Carbohydrates

By Elyde Vargas

Carbohydrates

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.

One of the main reasons why carbohydrates are a controversial ingredient is that there is no specific nutritional requirement for dogs, which calls into question their role in our pets' health and their long-term side effects.

“Not all carbs are made equal”
Carbohydrates are divided into simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates include sugar, while complex carbohydrates include starch and fiber. Not all carbohydrate sources are created equal . For example, the sugar in candy or the starch in bread (which contains only empty calories) does not have the same nutritional value as the sugar in fruits or vegetables high in fiber. Most carbohydrates break down into sugar molecules called glucose, except for fiber, which reaches the intestine undigested and offers numerous health benefits.
The Good: Fiber & Prebiotics
Although not a dietary requirement, including high-fiber, low-sugar vegetable sources has been shown to have numerous digestive benefits in dogs. Fibers are classified by their fermentation rate, solubility, and prebiotic availability. They help with diarrhea and constipation, promote a healthy gut flora, and are divided into soluble and insoluble fibers.
  • Soluble fibers have a shorter fermentation time and help with constipation and cholesterol problems. Sources include fruit peels, flax seeds, and avocados.
  • Insoluble fibers, for the most part, ferment more slowly and help with constipation, and they regulate pH in the colon. Sources include carrots, pumpkin, spinach, kale, broccoli, and other green vegetables.
  • Some fibers cannot be digested by the body and reach the intestines as prebiotics , serving as food for beneficial bacteria. This promotes a balanced gut flora, better nutrient absorption, and healthy digestion. Carnivorous animals, such as dogs, lack certain digestive enzymes needed to process carbohydrates. For this reason, it is recommended to offer vegetables, whether mashed, pureed, or fermented.
The Bad: Inefficient Source of Energy

Sugars and starches are used as the primary energy source in dry pet food. However, obtaining energy from glucose is an inefficient and unnecessary process for a carnivore, with long-term side effects. Your dog's ancestral diet is high in protein and low in carbohydrates, and this is no coincidence. Their bodies metabolize fat up to 2.5 times more efficiently for energy compared to carbohydrates. If you feed your dog a raw diet, you might wonder what would happen to your cholesterol levels if you followed the same diet and ate meat every day? You'd probably be rushing to the hospital—your cholesterol would be through the roof! Our bodies aren't designed to metabolize fat the same way dogs do. Likewise, a dog's body isn't designed to process carbohydrates in the same way. Ingredients like wheat, corn, rice, and potatoes are abundant as primary energy sources in their food, but the problem is their ability to raise blood sugar levels, which is a precursor to diseases like obesity and diabetes.

The Ugly: Sugar is Harmful Bacteria's Favorite Food
Most carbohydrates break down into sugar molecules called glucose. Sugar is the primary food source for pathogenic bacteria in the gut. Inadequate consumption of foods like white rice, corn, wheat, and potatoes raises blood sugar levels and directly impacts the balance of gut flora. A high-sugar diet can lead to an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria in the digestive system, contributing to problems such as leaky gut syndrome , a precursor to fungal infections, immunodeficiency, pancreatic disorders, allergies, thyroid problems, heart and liver issues, and even behavioral problems. This is the main reason why we do not recommend offering white rice as a source of fiber or a remedy for diarrhea, as it can further disrupt the balance of gut flora.

But don't worry, all is not lost! Providing the ideal carbohydrate sources in appropriate amounts (10 to 15% of your total serving) not only provides energy and beneficial fiber, but also essential nutrients and antioxidants with numerous health benefits. For greater absorption and bioavailability of nutrients, it's necessary to use preparation methods such as fermentation and grinding.

Source: Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, 5th Edition, Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 2019.

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