Canola Oil In Dog Food

Sunflower oil has recently been included to supplement dog food as it is favored compared to other oils like canola oil and cheaper than premium oils like olive oil.

Canola oil in dog food. Specialty may have 70 oleic acid to prolong its shelf life and it may be enriched with gla gamma linolenic acid. In canada plant breeders developed a genetic. It is a genetically modified gm oil and there is no research on the safety of its use in pet foods and treats. So to make a long story short er i remain steadfast believing that canola oil has no place in pet food.

Canola oil also surprisingly contains a selection of vitamins. Several even utilize the heart healthy claim provided to canola oil by the fda. Another issue i personally have is with canola oil being used in pet food. While there are certainly more preferred sources of these fatty acids such as whole fish ingredients like mackerel and salmon canola oil is a straightforward and cost effective solution for many dog food brands and manufacturers.

Many commercial dog and cat foods today use canola oil in their products and until recently i thought it was an ok ingredient. While interesting these heart healthy factors would not be the prime motivators for inclusion in pet diets. Yes there is a multitude of science that shows positive benefits of canola but one thing remains very troubling to me. Canola oil is low in saturated fatty acids 7 and higher in monounsaturated fatty acids mufa especially oleic acids 60.

Some claim it s safe and healthy while others warn against it. Examples include vitamin e and vitamin k which are essential for heart skin and bone health. Many different brands of dog foods and cat foods have chosen to use canola oil in their products. It is a genetically modified product derived from rafeseed oil which is predominantly used in china japan and india.

The debate is somewhat complicated but the bottom line is that canola oil is more processed than other options like olive oil and it s likely to come from genetically modified crops. Now salmon or some other fish if their body needed the efa s then yes. Much more species specific and digestible. Canola oil is a bit controversial in the dog diet world.

As far as that goes it is unlikely would seek out vegetable oils or even vegetables. Oleic acid is a non essential monounsaturated omega 9 fatty that may benefit a dog s immunity. Like so many products that manufacturers consider safe but really aren t canola oil has a very checkered past. Canola oil inclusion in the diets for people and experimental animals has been reported to lower cholesterol inhibit cardiac arrhythmias lower blood pressure reduce body fat composition and improve weight control as a result of its low content of saturated fatty acids and elevated levels of mono and poly unsaturated fatty acids.

Canola oil assn stating the claim may encourage food manufacturers and pet food manufacturers to substitute canola oil. However a great deal of research shows canola oil is anything but healthy. The fda provided canola oil a heart healthy status in 2006.