I recently read an article online about Huxley Hound. The organic veggie dog treat brand are planning to introduce a new range of treats made from organic vegetables including carrots, sweet potatoes, beetroot and parsnips. All of these treats are dehydrated to retain their essential minerals and vitamins.

What shocked me however is that so many people are unaware of the high levels of sugar and carbs in these products.

Since parsnips have the same amount of sugar as pure sugar, I’m trusting that owners would only feed their pet a tiny amount of these – especially when it comes to parsnip. Otherwise these products should come with a health warning the same as all parsnips in high amounts should. 

Carrots, beetroot and sweet potatoes are all quite high in sugar and if eaten regularly could cause health problems, especially for already obese or unhealthy dogs.

The Huxley Hound range while made from vegetables, is still high in sugar and carbs and so should be considered a treat rather than a staple

 

Just one sweet potato contains 8 teaspoons of sugar. While they do contain plenty of vitamins and minerals, due to the fact they contain high levels of sugar and carbs they are best eaten in moderation.

I’m surprised that the Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA) haven’t labelled the amount of sugar in dog and cat food products. Yet as they contain naturally occurring sugars, these may not meet the labelling requirements.

Sugar is toxic for humans and animals and for this reason should be avoided where possible. Even if the sugar is from a natural source, the body deals with it in the same way.

While these foods are probably fine as a treat, it is when they become a common occurrence in the diet that excess sugar is taken into the bloodstream and can cause inflammation to flare up.

Anyone looking to keep themselves or their dog healthy should consider taking Cinnamon as this is known to balance and stabilise blood glucose levels. Adding Cinnamon into your diet or choosing to supplement can help to lower blood glucose levels and keep you healthy in the long-term.

Take good care of your pets…and each other.

Robert Redfern

Nutritionalist & Author

 

 

Recommended Examples

Cinnamon 27™ – Supports the production of balanced blood sugar levels, normal utilisation of insulin and may help to support those with Diabetes Type 2.

 

SerraPet™ – SerraPet™ 80,000IU is powerful Serrapeptase giving you an organic, naturally processed proteolytic enzyme with researched anti-inflammatory mediating effects, to help support many normal body processes in your pet.