They say you can’t judge a book by its
cover, but the very opposite is true of
pet foods. It’s not only possible to make
an educated assessment of a product’s nutritional
profile from its ingredient label,
but it’s also a smart, responsible measure
for those who love their four-legged companions.
In the pet food industry, we have advisory
and regulatory groups that guide the
disclosure of product contents in packaging
literature. As a result, today’s pet food
ingredient labels are much more than clever
marketing messages and photos of adorable
kitties and pups; they’ve become required
reading for anyone serious about ensuring
the proper diet and health of their pets.
And what a story the modern-day pet
food label tells! Diligent package-studying
consumers are able to discern healthful
ingredients from lower quality ingredients.
Whether the food contained in the package
is an exclusive designer formula or a
mass-marketed kibble, every pet food label
must list all ingredients in the order of their
addition by weight, from highest to lowest.
Some labels show nothing but wholesome,
all-natural ingredients in their recipes,
while others may list meat by-products as a
contributing protein source as well as wheat,
soy, or chemical preservatives or additives.
Conscientious pet parents have learned what
these ingredients may mean in terms of the
effects — positive and negative — they will
have on the overall health of their pet.
The Wellness® brand is an excellent
example of a natural pet food whose label
clearly indicates the wholesome ingredients
that are contained in the product, as well as
those — by their omission — that are not.
The text on the label plainly states that Wellness
foods are prepared using healthy, whole
foods, including premium, USDA-grade
meats free of added hormones and antibiotics—
the highest quality protein sources of
any pet food. Indeed, the Wellness label lists
meat or meat meal as the first ingredient for
each of its varieties.
Wellness foods contain whole grains for
fiber and energy, and fruits and vegetables
for antioxidant protection. The recipes also
incorporate a number of supportive supplements
and minerals, including Omega-3
and -6 fatty acids for the skin and coat,
glucosamine and chondroitin for joints,
and taurine for the cardiovascular system.
Of equal significance is the list of items
not found in Wellness recipes: meat byproducts,
wheat and wheat gluten, soy, dairy
and artificial preservatives, flavors, colors
and dyes. What is kept out — ingredients
of lower quality that offer no nutritional
value and are potentially allergenic or harmful
— is absolutely as critical as what goes in.
It’s important to remember that, for pets
as well as people, we are what we eat. Many
people are very careful to look for healthy
ingredients on the labels of the foods they
buy for themselves. Just because pets can’t
ask for it, that doesn’t mean they deserve
anything less than the same carefully chosen
menu and the wellness and happiness they
derive from such a diet.
