by Chef Alain Braux
Have you ever wondered, like me, why our pets are suddenly getting human sicknesses like heart, kidney or liver diseases - to mention a few?
It's been bothering me for a while now and it finally came into focus during the non-GMO training I took a few weeks ago with Jeffrey Smith. In most cases, it's all about food quality and GMOs.
In the 1990s, veterinarians started diagnosing their clients' pets with allergies, asthma, atopic dermatitis and other skin problems; irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease; colitis, recurrent diarrhea, vomiting and indigestion; abnormalities in liver, pancreatic and immune system functions.
Doesn't that sound very similar to what we humans suffer from?
In their 2009 detailed review of animal safety studies of GM foods, Dona & Arvanitoyannis conclude that "The results of most of the rather few studies conducted with GM foods indicate that they may cause hepatic, pancreatic, renal, and reproductive effects and may alter hematological, biochemical, and immunologic parameters the significance of which remains unknown."
Altered DNA from GM foods can be incorporated by gut bacteria and may alter their behavior and ecology in the digestive tract.
Food quality is most important
Why should the quality of pets' food be worse than what we eat ourselves? Then again, plenty of American people eat fast food and processed food. You could say, "But one has nothing to do with the other, right?" Well, when you start reading food ingredients listed on our food as well as on pet food, you will find strange similarities. They all contain mysterious ingredients, including GMOs.
Considering our pets are probably our best friends and sometimes sole companions, and rely on us for their sustenance, shouldn't we make a special effort to ensure their food is safe? I certainly think so. Here are a few ingredients you should avoid at all costs.
Most pet food additives and preservatives are genetically engineered
GMOs (genetically modified organisms) or GM (genetically modified) or GE (genetically engineered) foods or food products are hidden in a majority of pet foods on the market. There are GM soy additives, GM corn derived vitamin C, vitamin B12 and many, many others. Even foods labeled "healthy" or "natural" are rife with GMOs, like GM corn-derived xylitol. In fact, any pet foods that are not USDA Certified Organic or do not bear the non-GMO Verified label are highly suspect.
Unfortunately, the list is very long. Here's what I have found so far.
Animal fat (Beef tallow, lard, poultry fat). Commercially-raised animals are fed the cheapest, most fattening crops, such as GM corn, soy, cottonseed, sugar beet and canola cakes made of the residues left after they are processed for oil.
Not to mention that these poor animals are pumped with growth hormones and antibiotics. Please remember that toxins are stored in these animals' fat. Now, do you see why your pets might get sick from eating these kinds of products? (I wouldn't dare call it food.)
Brewers rice (may come from GM rice). Please keep in mind that animals do not eat carbohydrates of any kind in the wild. That's why some pets are obese and developing another common human disease: diabetes.
Cellulose. Although cellulose can come from trees (unless your pets are termites, not a healthy source of fiber), the cheapest source is still GM corn, cotton and soybean fibers left over from processing.
Corn gluten (from GM Corn). Most corn grown in this country is consumed by humans and pets. In pet food, the corn crop is used as corn flour, meal, oil, starch, modified food starch, corn gluten, and corn syrup. Sweeteners such as fructose, dextrose, and glucose also come from corn.
Genetically modified corn has been linked to health problems, including weight gain and endocrine disruption. Then again, pets should not eat grains.
Glyceryl monostearate (from GM corn). Glyceryl Monostearate is an esterification product of glycerin and stearic acid. They can be made from palm kernel oil or soy and corn oil which are GM crops.
Maltodextrins. Maltodextrin is an oligosaccharide used as a food additive. It can be enzymatically derived from any starch. In the US, this starch is usually GM corn.
Propylene glycol (from GM corn). Do you maintain your own car? If you do, you should know what this ingredient is used for, anti-freeze! Wow! Polypropylene glycol or PPG is typically a byproduct of gasoline, but recently, in an effort to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, alternative products have been developed.
A new method converts glucose from corn to lactic acid, which can then be used with a copper catalyst to synthesize PPG. It is there to help control moisture and prevent bacteria growth. As with us, your pets need intestinal friendly bacteria to help break down and digest their food. Since this ingredient kills bacteria, it will kill your pet's helpful bacteria as well. Also, since it reduces moisture needed to aid digestion, your pet might have blocked digestion and develop cancerous intestinal lesions.
Soy flour. Soy is the most prevalent GM crop in the US. Soy beans are the most important crop worldwide for producing oil and vegetable protein. Soy and their processed derivatives are used in a multitude of food, groceries, supplements, pet food and cosmetics. Additionally, the remaining soy mass is used as protein-rich animal feed for fish, poultry, pigs and beef. Soy is estrogenic and can wreak havoc on your pet's endocrine system. Soy is not recommended for pets.
Vegetable oils. Here we go again. The largest sources of cheap vegetable oils are GM crops: corn, soybean, cottonseed and canola oil.
Wheat gluten (may come from GM wheat). No grains for pets.
Yeast, like Brewer's yeast is made from a one-celled fungus called Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When bred as a food supplement, brewer's yeast is often grown on glucose or fructose, or on disaccharides such as sucrose and maltose from sugar beets or corn - two suspected GM crops.
I only addressed the GM ingredients I could find. There are many more scary and downright disgusting ingredients in pet food such as artificial coloring and petrol-based preservatives.
Do you really want your cherished pets to eat those? For more detailed information please check this list at the Dog Food Project: http://www.dogfoodproject.com/?page=badingredients
Other Suspect Ingredients
Artificial colors, flavors, sugars, and sweeteners.
BHT/BHA. Butylated-hydroxyanisole (BHA) or butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is also used to preserve human food. BHA is often responsible for kidney damage. BHT, even more potent, is used to help reduce food spoiling and has been directly linked with cancer in both pets and humans. If the food in those cans were of good quality, we wouldn't need these preservatives.
"By Product" A code name for any leftover remains (carcasses and entrails) after commercial animals (themselves fed GM corn, beet, soybean, cottonseed or canola cake feed) have been "harvested". The animal "by products" are the internal remains of animals such as cows, chicken, fish, lamb, and turkey after the good muscle meat is removed for human food.
In the industry, it is referred to as "4-D" meat sources - defined as food animals that have been rejected for human consumption because they were presented to the meat packing plant as "Dead, Dying, Diseased or Disabled." Because of lack of sanitary supervision, these leftovers often include diseased tissues, organs and tumors. If we are lucky, they might be doused with bleach - another toxic poison - to get rid of bacteria.
Corn syrup. Corn syrup is as damaging for pets as it is to humans. It is a genetically engineered sweetener that comes from GM corn. Since when have you seen a cat or dog eat candies or sweetened food in nature? As for humans, too much sugar over time will lead to dental diseases (carries), weight gain, diabetes, hyperactivity, and even a change in mental behavior.
Corn. It is used as cheap filler in pet food. It comes from a genetically engineered crop, and over time it may develop mold or fungus which will affect your pet's healthy very negatively. Both corn as a filler and corn syrup are unhealthy for pets. Pets should not eat grains in any form, GM or not. End of the story.
Ethoxyquin. This preservative can be found in pet food. Do you know why it was created? As an herbicide! Really? An herbicide in my pet's food? It can cause kidney and liver damage, cancer (liver, spleen, stomach, and skin), immune deficiency syndrome, blindness, and leukemia. How's that for human diseases?
Propyl gallate (E310) is an artificial food additive that can also be found in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. You'll find it in assorted frozen meals, breakfast cereals, candies and chewing gum, chicken soup base, frozen dairy products, mayonnaise, meat products, microwaveable popcorn, pet food, shortening, soup mixes, and vegetable oils.
Rat studies have shown that propyl gallate may be carcinogenic. Other possible side effects are stomach and skin irritability, as well as allergic reactions that impact breathing, kidney and liver problems. Although the FDA considers propyl gallate safe, in other countries it is either banned or in very limited use.
Am I upset about all this information?
You bet I am. I am upset at the fact that pet food manufacturers are dumping this crap onto our favorite companions' food while loudly marketing the "benefits" of this brand over that brand.
Even the vet-recommended brands are suspect. Question everything, even when it comes from your vet. For example, here is the ingredients listing for one of the most recommended pet foods sold by your vet, Science Diets and Hills. For complete details, click here: http://www.hillspet.com/products.html
Adult Optimal Care(r) Original. Chicken, Whole Grain Wheat (grain), Corn Gluten Meal, Pork Fat (see above), Brewers Rice (see above) , Wheat Gluten (see above), Chicken Liver Flavor (?), Dried Beet Pulp, Dried Egg Product (?), Calcium Sulfate, Lactic Acid (from GM corn), Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Fish Oil, Soybean Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Iodized Salt, Taurine, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement (from GM soy), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C form GM corn), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement (from GM soy), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), L-Lysine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Oat Fiber (grain), Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Natural Flavors, Dried Apples, Dried Broccoli, Dried Carrots, Dried Cranberries, Dried Peas.
To me this reads like a science experiment, not pet food. If it has more than a few ingredients I can't understand, I will not feed it to my kitty.
Compare that to a good quality pet food ingredient list:
Free-Range Meat = 69%. Chicken meat including bone, chicken gizzards, chicken hearts and chicken livers.
Organic Vegetables = 29.3%. Carrots, squash, yams, zucchini, celery, romaine, parsley, apple cider vinegar
Special Nutrient Mix = 1.7%. Kelp, sea salt, inulin, zinc, copper and iron amino acid chelates, vitamin E
That's more like it.
Good Quality Pet Food Sources
By the way, all of this information concerns both wet canned food and dry food and treats. Please read those labels carefully. For a long time, I used the Wellness line of pet food because they did not contain grains and their ingredients list was clean. But lately I switched my girl to certified organic pet food.
Commercial pet food can be expensive, especially for big dogs. Keep in mind that the higher the quality, the less you need. Animals are overfed anyway. I know, they beg for more but be firm. Ask your vet for proper ration size and stick to it.
How about preparing food for your pets? Buy meat raw from a wholesaler or butcher and serve it to them fresh. Once again, have you ever seen wild animals cook their food? I don't think so or I have been watching the wrong nature shows. As long as it is good quality, serve it raw, and freeze the rest.
Give them fresh bones. They will love them. Some even like raw veggies. Play around and see what works for them.
The dollar and emotional cost
Pet food is the same as human food. You get what you pay for. Yes, you will pay a little more for grain-free or organic pet food. But isn't it better than paying huge vet bills and seeing pain in their eyes when they suffer? Losing a beloved pet is second only to losing a beloved human. I know, I just lost my feline companion a month ago.
Lose them as late as possible
Some people might think, "It's easy for him to talk, he's a food nutritionist and a chef." True! But a lot of that information is available for free online. I wrote this article to open your eyes and teach you what to look for.
I know, they will eventually leave us, as we all will. But isn't it worth the minimal effort to keep them healthy and happy as long as possible? Through my curiosity and care for her, I managed to keep my kitty girl/old lady for 23 years. I can only wish you the same.
Click to view books by Chef Alain Braux
Quick Health Tip
If
you're lost and don't know where to start, check out these sites for excellent
information on pet food:
Dog
Food Advisor http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/
Natural
Cat Care: http://www.naturalcatcareblog.com/2010/12/the-7-best-natural-commercial-cat-foods-so-far/
Here's
a great video by Dr. Karen
Becker:
The
3 Best Pet Foods You Can Buy: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/10/my-top-3-pet-food-picks-from-an-upscale-boutique-shop.aspxReprinted from:
