fur baby’s health and well-being. Adding kale to your pet’s diet provides them with vitamins like vitamin A, which supports eye and skin health, vitamin C which aids your pet’s immune system & vitamin K supports blood clotting and healing.
Broccoli
Another superfood to include in your pet’s diet is broccoli. Broccoli is a food high in vitamin C, calcium, and soluble fiber. Broccoli also has vitamin E for healthy skin and coat and B6, which supports the brain and nervous system. In addition, broccoli has chromium, which helps regulate blood sugar and weight.
Spinach
Adding spinach to your dog’s diet helps boost their immune system, vitality, and overall energy. Spinach also supports heart health and stimulates the digestive tract.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a source of medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs. MCTs are the good kind of fat and benefit your dog’s digestion, support their immune system, aid metabolic functions related to weight loss, and even support skin, coat, and thyroid health. Another plus to coconut oil is it can help prevent bad breath!
Apples
Apples are a cooling ingredient that aid in moistening the lungs of your pet. This sweet fruit is rich in vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium, boron and unique antioxidants like flavonoids. Adding apples to your dog’s diet can also relieve restlessness and stimulate their appetite.
Pork Trim, Heart, and Liver
One option when adding meat to your dog’s diet is pork. There are various ways to add pork to your dog’s diet including trim, heart, and liver.
Pork trim is a protein rich food that functions as a Qi tonic, which means it can help remove harmful toxins from your pet’s body. Adding pork heart to your dog’s diet helps them build muscle and boosts their stamina and endurance. Pork heart is also an excellent source of collagen and elastin, which supports your dog’s joint health.
Chicken Heart, Liver, and Neck
When adding chicken to your dog’s diet, you can choose between chicken heart, liver, and neck for a variety of benefits.
Chicken heart warms your pet’s body and strengthens their constitution. That’s why chicken heart is beneficial for dogs who are timid, weak, and lack confidence. Chicken heart also supports your dog’s heart because it is a natural source of taurine which is crucial for optimal cardiac health. Chicken liver supports proper liver function and the health of your dog’s eyes and vision. Chicken necks are a great source of calcium, chondroitin, glucosamine, and Omega-3. As a result, chicken necks help improve your dog’s joint function and can reduce inflammation.
Give Your Dog a Tasty Whole Food Diet With Side by Side
While a whole food diet for your dog can offer amazing benefits, it can be a hassle to make it from scratch. Thankfully, you can still give your fur baby the best in whole food nutrition with Side by Side!
To get started, take Side by Side’s Pet Health Assessment. This unique pet assessment tool helps you better understand your pet’s nutrition in just three minutes! After sharing a little about your pet, you’ll receive a customized warming, cool, or neutral diet recommendation that is unique to your pet’s needs.
Each of Side by Side’s diets is crafted to perfection to ensure your pet only receives the best. By combining Eastern Food Therapy with hand-picked human grade ingredients, Side by Side creates delicious, gently freeze dried diets your pets will love. Plus, Side by Side’s diets only use the best food; we don’t use fillers, additives, or synthetics in any of our dog food diets.
With Side by Side, you can feed your pets the very best whole food diet that they are sure to enjoy!
Ready to discover a delicious way to feed your furry family member the very best?
Visit Side by Side today and show your pet some full belly love with some whole food goodness!