If you choose organic, you’re not alone; according to a 2016 survey, 68% of Americans said they had recently bought organic foods. If you don’t care much for organic food or prefer to buy whatever foods seem to be the best value for your family, you’re not alone. These choices are not without a cost. Organics are frequently significantly more expensive than conventionally farmed foods, despite being thought of as healthier alternatives. According to Consumer Reports, organic foods are typically almost 50% more expensive than conventional foods!
There are only a few brands of organic pet food available at any given retailer, compared to the variety of human food options. The obvious question is whether the additional cost is an investment in good health for us, our pets, and the environment or whether we’re being taken for a ride. And like human foods, organic pet foods are significantly more expensive than traditional pet foods – an organic dry food typically costs more than double what a high quality non-organic pet food costs.
Generally speaking, there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference between conventional and organic foods in terms of nutrients. In comparison to conventional foods, three sizable studies on organic foods (each a “meta-analysis” or “systemic review” = sizable study of all the data from numerous smaller studies) revealed that organic foods had:
Even though these all seem like positive things, the variations in the foods’ nutrient contents were slight and unlikely to have any positive effects on health. Even if organic varieties are generally higher in a particular nutrient, nutrient levels in food can vary greatly depending on the season, soil type, temperature, growing method, and shipping and storage times. Therefore, an organic piece of fruit may not necessarily have more nutrients than the conventional one next to it. More of a particular nutrient doesn’t necessarily improve a diet if it is already providing for nutrient requirements. The conclusion is that there is little proof of the nutritional value of organic foods for people.
Since pet food is intended to be “complete and balanced,” supplying all essential nutrients at levels that meet or exceed recommended amounts, this probably holds true even more for animals. Therefore, if one food ingredient provides less of a nutrient than another, quality food manufacturers will make sure that the difference is made up by the other ingredient to ensure that the overall nutrient amount meets the minimum guidelines.
Many consumers buy organic foods to lessen their exposure to pesticides, but are they actually less pesticide-intensive? A widespread misunderstanding is that organic foods are produced without the use of pesticides. In actuality, pesticides are frequently used on organic foods, but they are typically different from those permitted on conventional foods. Keep in mind that being different doesn’t always equate to being safer; it simply means that pesticides cannot be synthetic and must be approved for use in organic gardening.
Organic or not, the amount of pesticide residues on food varies depending on the type of food and the country of origin. Despite their method of cultivation, some foods have low pesticide residue levels, while others exhibit a significant difference between conventional and organic farming. Various organizations (e. g. The average pesticide residues for different grains and produce have been published by Consumer Reports and Environmental Working Group, but interestingly, these sources don’t always agree (take a look at spinach and cherries on both sites). Additionally, it’s critical to remember that just because a food may have a “higher risk” of containing pesticide residues doesn’t mean that eating it normally would result in health problems.
Even though it might seem obvious that organic food would be better for the environment, the matter is actually quite complicated. Once more, it depends on the food type and the environmental impact being considered. To produce the same amount of finished food, more land and fossil fuels (for the tractors that plant, till, and harvest the fields) are needed because many organic foods are less productive than conventional ones. Check out this site for a great comparison of both farming techniques to learn whether organic or conventional farming has the biggest overall environmental impact for a particular food if you want to ensure that you are minimizing the environmental impact of your food.
A final justification given by many consumers for choosing organic is to stay away from GMOs (genetically modified organisms). True, even if they otherwise meet the requirements for organic, GMO plants cannot be sold as such (only 10 plants are currently offered as GMO versions in the US). There is actually no evidence that GMOs are harmful to human or pet health, despite the widespread consumer belief that they should be avoided (stay tuned for a future post on GMOs).
After discussing the issues surrounding organic foods, it’s critical to understand the regulations that apply to organic pet foods. Actually, there are no laws that specifically apply to organic pet foods; instead, they must adhere to the USDA standards for organic human foods. A pet food or human food must contain at least 95% organic ingredients to be “certified organic” and to display the USDA organic seal. Foods that don’t meet this requirement can still list “made with organic” on their packaging if they have at least 70% organic ingredients overall, or they can just use the word “organic” to describe certain ingredients in their ingredient lists. Otherwise, the requirements for pet foods made with conventionally farmed ingredients are the same as those for organic pet foods.
The bottom line on organic pet foods In light of all of this, what is a worried pet owner to do? Certainly, if you strongly feel that you should be feeding an organic diet to your pet (commercial or home-cooked), your pet does not have special needs that limit the type of diet you can feed, and you can afford the price difference, do so. Just make sure to get your recipe from a board-certified veterinary nutritionist or carefully research the manufacturer of the commercial food to make sure you’re not sacrificing nutritional expertise and quality control just to be feeding organic.
On the other hand, if your pet requires a special diet and you can’t afford it or there aren’t many options available, you shouldn’t be concerned that they won’t get the same health benefits. Consult your veterinarian for advice on the best conventional ingredient high quality diet for your pet. You can rest assured that you’re giving your pet the best care possible if you give them a lot of exercise and mental stimulation, regular veterinary care, help them stay lean, and lots of love.
What is fresh pet food, exactly?
Fresh pet food brands like Freshpet—found in the fridge in your local pet store—helped commercialize fresh options for pet owners. Today, there are dozens of brands out there, and many are available as subscription services that function the same way: You create a dog profile, complete a questionnaire, customize your delivery frequency, and voilà! Next thing you know, freshly made pet food arrives at your door packed in dry ice.
In my research, I discovered more than a dozen businesses that sell fresh pet food diets for cats and dogs, and their preparation techniques, components, and storage advice differ significantly. Bullen asserts that the phrase “fresh pet food” really has no defined meaning other than to describe pet food made with fewer or no preservatives. Cooked plain rice and boiled chicken could be used to make it at home, or it could be made in a facility with recognizable ingredients, packaged without preservatives, and then frozen. For the brands we list here, we looked for those that sell commercially produced, low-temperature, thoroughly cooked food that includes a variety of meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. The food has a tendency to resemble a human’s Thanksgiving dinner plate.
When Can a Dog Food Be Called “All-Natural”?
“Natural” can be used to describe a product’s entire composition or just a few of its ingredients. When every ingredient used to create a product satisfies the AAFCO definition of the term, a product may make the claim to be “all-natural” or “100% natural.”
Should You Cook Your Dog’s Food?
While there may be claims that cooking dog food at home is better for your dog, there is no concrete scientific evidence to back this up.
Many sources inform owners that homemade food is superior to manufactured goods. However, there is no evidence to back up this assertion,” says Dr Larsen.
Larsen warns dog owners to be cautious of alarmism in the pet food sector. This is often driven by myths about ingredient quality. Although there are no long-term benefits to homemade diets that have been proven by science, diets based on whole ingredients are preferable. Commercial foods are created to be balanced and complete, says Dr Bartges, albeit not the most exciting of meals.
He says, “Imagine it as eating the same highly processed food for every meal, day in and day out, for years.”
In light of this, it makes a lot of sense to feed your dogs a variety of whole foods. The truth is that there are numerous benefits to feeding your dog homemade meals, according to Dr Larsen and Dr. Bartges.
These include taking charge of your dog’s diet, satisfying picky eaters, overcoming food intolerance issues, being concerned about food recalls, or simply for the joy of creating a home-cooked meal for your dog that will strengthen your bond.
FAQ
Is natural food better for dogs?
Dogs’ overall health can be greatly improved by feeding them a diet made of natural, real ingredients like beef, chicken, lamb, peas, spinach, carrots, and blueberries. These foods also increase energy, improve eyesight, make coats shine, and make dogs’ breath smell better.
Do dogs live longer on natural food?
Drs. Lippert and Sapy, the authors, demonstrated statistically that dogs fed a homemade diet, consisting of high quality foods (not fatty table scraps), had a life expectancy of 32 months longer compared to dogs fed an industrial commercial pet food diet.
What is the number 1 healthiest dog food?
- Wellness – Best Brand Overall.
- Blue Buffalo Life Protection – Best Dry Dog Food.
- Royal Canin Veterinary Diet – Best Prescription Dog Food.
- Castor and Pollux Organix – Best Grain-Free Dog Food.
- Purina Pro Plan – Best Budget Dog Food.
What is the healthiest food option for dogs?
- Blue Buffalo. …
- Merrick Grain-Free Food. …
- Nature’s Logic Sardine Meal Feast. …
- Taste of the Wild High Prairie. …
- CANIDAE All Life Stages. …
- Diamond Naturals. …
- CANIDAE Wet Food. …
- Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diet.