Organic, Vegan, Dairy-Free... Do These Terms Belong in the Pet Food Space?
As a pet owner, you want what's best for your beloved companion. You try to give them the best, and they love you for it. But when it comes to your health, there's one area you may not realize you're doing more harm than good: their food. Unfortunately, some of the best-intentioned pet owners are inadvertently feeding their companions poison, and they don't even know it. To be fair, it's not your fault. Many of the leading pet food brands market themselves as healthy and nutritious when that couldn't be farther from the truth. That's why we want to shed light on the importance of organic, vegan, and even dairy-free ingredients in the pet food space. Knowing the insider information about the food you're feeding your pet will help you make educated decisions on what to feed them going forward!
Do Labels Really Matter?
When it comes to the food you and your family eat, chances are you're used to reading labels. We want to know exactly what we're putting in our bodies and how our foods can affect us. But when it comes to our pets, it's easy to believe what the front of the bag or even a brand's commercials tell us. Unfortunately, the pet food industry is much more lax with its ingredients and disclosing how they can impact the animals who eat them. That's why reading the label is so important. Regardless of what a company says, if they're using unsafe chemicals and additives, you want to avoid them at all costs.
Knowing What Ingredients to Avoid
If you've spent any time on social media talking to pet owners about the best foods to feed your pets, you've probably come across some pretty passionate debates. Depending on the kind of animal in question, some say a meat-only diet is best while others believe in the power of grains for a healthy lifestyle. Whatever side you end up on, there's a few ingredients proven to be detrimental to your pet's health, and you'll want to keep them out of their food bowl. These include:
Sodium hexametaphosphate
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Sodium tripolyphosate
Propyl gallate
Artificial coloring
With so many harmful ingredients out there, it's easy to wonder how to keep your precious companions safe. That's why many people are starting to advocate for greater control over the pet food industry, and one way to do that is by introducing more regulated ingredients.
The Benefits of Regulated Pet Food Ingredients
In the United States, food is regulated under numerous agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, the US Department of Agriculture, the Federal Trade Commission, and through state laws. There's a ton of laws and regulations concerning the labeling and use of certain types of foods, making it easy to choose organic, vegan, dairy-free, etc.
The good news is that pet food is regulated by some of these same agencies and must abide by strict labeling requirements. The bad news is that many of the ingredients are low-quality, and there's no requirement for the amount of nutritional benefits they provide. That's why there's a growing trend of human-grade food use transforming the pet food industry. In 2024 alone, over 500 pets have died as a result of tainted pet food, with more than 2,600 illnesses on record. And that's just what's being reported. Pet owners are fed up and are ready for a change.
How Introducing Human-Grade Food Can Transform the Pet Food Industry
Human-grade food is, on average, more nutritious and safer for our pets. Think about it: would these pet food companies continue adding harmful ingredients if they were held to the same standards as food made for human consumption? Of course not! That's why implementing more high-quality ingredients into pet food could be so life-changing. Let's take organic food as an example. For an item to be considered organic it must meet specific requirements set into place by the USDA. These include:
No prohibited substance use in the soil growing these foods, including pesticides and fertilizer.
All meat must come from animals who are fed a 100% organic diet without added hormones or antibiotics.
Food must be produced without prohibited or excluded methods like sewage sludge, ionizing radiation, and genetic engineering.
Only natural substances are allowed on the food to treat weeds and pests.
When you see the requirements for organic labeling, it's kinda crazy to think what food that isn't organic is allowed to go through. No wonder so much of what we feed our pets is devoid of nutrients. By requiring the use of more high-quality ingredients, we can help ensure our pets receive the nutrition they need to live long, healthy lives.
The Environmental Impact of Human-Grade Pet Food
It isn't only our pets that benefit from human-grade pet food; our planet does too! Many of the farming methods used to produce low-quality pet food wreak havoc on the environment. Pesticides contaminate the water, soil, and air while decreasing natural biodiversity. They're known to cause side effects like neurological, respiratory, and heart disease and chronic illnesses like cancer. While these side effects are noted for humans, common sense dictates they can have the same impacts on our pets.
The dairy industry produces 1.5% of the total greenhouse emissions in the US, polluting waterways and causing deforestation. Additionally, the livestock industry is responsible for 18% of global greenhouse emissions, causing damage to the air, ground, and oceans. By increasing the amount of vegan, dairy-free, and organic ingredients in pet food, we can help reduce the environmental impact of the growing pet food industry.
Caring for your pet is your top concern, and the key to their health is the food they eat. Incorporating more human-grade alternatives is a great way to care for your best friend and the environment.
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