The Importance Of The Right Carbohydrate Blend
- by Bold Commerce Collaborator
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Carbohydrates are important for living an active lifestyle; this is true for us humans, and it's even more relevant when it comes to our excitable, energetic best friends. Most dogs live a highly active lifestyle, but without the right meal plan, they may find they run out of steam sooner than expected. That's why it's essential to ensure that, no matter what they're eating, your pooch is getting the carbs they need to sustain their activity levels.
But it's not just black and white when it comes to carbohydrates. You could give your pup a carb-rich meal and still see them becoming drained quickly. Many pet owners aren't aware of this, but not all carbs are created equal, and, without the right blend, the energy they provide might be short-lived, or insufficient to keep your dog going throughout the day.
So, we'll be looking at a few different types of carbohydrates, and how a proper carb blend might be the solution your dog is seeking to sustain their high-energy activities!
How do carbohydrates differ from each other?
Exhaustive research into carbohydrates has found that both humans and dogs digest different kinds of carbs at vastly different rates. As a result, this has a dramatic effect on both the staying power and efficacy of the energy they provide. Some carbs will offer an immediate, powerful burst of energy that only lasts a short while. Others will be digested slowly, and provide gentler, more sustained energy for a longer time.
Here are just a few examples of carbohydrates you might be familiar with, and how they affect the body:
Sorghum
Also known as Milo, grain sorghum is prepared by being cracked open, ground as finely as possible, and thoroughly cooked. After this process, sorghum is added to dry dog foods, where it works to bring your pup both essential amino acids and long-lasting energy that helps keep them going throughout the day.
Brewers' Rice
Most of us aren't familiar with Brewers' rice. But it's merely the small fragments of milled rice that are left over after having been separated from full, larger rice kernels, offering all the nutritional value of regular white rice, in just a quarter of the size. These kernels are finely ground, then cooked at high temperatures to ensure that they're easy to digest! Although Brewers' rice doesn't provide sustained energy, it works terrifically as a source of instant energy.
Barley
This commonly grown cereal grain has been used to feed animals of all kinds for thousands of years. Barley provides your pup with a slow, sustained blood-glucose response, giving them the energy for a full day of fun! Whole-grain barley, much like Brewers' rice, is finely ground before being cooked at a high temperature to ensure easy digestion.
Cornmeal
Cornmeal is made from corn kernels that are ground up finely, breaking up the outside covering and leaving only the inside of each kernel. The cornmeal is then cooked at a high temperature, so your pup can digest it at a slow, even pace. This works to provide your best friend with sustained energy levels as well as delivering vital amino acids.
So why go for a carbohydrate blend?
All of these carbohydrates play pivotal roles in your pup's nutrition, so it wouldn't make sense to leave any out and forego the benefits they provide; which is why it's so essential to ensure a blend of all of them. Additionally, combining them means that your pooch is getting the effects of each one, meaning they not only get an instant burst of energy from the Brewers' rice, but also slower, more sustained energy from the other carbohydrates. In this way, they get the energy they need quickly, and maintain a high energy level throughout the day.
A proper carbohydrate blend won't just give them energy, though. It also makes food much easier to digest (preventing tummy troubles such as diarrhoea or constipation), stabilises blood sugar levels, provides your best friend with essential amino acids, and acts as a terrific source of fibre. Indeed, a healthy carb blend is the backbone of proper nutrition!
Eukanuba
It's easy to see why a carb blend can be so valuable to your pup. And, while many dog food brands avoid blending and are more in favour of using just a single kind of carbohydrate, Eukanuba understands that the right blend makes all the difference. That's why every Eukanuba meal uses a blend of all of the carbs we've discussed here, designed to give your pup energy that lasts!
Browse the Eukanuba range on ZUKi today and discover why Eukanuba dogs have a reputation for being healthy, focused, and ready for anything.