Raw Feeding Week Day 1: What are the benefits of a raw diet?

Welcome to Raw Feeding Week which in 2024 runs from April 1st - April 7th.

Each day we'll bring you some information about raw feeding based on the most frequently asked questions we hear in the shop.

Day one is all about the benefits of feeding raw.

So what is the big deal about raw feeding? Well here are just some of the many benefits:

Less inflammation and disease

Processed foods, due high amounts of carbohydrates and the lack of essential fatty acids, are the main cause of inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the leading cause of disease including arthritis, heart disease, pancreatitis, IBD, kidney disease, diabetes, autoimmune conditions and even some cancers. Feeding raw food will decrease the amount of inflammation in the body thus decreasing the likelihood of disease.

Also sugars feed yeast and cancers. Carbs are basically sugars. Cutting simple carbs out of the diet (and limiting complex carbs) will starve yeast and cancers.

More Bioavailable Nutrients

The nutrients in raw, fresh foods are much more easily absorbed and used by the body than those in processed foods. 

Processed foods, especially those that are cooked at high temperatures, will have their nutrients destroyed in the production. The manufactures compensate by adding synthetic nutrients.  However, synthetic nutrients are not used in the same way as natural ones and dog's absorb them less readily. 

Better poos

Poos should be solid, easy to pick up and leave little to no residue. If the food a dogs eats is digested, absorbed and used more readily, they'll be less waste.

If the food the dog eats isn't fully absorbed by the body, they'll be more waste resulting in bigger, softer (and much smellier) poos. 

Less coprophagy

If a dog passes undigested food in its faeces due to it not being used as readily, the dog will be tempted to eat their own faces to try and reabsorb those nutrients.  If a dog finds another dog's poo tasty, the chances are it will have undigested food in it making it very appealing to the dog. 

Shinier coat 

Hair is made mostly from protein. A diet rich in bioavailable protein means they'll be plenty of protein left to go into hair production.

Dull, greasy, brittle and a smelly coat is usually the symptom of a poor diet. This could be a diet lacking in nutrients or the dog not absorbing the nutrients effectively. 

Better weight maintenance

Carbohydrates are a major cause of obesity. Excess carbs are metabolised to body fat for energy storage. Feeding raw minimises carbohydrate intake and thus decreases body fat. 

Calmer behaviour

Simple carbohydrates lead to fluctuations in blood sugar - extreme highs and crashes. 

Feeding a minimal about of carbohydrates (which isn't possible when feeding a dry food), will keep blood sugar at a more constant level and thus keep the dog calmer. 

Fewer parasite

It has been noted that raw feed dogs get less fleas.

Fleas are attracted to high blood glucose levels (which is common in dogs fed kibble/high carb diets). 

Fleas are also attracted to animals with stronger odours and less healthy skin. Dogs on raw diets frequently have less odour and healthier skin making them less attractive to fleas.

Better dental hygiene

Raw food is less likely to stick to teeth compared to kibble and wet food. This prevents plaque and tartar build up. Raw food doesn't contain high amounts of starch and sugars that promote bacterial growth on the teeth.

Raw bones that are 'chewed' and crunched by your dog, helps removes tartar build up.

Other Benefits

There are many other benefits that I haven't mentioned but (e.g. healthier microbiome, less flatulence, less allergies, better hydration) honestly, these benefits should be enough to at least make you consider adding some raw to your dog's bowl.

Ready to start adding some raw to your dog's bowl? Join us tomorrow for Day 2 of Raw Feeding Week when we'll be discussing how to introduce raw food into your dog's diet to reap these benefits