Treat filled nutrition
As spooky season approaches, leaves begin to fall, and pumpkin patches open, we are celebrating the vibrant orange ingredients included in our delicious food and treats.
Orange ingredients aren’t just visually appealing, they’re a sign of natural goodness, which we include for their nutritional properties to help your pet thrive.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin helps to regulate liver activities and has a protective effect on hepatic cells. It also supplies minerals (iron, zinc and magnesium) and carotene (precursor of vitamin A). As well as being a great source of tocopherols (antioxidants), it also enhances the activity of other antioxidants.
Carrots
Carrots are a good source of fibre, plus many vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese and potassium.
Sweet Potato
Sweet potato is primarily used in the grain free recipes as a low GI, low sodium carbohydrate source for energy. It is a good source of vitamin C and the B vitamin family (especially B6 which helps the digestive enzymes break down food). It is also a good source of potassium, magnesium, iron, copper and manganese. Sweet potato is particularly rich in beta-carotene, which is important for healthy vision.
Egg yolk
Eggs contain protein of the very highest biological value, and their inclusion ensures products with an excellent amino acid profile. Eggs are naturally rich in vitamin A, D, B2, B5, B7, B9 and B12 and minerals, including selenium and phosphorous. They are also a good source of choline, which is important for liver function, healthy brain development, muscle movement, the nervous system and metabolism.
Curcumin
Curcumin has long been employed for a wide range of human health conditions in Indian Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine, and its use in animals is now more widely studied [Colitti et al., 2012]. It is a compound found in the turmeric spice, which has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. It can also increase the number of antioxidants produced by the body to help protect against free radicals [Nelson et al., 2017] and stimulates the production of more bile in the liver which helps fat digestion. Curcumin’s bioavailability is enhanced by black pepper (which helps it to stay in the body for longer) and its absorption is improved by the inclusion of a highly digestible fat source.
Citrus extract
Citrus extracts reduce the rate of infection, decrease virulence factors (disease evoking elements produced by bacteria including toxins and surface coatings that inhibit phagocytosis), stimulate mucus production (resulting in more goblet cells for better respiratory tract protection), increase local (natural/acquired) immunity, reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines (molecules that worsen inflammation) as well as decrease free radicals.
Citrus extracts have protective effects on the gut and help increase short chain fatty acids (a major source of energy for the friendly bowel flora) as well as the diversity of friendly gut bacteria.