Category_Dog Blog
Ingredients
Nutrition
The Vet's Corner
Yeast: The Protein Powering Your Pup
More Protein than Beef
For our first order of business, we have to debunk the myth about meat. Many dog owners mistakenly believe that meat is the best, most complete source of protein out there. (Meat, incidentally, has a great PR team). 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%. Leveraging yeast, we can ensure your dog gets all the protein (and amino acids) they need. Interestingly enough, dogs do not actually have a protein requirement, but rather they have a requirement for amino acids. There are 20 amino acids which can come together in a wide variety of numbers and sequences to make different proteins with different functions.Here are some basics about how protein works and why it’s so important for your dog:- When dogs eat protein, their digestive system breaks the proteins into amino acid “building blocks.”
- Amino acids are classified as essential vs non-essential. Essential amino acids are those that must be obtained through a dog’s diet, and include: arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Non-essential amino acids can be synthesized by the body. There are 10 essential and 10 non-essential amino acids.
- 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.
Yeast is Better for Our Planet and Animals
Not only is yeast protein-packed, but yeast is incredibly sustainable to produce. It grows abundantly and quickly, going from start to finished product in about three days - all on a diet of sugar that places significantly less load on precious environmental resources than raising livestock or poultry. Yeast production and plant proteins create far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than raising animals for food. This means you can feel good knowing you’re helping reduce climate change and eliminating animal cruelty by feeding Wild Earth dog food.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. 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:- Improve overall disease resistance
- Enhance vaccine efficacy
- Aid immunity against infections, cancer, and improve wound healing among others by increasing leukocytes (white blood cells)
- Reduce chronic inflammation
