Trueblue wrote:Give us the link to your sources.So we can read it ourselves.
Its common knowledge that corn is not that digestible.
Have you eaten corn and gone the bathroom?
In animals its the same.
Dogs with Digestion issues are advised BY Vets to go on Lamb and rice feeds. Why?
We all know, The blind, it seems does not know. Corn is a cheap filler, nothing else.
What you feed your dogs is your business, but dont p*ss on my leg and tell me its raining.
'Digestibility depends on quality and type of grain used:
rice is for example more digestible than wheat or corn.
Dogs can absorb the digestible carbohydrates from rice nearly entirely, of the other grains about 20% are not absorbed. Indigestible fiber from grains contribute to intestinal health.'
'
As a whole grain, corn is not easily digestible.
Unless the kernel is first refined into a meal or a flour (and then cooked), corn can be very difficult for a dog to digest.
As a matter of fact, corn (and other grains) are only digestible to the extent to which they’re processed.
That’s why even though the grain may be listed as “whole” on a pet food label, it’s nearly always first ground before being cooked into kibble.
And the finer it’s ground, the more digestible corn will be. But also, the higher its glycemic index.'
The Truth About Corn in Dog Food
by Mike Sagman
Myths About Corn Promoted
by the Pet Food Industry
Makers and sellers of corn-based foods insist the negative stories about corn are simply unsubstantiated myths and rumors spread around the Internet by simple-minded consumers.
The truth is, the pet food industry itself is guilty of disseminating its own self-serving and myth-based distortions, too.
In fact, most of the exaggerated claims extolling the virtues of corn actually originate within the pet food industry and are unwittingly propagated by naive and well-meaning pet owners.
Here are some of the most enduring myths about corn promoted by makers and sellers of corn-based dog foods.
Myth #1
Corn Has a Low Glycemic Index
The glycemic index is a way of measuring the tendency of a specific food to raise the blood sugar level of an animal. The higher the index, the greater the risk of an unhealthy rise in blood sugar.
Here are the actual glycemic index figures1 for a few common dog food grains…2
* Corn meal (69)
* Brown rice (55)
* Corn (53)
* Oatmeal (49)
* Wheat (41)
* Barley (25)
Compared to most other cereal grains used for making dog food, corn does not have a low glycemic index.
Myth #2
Corn Does Not Cause Allergies
Cheerleaders for corn-based products like to point out that corn is one of the least allergenic ingredients in dog food.
In any case, although it may not be a common food allergen, corn still cannot be completely excused as a potential cause.
When searching the Internet for these studies, it’s hard not to notice the thousands of legitimate reports by owners, breeders, forums and veterinary sites reporting corn and other cereal grains as a likely cause of their dogs’ allergies.
And then there’s the (very real) issue of cereal grain quality.
In many cases, problems aren’t so much a matter of allergies to the corn itself but rather to undetected contaminants within that grain.
It’s not unusual to find storage mites, their droppings and expired carcasses in bulk lots of feed grains. And all of these are known to be notable canine allergens.
So, for these reasons (and until proven otherwise), we believe corn should still be considered a reasonable suspect when investigating the cause of any food-related canine allergy.
Myth #3
Corn Is Highly Digestible
As a whole grain, corn is not easily digestible. Unless the kernel is first refined into a meal or a flour (and then cooked), corn can be very difficult for a dog to digest.
As a matter of fact, corn (and other grains) are only digestible to the extent to which they’re processed.
That’s why even though the grain may be listed as “whole” on a pet food label, it’s nearly always first ground before being cooked into kibble.
And the finer it’s ground, the more digestible corn will be. But also, the higher its glycemic index.
However, to the uninformed, the pet food industry’s claim that corn is “99% digestible” can be misleading. It’s easy to innocently take that statement to mean corn has a high nutritional value, too.
Unfortunately, as you’ll see, that is simply not the case.
Myth #4
Corn Has a High Biological Value
There’s nothing unique enough about corn’s content that makes it a nutritional standout… nothing that can’t be found in, or converted from, some other ingredient. Not even protein.
And to those who insist the protein content of a corn kernel has some important biological value we present the following table…7
Dog Food Ingredients and Their Biological Value
When it comes to its protein usability, corn has a measurably lower biological value.
Myth #5
Corn Is Rich in Vitamins and Minerals
Fans of corn also like to claim the grain is high in anti-oxidants and minerals.
High in anti-oxidants and minerals? Compared to what?
Aside from its energy content, corn’s nutritional completeness is certainly not exceptional.
The Nutrient Balance Completeness Score is a measure of how complete a food is with respect to vitamin, mineral and dietary fiber content. The higher the score of a food, the more complete its nutrients.
According to information gathered by NutritionData.com8 from the USDA’s National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, the Completeness Score for corn and a number of other common ingredients are listed here in increasing nutritional value…
* Brown rice (33)
* Corn (34)
* Barley (36)
* Oats (43)
* Quinoa (45)
* Wheat (48)
* Potato (51)
* Peas (53)
* Sweet potato (55)
* Spinach (91)
So, when it comes to judging its vitamin and mineral content, corn is relatively unremarkable.
The Truth About Corn
So, why is corn used so abundantly in the manufacture of today’s commercial dog foods?
Well, as you’ve just seen, surely not because it could be considered more nutritious.
Then, could corn be “more natural”?
When you study a dog’s natural ancestral history, you won’t find any mention of corn. That is, until the year 1956. For that was the year indelibly marked by the invention of kibble.
So, why did the introduction of kibble bring with it such a dramatic rise in the use of corn in making dog food? What suddenly made carbohydrates (like corn, grains and potatoes) so popular with the pet food industry?
The truth is…
* Carbohydrates are cheap
* Carbohydrates are vital to the kibbling process
You won’t find corn in commercial dog food because it contributes some unique nutritional property. No, it’s there simply because it supplies cheap calories to the product.
And starchy carbohydrates play a critical role in a process known as gelatinization… which is absolutely crucial to the workings of kibble machinery.
As proof, how often do you find corn in a raw or canned dog food?
The Bottom Line
In a nutshell, corn makes any pet food you find it in less expensive to produce. And it does this by diluting a recipe’s more costly meat ingredients.
Kibble is simply inexpensive fast food for dogs. And that’s OK. Because corn doesn’t just save money for manufacturers. It also makes dog food more affordable for pet owners, too.
However, to advertise that corn is included in commercial dog food mainly for its nutritional benefits is irresponsible and a gross misrepresentation of the facts.
To some manufacturers, it may seem OK for a dog food to contain corn. But it’s not OK to make such outrageous claims and excuses for its presence in a deceptive attempt to mislead consumers or to justify its contrived nutritional value.
1. Based upon human studies, canine figures unavailable ↩
2. Brand-Miller J et al, The Glycemic Index Foundation, “The New Glucose Revolution”, New York (2003), pp.291-296 ↩
3. Fadok V (1994), “Diagnosing and Managing the Food Allergic Dog”, The Compendium 16:12, 1541-1544 ↩
4. Roudebush P, “Ingredients associated with adverse food reactions in dogs and cats”, Adv Small Anim Med Surg 2002;15(9):1-3 ↩
5. Chesney, C.J., 2001, “Systematic review of evidence for the prevalence of food sensitivity in dogs”, Veterinary Record, 148:445–448 ↩
6. Extension Entomologists, North Central States, Federal Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture ↩
7. Palika, Liz, The Consumers Guide to Dog Food, New York, Howell Book House, 1996 ↩
8. NutritionData.com ↩
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food- ... food-corn/
) gets horrible nasty ear infections..
