Category_Dog Blog
The Vet's Corner
Our Star Ingredient - Yeast Protein
The Wonder of Cell Walls
One of the many reasons that plant- and yeast-based proteins are healthier for dogs lies within the cell walls. Animal proteins lack cellular walls, which means they lack key nutrients of yeast. Stored within the walls of yeast and fungal proteins (koji) are unique healthy fibers called beta-glucans. I’ve been interested in the importance of dietary fibers in maintaining optimal health and extending longevity in dogs for the past two decades. In my opinion, many dog foods, especially those relying on animal proteins for the majority of their nutrients, don’t contain adequate beneficial fibers, similar to many human diets. In human research, beta-glucans are known to have antitumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-allergic, anti-osteoporotic, and immunomodulating activities. Research on dogs over the past decade has shown the beta-glucans contained within yeast: 1) improve overall disease resistance 2) enhance vaccine efficacy 3) aid immunity against infections, cancer, and improve wound healing among others by increasing leukocytes (white blood cells) 4) reduce chronic inflammation While the mechanism of action for how beta-glucans improve health in dogs is complex, in simplest terms, immune cells have specific receptors to recognize and bind these beta-glucans, boosting immune responses. Newer research shows beta-glucans may also provide a positive impact on health by increasing the richness and diversity of the gut microbiome.Yeast Beats Meat
Many dog owners mistakenly believe animal meats are the best source for proteins. That’s not entirely true. According to USDA data, calorie for calorie, yeast contains more protein than any meat product. By weight, yeast is 45-49% protein, whereas beef is only 24%-26%. By combining our yeast and fungal proteins with healthy plant proteins, we were able to create the world’s first high-protein meat-free dog food. The reason we focus on proteins is because proteins provide the building blocks for health - amino acids. It’s not the ingredient that matters; it’s the nutrients the ingredient contains that provides good health. Here are some basics about how protein works and why it’s so important for your dog:- A dog’s body uses ten essential amino acids to build different protein molecules. These proteins are used to grow and maintain muscle, fur and nails; produce hormones; transport nutrients; and aid in the functioning of the immune system.
- When dogs eat protein, their digestive system breaks the proteins into amino acid “building blocks.” A dog needs about twenty common amino acids.
- A dog’s body can break down and metabolize ten of these amino acids. These ten are called “essential” and must be contained in their diet. The other ten are “non-essential” that a dog’s body can make from other amino acids.
- The essential amino acids for dogs include: arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
- High-quality yeast proteins contain all of these amino acids essential to a healthy canine diet. Examine your pet’s food label to make sure it has an AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement on it, which will indicate whether or not the product contains enough of these amino acids.
