Ancient grains versus grain-free diets

More and more grain-free pet food diets have entered the market in recent years, with grains often being regarded as unhealthy and unnecessary by pet owners; mostly due to fear of allergies and intolerances.

Legitimate concern?
As so often, such concerns are not entirely unreasonable; it is of course possible for a grain to trigger an allergy in dogs or cats. But ‘true’ allergies (as opposed to intolerances) are rarer and are always caused by proteins –regardless of whether they are of plant or animal origin. Furthermore, allergies usually occur in response to the most common proteins used in dog and cat foods.

In Europe, poultry, pork and beef are the most common animal-based ingredients in pet foods, and wheat, maize, soy and rice are the most common plant-based raw materials. That is why these ingredients most often tend to be regarded as the cause of allergies. Ancient grains with traditional origins are now being rediscovered as ‘novel’ ingredients that represent ideal raw materials for pet food production.

Healthier and more nutritious
The term ‘ancient grains’ refers to kinds of cereals that were not selectively bred, such as teff, millet, barley and sorghum, as well as pseudo-cereals like amaranth, chia, quinoa and buckwheat. The ancient grains of einkorn, emmer and kamut are traditional types of wheat that have remained largely unchanged over the centuries. They are therefore generally regarded as healthier, although some nutritionists argue that these claims are just a marketing strategy.

Is it absolutely necessary to use grains in pet food? The answer is no. Grains, whether ancient or modern, are not nutritionally obligatory ingredients. Nevertheless, the use of grains can be beneficial for pets, since their diet must contain some type of fiber to be complete.

The amount is important
Grains, and especially whole grains, are very rich in fiber: non-soluble carbohydrates that cannot be digested. If provided in reasonable amounts, insoluble fiber stimulates movement in the colon, aids the formation and elimination of feces, and prevents constipation. Too much fiber can result in lower nutrient absorption and irregularities in defecation. Inulin, another type of indigestible carbohydrate, nourishes good intestinal bacteria.

Soluble carbohydrates are a great source of energy. But as most pets tend to be overweight, diets should not be too high in soluble carbohydrates. In some cases they are inevitable, such as for creating the texture in extruded pet food like kibble.

In grain-free diets, potato or sweet potato is commonly used to achieve the required starch content. However, these ingredients provide much less insoluble fiber and lower nutrient levels than whole (ancient) grains.

So why are grains regarded as unhealthy?
Pet owners often look at the ancestors of today’s dogs and cats – the wolf and the wild cat – and say that those animals did not consume grains at all. But that is not true. Wild cats and also free-roaming cats today take in grains when they ingest the stomach contents of their prey. Admittedly, the amount is quite small, but they can tolerate grains in reasonable amounts very well and benefit from the fiber content. Wolves likewise depend on the carbohydrates provided by the intestinal contents of their natural prey.

On-trend ingredient
The advantages of ancient grains versus grain-free diets are manifold. A denser nutrient profile, less processed varieties, the lower allergenic potential due to scarce current use and the growing perception among pet owners of them being ‘healthier’ make ancient grains the on-trend ingredient to consider when developing new pet food recipes.