THE BEST PET FOOD IS NOT SNAKE OIL

Most pet foods are essentially made the same, since most are made by the same toll manufacturers. The only place left to appear special is on the ingredient list. So there are now foods with grapefruit, turnip greens, parsley oil, dandelion, thyme, spearmint, marigolds, persimmons, broccoli, eyebright, quail eggs... taking on the sound of lizard tongue, bat wing and eye of newt.

Although any natural ingredient prepared properly may have some merit, it is difficult for consumers to discern this. Some ingredients may be mere label dressing in an attempt to set the product apart from others.

Since describing the specific health benefits of ingredients is prohibitied, people need to search the Internet: Health benefits of __________(ingredient in question). Then there is the question of dosage, which cannot be determined on labels and is part of proprietary formulations companies do not wish to reveal. Although some ingredients may exert a nutraceutical or homeopathic effect at very low doses, this can only be guessed by reading labels.

The only option for consumers seeking the best pet food is to carefully peruse company literature. If there is science and depth, the chances are the ingredients on the label are there for a specific health benefit. If the company seems to be more marketing than substance, or makes exaggerated claims, then it could well be that the ingredients on the label are that too.

For an occasional meal such foods are fine— if you care to support companies trying to mislead you. Better yet, seek honest foods and natural variety if you want the best pet food that will create health for your pet.

Video: Roscoe the hound dog & Suryia the orangutan

An amazing story about two unlikely friends - Roscoe the hound dog and Suryia the orangutan.

Thought for the day: Truth, the gateway to all good, is only possible if we empty our brains of what we want to believe and let in reason and evidence.

Phrase for the day: 'processing degradation' - traditional heat processing/cooking can convert amino acids to an unusable form, oxidize and degrade certain vitamins and minerals, cause toxic combinations of ingredients such as sugars and amino acids, oxidize essential fatty acids, form toxins, destroy probiotics and enzymes, and more. Cooking is not just an innocuous event. It must be done with care and understanding.