Cold-Pressed Dog Food Basics for Every Pet Owner
Are you wondering how to keep your dog healthy, and have you encountered cold-pressed dog food during your research? This special type of dog food is getting more and more popular. However, what does cold-pressing mean in the first place? How will it benefit your fur baby?
Cold-pressed dog food is the newest premium pet product that has received raving reviews from many dog parents worldwide. But since it is a newcomer in the market, no one can blame you if you’re still clueless about this dry dog food.
Table of Contents
Cold-Pressed Dog Food Overview
A fairly simple process is required to produce cold-pressed food for dogs. Based on its name, ground ingredients and cold water are mixed. The solution is then cooked fast at low temperatures before it is pressed into the preferred shape appropriate for dog consumption. This method preserves most of the ingredients’ nutritional value. It’s somewhat different from the traditional way of producing dry dog food.
Many popular dry dog foods you can find right now are extruded. The extrusion process subjects ingredients to extreme pressure and high heat with lots of steam. It results in a kibble that expands once consumed and tends to be more difficult to digest for dogs.
The higher temperatures also mean a smaller amount of the original nutrients present. More often than not, oils and other vitamins are added back to the food after the extrusion process is completed to ensure it’s completely nutritious.
If you compare the two methods, the cold-pressed food wins out. But if you’re still unconvinced, you’d love that cold-pressed dog food offers more benefits that will make you want to switch sooner rather than later.
Benefits of Cold-Pressed Food for Dogs
Cold-pressed food for dogs retains more nutrients than other famous kibbles that are often extruded. This is made possible thanks to the specialized manufacturing procedure.
This is particularly true of oils, vitamins, and enzymes that often dissipate because of the higher temperatures during the extrusion process.
That’s why cold-pressed food is the closest you can get to feeding your dog with a raw food diet without making the switch. It could even be much better in some cases.
Several raw food diet critics argue that this can expose dogs to bacteria and parasites that might not be easy to handle for their domesticated guts. It leads to different problems, such as difficulty treating infections.
The low temperature for cold-pressed food helps eliminate these risks while offering exceptional nutritional benefits. Most pet owners also prefer the affordability and convenience of dry dog foods. There’s no need to allot lots of space in the freezer or spend chunks of your monthly budget on your dog’s raw food diet.
However, if you prefer to feed your pup a raw diet, it’s still worth considering cold-pressed dog food. This is an amazing healthy topper for your pet’s food to ensure it gets all the nutrients it needs.
The method of cold pressing produces an extremely different kind of kibble that maintains the appearance of most of the original ingredients. This is why cold-pressed food fits right in with a raw food diet.
As far as appearance is concerned, you can tell right away that this is not your average kibble by simply glancing at it. Instead of the usual puffy and round beige biscuit, these kibbles packed with nutrients have a longer shape and generally look meatier.
However, the difference doesn’t only stop with the appearance of the food itself. Its actual composition also makes this food easier to digest for dogs. Cold-pressed food doesn’t expand after consumption, and the digestion process differs from extruded foods. It breaks down naturally and quickly instead.
Adding one scoop of extruded dog food to a cup of water will absorb lots of liquid, puffing up big as it floats to the top. This won’t happen with cold-pressed food. The kibble sits at the bottom as it breaks down and dissolves in the water.
A similar process takes place in the tummy of your pup during mealtime. This also explains why cold-pressed food doesn’t cause bloating, unlike extruded foods. The fast breakdown also allows faster absorption of ingredients.
Aside from these benefits, cold-pressed food for dogs is also more palatable since it retains most of the original scents and flavors of the ingredients used. It makes it a favorite among pet owners with fussy dogs that refuse to eat other kibbles.
Tips to Choose the Best Cold-Pressed Food for Your Pup
As cold-pressed dog food gains popularity by the day, it’s no surprise that you may see numerous choices cropping up. This may initially confuse or overwhelm you, but it shouldn’t be this way.
Always start by checking the list of ingredients when shopping for cold-pressed food for Fido. You want to make sure you pick one with single-source, high-quality protein. Words such as wild-caught, grass-fed, or organic are excellent indicators that your dog will get quality meat.
You also review the guaranteed analysis to ensure protein content caters to your pup’s needs and requirements.
There should also be a variety of additional ingredients, with some offering extra beneficial nutrients into your dog’s diet. Cold-pressed herbs, fruits, vegetables, oils, and even algae are great sources of omega-6 or 3 fatty acids. These foods also contain all the vitamins that humans need themselves.
With all the benefits of cold-pressed dog food, there’s no doubt this is a great choice to keep your four-legged friend healthy and fit!
