HEALTHY PETS
We see troubling signs in much of the dog and cat
population in North America: Obesity, increase in diabetes, and heart and
orthopedic issues. We knew pet parents were often too busy with jobs, children
and life to exercise their dogs properly. And when too busy, and feeling guilty
about leaving their pets alone so long, pet parents tended to over-feed and
over-treat to compensate. We developed Boreal to provide an affordable and
healthy pet food solution using low Glycemic Index ingredients.
UNDERSTANDING GLYCEMIC INDEX
Glycemic Index (GI) is a human measure of how quickly blood
sugar levels rise after eating a type of food. The same effect happens in pets.
Carbohydrates break down quickly and release glucose (a type of sugar) rapidly
into the bloodstream. A low GI score is healthier.
(Glycemic index chart)
- Glucose / Sugar has a GI of 100.
- High GI (greater than 70) foods: white bread, most white
rice, corn flakes, breakfast cereals, pretzels, French fries.
- Medium GI (between 56-69) foods: potatoes, pita bread,
white enriched bread.
- Low GI (less than 55) foods: beans, most vegetables, most
fruits.
- Meat has a GI of virtually 0.
GLYCEMIC INDEX IS IMPORTANT WHEN CHOOSING PET FOOD
A high Glycemic Index is associated with spikes in blood sugar, and plays a role in obesity and diabetes. Old style pet foods are full of cheap corn, potato and rice, which are all high GI grains. Not all grains are bad however, as oats, for example, have a low GI.
Our Boréal Original and Boréal Vital formulas are both grain
free. With Boréal Proper foods we add locally
grown oats and barley as exceptional low glycemic proper grains.
A low GI results in a slow release of glucose. Low GI pet foods leave dogs and cats feeling full longer. All Boréal foods use low GI peas, beans and meats as our base.
CARBOHYDRATES AND PROTEINS
In addition to questions about the Glycemic Index, many pet
owners have asked about protein numbers and carbohydrate percentages. What are
carbs? What are good carbs versus bad carbs? What is a protein?
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are nutrients, and the major source of energy for all animals.
Carbohydrates range in structure from a simple small glucose molecule to a large complex molecule such as a starch. Think about “carbs” as building blocks, with simple sugars such as glucose being small blocks that can be put together in different ways to form longer complex chains. When your pet eats a complex carbohydrate, their digestive system breaks the large chain back into smaller blocks and simple sugars. These simple sugars are then absorbed into the blood stream.
Foods full of simple sugars - or simple “carbs” - (think white bread, French fries and pasta) are easily absorbed and can quickly get turned into fat. Foods full of complex “carbs” (think salad, beans or celery) require more time for the body to break them down to simple sugars.
So simple “carbs” are bad and complex “carbs” are good.
Generally we try to reduce the percent of “carbs” in most of our diets, both for pets and people. Boreal dry pet foods typically have Carbohydrate levels in 27-32% range.
Proteins
Proteins are similar to carbohydrates in that they are complex molecules, but where “carbs” are built out of sugars, proteins are built from smaller amino acids.
Protein cannot be stored in your pet’s body like fat, so you must provide protein daily to maintain healthy bodily functions.
Proteins are important for your pet’s:
- coat
- muscle, skin, blood, bone and cartilage
- ability to repair and build tissue
- ability to speed up enzymes reactions
- Hormone levels
In pet foods, protein can come from meat sources or from plants. In the past, pet owners used to feed cornmeal based dog foods that lead to weight gain. Today, cornmeal is found only in the cheaper pet food diets. Pet foods with a large percent of meat protein are considered a higher quality product.
Boreal Original dog foods contain between 65-80% protein from meat, with a total protein level in 25-28% range.
If your dog is more of a house pet versus a working dog then watch the total percent protein number. We think total protein for house dogs should run in 25-28% range. Higher percent protein can cause stomach issues.
HEALTHY PET FEEDING TIPS
Did You Know? Tip #1
Actually measure the food with a measuring cup. An 8 oz ‘exact’ measure is often much less than the ‘scoop’ we see in most dog food bins.
Did You Know? Tip #2
Don’t fall for ‘sad eyes’ - also called “I have not eaten for weeks”
Did You Know? Tip #3
Biscuits and treats are fine in moderation. If the ‘sad eye’ trick keeps working, add fresh green beans or fresh carrots to your treats menu.
Did You Know? Tip #4
Feed at same time every day. We all like routine and getting on the same schedule will make it easier to “just say no” to extra meals.
Did You Know? Tip #5
We really like using a cup or so of frozen green beans to help stretch the carefully measured kibble at dinner. Beans are low glycemic and very low in calories, and when frozen even add some ‘crunch’.
Did You Know? Tip #6
Avoid feeding too much extra ‘people food’. These days, most of us are not exactly eating a great diet so feeding the pizza crust or the rest of the cookie is not always best for our pup.
Did You Know? Tip #7
All grains are not ‘bad’. Corn and wheat are much in the news these days and are by many thought of as ‘bad grains’, as are products made from corn and wheat (think white bread and nacho chips).
Some grains are low glycemic index. Oatmeal is a good example of low GI grain product. Boreal Proper foods use good / proper grains: steel cut oats and barley. So while Boreal Proper is not a ‘grain-free’ diet the healthy grains used make Proper an excellent choice to keep your dog or cat at a good weight.
Did You Know? Tip #8
We think you should feed to the body condition of your pets. If you are
unsure the body condition of your pups or cats, then next time at your
vet you should ask.
Information on Taurine
There has been a number of recent stories on Taurine and possible effects on health. We add supplemental Taurine to all our diets. For more:
View Article on Taurine
