OK. Say you had a cup of olive oil"¦ and a cup of kitchen grease. Which would you rather have on your salad?
I know. I know. Of course, that-s a silly question. And besides, what has that got to do with dog food?
Well, unfortunately, more than you-d care to know.
You see"¦ every time you shop for dog food"¦ you-re unknowingly making an important decision"¦ much like that "oil or grease" question I just posed.
Here-s why"¦ Commercial dog foods usually contain added fat. You probably already know that. But it-s the source of that fat that can make such a huge difference in the overall quality of the dog food you buy.
Batter Sources of Healthy Fats
For example, take a look at these relatively decent sources of dog food fat"¦
Not bad. For as long as they-re clean"¦ and fresh"¦ all of them contain a reasonable amount of wholesome nutrients.
But good fats might be too costly for greedy, profit-first manufacturers to use in their foods.
A Dirty Little Secret Revealed
Now, if you-ve ever spent much time trying to make heads or tails of a dog food ingredients list"¦ you-ve probably already come across an item referred to as "animal fat".
But have you ever wondered what animal fat really is?
Well, here-s the dog food industry-s official "take" on this rather obscure ingredient"¦
"Animal fat is obtained from the tissues of mammals and/or poultry in the commercial process of rendering"¦"1
Basically"¦ animal fat is a by-product of rendering"¦ the same high temperature cooking method that-s also used to produce meat meal.
The greasy debris left over after rendering is marketed as animal fat or "tallow". Regulators classify tallow as "inedible to humans". Yet tallow can still be used to make dog food.
The Dangerous
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