Horizon Pet Nutrition Newsletter |
June 2008 |
Grains & The Glycemic Index (G.I.)
The Glycemic Index (GI) is a scale that ranks the carbohydrates in foods by how much they raise blood glucose levels compared to sugar. In general, the lower the GI rating of a food, the better the quality of carbohydrate. When your pet eats food that contains carbohydrates, the sugar (glucose) from the food breaks down during digestion and gives them energy. After they eat, their blood glucose level rises; the speed at which the food is able to increase their blood glucose level is called the “glycemic response.” This glycemic response is influenced by many factors, including how much food they eat and how much the food has been processed.
Not only do low GI foods have a slower glycemic response causing a less dramatic spike in your pet’s blood sugar level than higher GI foods, but most low GI foods are all-around healthier choices. Low GI foods are usually lower in calories and fat, while also being high in fibre, nutrients and antioxidants. Feeding your pet a low GI food may help to increase levels of HDL (healthy) cholesterol and might help you control their appetite, as your pet will feel full for longer. Low GI foods reduce obesity, and provide your pet more consistent energy levels throughout the day. Low GI foods have also been linked to lower incidence of diabetes and other diseases.
Horizon Complete has been formulated specifically using low the GI whole grains rye and barley as a source of carbohydrates, and without high GI grains such as wheat, rice and corn. Barley, called the “King of Grains”, has the lowest GI of all grains - pearl barley’s GI is 25. Rye’s GI is 34. Comparatively speaking, the GI of rice can be as high as 128, and corn’s GI is between 59 and 70, depending on the variety and how it is prepared. The GI of white table sugar is 92. It is important to note that many pet nutritionists also advise that corn in all its forms must be avoided as a source of carbohydrates in cat food. Corn has the same glycemic index as an average chocolate bar, and is suspected as the primary culprit in the development of feline diabetes.
If your pet eats the right carbohydrates for breakfast such as whole-grain barley or rye, their blood glucose will be continue to be regulated for up to 10 hours. This is due to a combination of low GI and certain types of indigestible carbohydrates that occur in barley and rye.
Choose Your Carbohydrate Wisely
Every pet food needs carbohydrates to be nutritionally complete, and in selecting a carbohydrate component for our grain free Horizon Legacy, we had the choices of potato starch, cassava (also known as tapioca) or pea starch.
The two most commonly used in other grain free pet foods are potatoes and cassava/tapioca. However, potatoes must be cooked and dried before they can be used. Cassava/tapioca comes from the very poor areas of the Pacific Rim and Africa. It must be carefully cooked before it can be used in pet foods, as it has certain ingredients that can otherwise metabolize into cyanide. At Horizon we chose to use peas as they are produced within 100 kilometers of our facility in Saskatchewan, there is no pre-cooking or drying and most importantly peas are officially categorized as low GI (30-40). Potato is medium to high GI (80-100) and cassava/tapioca is very high GI (100+). (See article above for more information on GI ratings)
At Horizon, every ingredient in our pet foods is purposeful, and our peas are no exception. In addition to providing a healthy, low GI carbohydrate source, peas have several other benefits to our pets. Pea protein and starch are highly digestible so your pet receives the most nutritional benefit from the food they consume.
Peas are also higher in fibre than potatoes or cassava/tapioca. Pea fibre acts as a dental abrasive and assists with digestion. Unlike other carbohydrates such as corn and wheat, peas are also not considered to be a major cause of allergies for our pets. Existing research in human nutrition suggest that peas may reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer so it stands to reason that our pets would receive the same benefits.
At Horizon we are proud that our foods were designed and developed to provide a low GI, with your pet’s health and nutrition as our top priority.
