Why Is Processed Food Bad For Humans But Not For Dogs?

We all know that processed food is unhealthy. It you go to the doctor they will tell you to reduce junk foods and to eat a balanced whole food diet. This is common sense!

So why are we feeding our dogs an ultra processed diet?

New research shows that ultra processed food can shorten lifespans by more than 10%. The study looked at over 500,000 (half a million!) humans over nearly 3 decades to come to this conclusion.

“This is one more large, long-duration cohort study confirming the association between ultra processed food intake and all-cause mortality” commented lead researcher Carlos Monteiro.

What is ultra processed food?

The study defines it as foods that contain ingredients not found in kitchens, or using additives that make the final product more palatable or shelf stable.

Additives include preservatives to stop mould, emulsifiers to keep incompatible ingredients from separating, and artificial colours.

The study found that processed meat and soft drinks (which are unnaturally high in sugar) to be the most strongly associated with mortality risk.

Does any of this sound familiar? 

It should! Because these are all ingredients used to make kibble. Highly processed meat, modified grains, artificial colours & preservatives and “palate enhancers” are the main ingredients in a bag of premium kibble. 

These ingredients cannot be found on the shelf in any supermarket because they are not food. Humans can’t eat them without becoming sick. 

Yet most vets are still pushing processed kibble onto dogs while saying that whole foods are bad.

How on earth are we still debating whether whole foods are better than ultra processed foods It’s 2024. It’s actually crazy.

Fresh food is ALWAYS best 🐾