PREBIOTICS – PATHWAY TO A HEALTHY GUT AND DIGESTION
Elevate Your Dog’s Food Beyond Simple Nutrition
Welcome to ‘Ingredients with a Purpose’ - a series of science informed articles on the role the ingredients in your dog’s food plays in achieving their best health and wellbeing at every stage of their precious lives at the same time helping to reduce the environmental impact feeding them has on our precious planet.
We understand there are a LOT of options when it comes to what you feed your dog. We also understand you want to offer them the best food possible, and labels can be confusing. The goal of this series is to give you clear insight into the reason for the inclusion of every ingredient in our super premium food, the role it plays and what is necessary to guarantee you are feeding your dog an all-natural, complete, and balanced, diet.
These are the key elements necessary for positive nutrition.
Protein, Fats & Carbohydrates, Fibres, Vitamins & Minerals, Essential Fatty Acids, Superfoods, Amino Acids, Prebiotics & Probiotics
Prebiotics – Pathway to a Healthy Gut and Digestion:
Both prebiotics and probiotics are important for your dog’s health. However, they play different roles:
- Prebiotics: These substances come from types of carbohydrates (mostly fibre) that dogs can't digest. The beneficial bacteria in your dog’s gut eat this fibre.
- Probiotics: These are live bacteria found in certain foods or supplements. They can provide numerous health benefits.
Prebiotics work in harmony with probiotics to support healthy guts and good digestion. This in turn supports the immune system and general health.
Prebiotics, whether delivered by food or supplements, reach the gut intact and provide a feeding ground for probiotics, the good bacteria. Without them, probiotics are not as effective, which is why supplements for both humans and dogs are often combination supplements – called synbiotics.
The gut bacteria, collectively referred to as the gut flora or gut microbiota, perform many important functions in the body. The good bacteria in your dog’s digestive tract help protect them from harmful bacteria and fungi. They also send signals to their immune system and help regulate inflammation (1, 2).
Additionally, some of your dog’s gut bacteria form vitamin K and short-chain fatty acids. Short-chain fatty acids are the main nutrient source of the cells lining the colon. They promote a strong gut barrier that helps keep out harmful substances, viruses and bacteria. This also reduces inflammation and may reduce the risk of cancer (3).
Prebiotics are types of fibre found in plant-based foods including vegetables, fruits and legumes. These types of fibre are not digestible by dogs, but their good gut bacteria can digest and use them.
Foods that are high in prebiotic fibre include:
- Legumes (chickpeas), beans (fava beans) and peas
- Oats
- Bananas
- Berries
- Jerusalem artichokes
- Chicory Root
- Asparagus
- Dandelion greens
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Onions
- Yucca schidigera
One of the things your dog’s good gut bacteria do with prebiotic fibre is turn it into a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) called butyrate. Butyrate has been extensively studied and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects inside the colon (15). Butyrate may also influence gene expression, block the growth of cancerous cells and help provide fuel to healthy cells so that they can grow and divide normally.
Bonza plant-based, vegan dog food has been formulated by Canine Veterinary Nutritionists to include a variety of ingredients with well researched prebiotic fibres to support your dog’s healthiest gut microbiome.
The number one thing we can do for our dogs is giving them food that enables their body and mind to flourish.
Much like us, the healthier your dog’s lifestyle, the more likely they’ll be able to fight off any disease or infection. Often the food we feed our dogs is not doing them justice. It’s filled with artificial flavours, low-quality protein sources, and not enough fibre.
Bonza is a Veterinary nutritionist -developed food that is a varied protein, high fibre source of complete and balanced natural nutrition.
Bonza is formulated to deliver the optimum balance of prebiotic fibres, which together with PhytoPlus®, a proprietary blend of superfoods, super herbs and botanicals, is designed to support your dog living its longest, healthiest life all the while reducing the environmental harm to the planet of feeding them.
Bonza. Nose to Tail Good Health.