{"id":8289,"date":"2019-11-26T10:00:06","date_gmt":"2019-11-26T16:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/?p=8289"},"modified":"2024-01-26T07:19:26","modified_gmt":"2024-01-26T13:19:26","slug":"ancient-grains-ingredients-that-work-hard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/blog\/nutrition\/ancient-grains-ingredients-that-work-hard\/","title":{"rendered":"Ancient Grains: Ingredients That Work Hard Like Your Dog"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Welcome back to \u201cGoing Pro,\u201d our recurring column that\u2019s dedicated to the nutrition and performance of working and sporting dogs.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>You put a lot of thought and care into selecting an appropriate food for your high-performing canine athlete. And not any ol\u2019 dog food will do. You want your dog eating food that provides the right amount of energy from ingredients that work as hard as he or she does. After all, you know how important the right fuel is to your canine athlete\u2019s performance, whether your dog sniffs out contraband, retrieves birds, races around agility courses or searches for lost or missing people.<\/p>\n<p>The energy for all of that work comes from food, as we discussed in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/blog\/nutrition\/performance\/fueling-athletic-dogs-performance\/\">previous post<\/a>, and is obtained from the fats, carbohydrates and proteins present in food. One of the newer trends in dog food mirrors what has been occurring in human nutrition. It\u2019s the use of ancient grains in place of corn, wheat, potatoes, peas or other carbohydrate-rich ingredients.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s noteworthy about ancient grains? Read on to learn how these ingredients contribute to your dog\u2019s nutrition.<\/p>\n<h3>What are ancient grains?<\/h3>\n<p>As popular as ancient grains are among human foodies, no official definition actually exists. The definition referenced most frequently is the one provided by the Oldways Whole Grains Council, which defines <a href=\"https:\/\/wholegrainscouncil.org\/whole-grains-101\/whats-whole-grain\/ancient-grains\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ancient grains<\/a> as \u201cgrains that are largely unchanged over the last several hundred years.\u201d The category includes chia seed, quinoa, sorghum, millet, barley, amaranth and several \u201cheirloom\u201d varieties of wheat.<\/p>\n<h3>Why use ancient grains in dog food?<\/h3>\n<p>The nutrient profiles of these superfoods make certain ancient grains attractive to pet food manufacturers looking to formulate nutrient-dense foods, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/dog\/diamond-pro89\/\">Diamond Pro89 Beef, Pork &amp; Ancient Grains Formula for Adult Dogs<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/dog\/diamond-naturals\/extreme-athlete-adult-dog-chicken-rice-formula\/\">Diamond Naturals\u00a0Extreme Athlete Adult Dog Chicken &amp; Rice Formula<\/a>. Ancient grains are well-known for these characteristics when compared to grains such as corn and wheat:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Relatively high protein content that\u2019s rich in indispensable (essential) amino acids<\/li>\n<li>Naturally high in fiber, including both soluble and insoluble fibers<\/li>\n<li>Rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids such as alpha-linolenic and linoleic acids<\/li>\n<li>Naturally high concentrations of antioxidants like alpha- and gamma-tocopherol<\/li>\n<li>Diverse content of vitamins and minerals, including several B vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium and iron<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Of course, ancient grains are also loaded with carbohydrates. All three macronutrients \u2014 fat, carbohydrates and protein \u2014 are used by your dog\u2019s body to make the energy required for optimal performance.<\/p>\n<h3>A lot to like about the select ancient grains in Diamond dog foods<\/h3>\n<p>The animal nutritionists who formulated Diamond Pro89 and Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete gave serious consideration to the ancient grain ingredients used in these dog foods. Chia seed and quinoa are used in both formulas, while Diamond Pro89 also features millet and grain sorghum.<\/p>\n<p>Long before it was made famous by kitschy plant decorations sold through infomercials, chia was valued as a food by the peoples of Central America and Mexico. <strong>Chia seed<\/strong> contains <a href=\"https:\/\/www.petfoodindustry.com\/articles\/6494-beyond-grain-free-chia-as-a-modern-ancient-grain-for-dogs-and-cats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">19 to 26 percent<\/a> protein with noteworthy levels of the indispensable amino acids arginine, leucine, phenylalanine, valine and lysine.<\/p>\n<p>Chia seed\u2019s fatty acid profile includes high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, mainly the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid, which rivals flaxseed. The carbohydrate content of chia seed consists of modest levels of starches (26 to 41 percent) and substantial amounts of dietary fiber (47 to 60 percent), most of which is insoluble fiber.<\/p>\n<p>Chia seed contributes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/11\/6\/1242\/htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">many minerals<\/a> to the diet, with phosphorus, calcium, potassium and magnesium found in greatest amounts. Vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and niacin (another B vitamin) are present in chia along with several tocopherols, compounds that collectively constitute vitamin E and have high antioxidant activity.<\/p>\n<p>Carbohydrates are the major macronutrient present in <strong>quinoa<\/strong>, followed by protein and fat. Starch is the main carbohydrate component, accounting for 52 to 69 percent of the grain\u2019s carbohydrates. Total dietary fiber ranges from 7 to 9.7 percent.<\/p>\n<p>The protein content of quinoa varies between 13.8 and 16.5 percent (dry matter basis), although an average of 15 percent is often used. In general, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/1546052\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">indispensable amino acid content<\/a> of protein from quinoa is considered higher than what\u2019s found in common cereal grains.<\/p>\n<p>Quinoa has a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Semra_Navruz_Varli\/publication\/301933573_Nutritional_and_health_benefits_of_quinoa_Chenopodium_quinoa_Willd\/links\/5bd0188a299bf1a43d9c760f\/Nutritional-and-health-benefits-of-quinoa-Chenopodium-quinoa-Willd.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">higher oil content than corn<\/a> and some other grains, but its fatty acid profile is similar to corn and soybeans. Quinoa is an excellent source of important fatty acids, including linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids.<\/p>\n<p>Although research on the vitamin content of quinoa is limited, the seed is known to contain high amounts of vitamin B6 and folic acid. It\u2019s also an important dietary source of the B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and thiamin. Quinoa is considered an excellent source of vitamin E.<\/p>\n<p>The nutrient profile of <strong>grain sorghum<\/strong> is comparable to corn, with starch making up the largest portion of the macronutrients at about 75 percent. At or above 9 percent, the protein content of sorghum is slightly higher than corn. Although sorghum\u2019s fat content is slightly lower than corn\u2019s, the essential fatty acid linoleic acid accounts for more than half of the total fatty acids. The dietary fiber content of grain sorghum is primarily insoluble fiber, which plays an important role in stimulating intestinal motility and transit time.<\/p>\n<p>Commonly associated with wild bird food, <strong>millet<\/strong> is one of the more nutrient-dense grains. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.petfoodindustry.com\/articles\/6072-millet-an-alternative-ingredient-in-dog-and-cat-food\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">protein content of pearl millet<\/a>, the most common millet produced commercially, ranges from 9 to 13 percent, although some sources report pearl millet\u2019s average protein content at 14.5 percent. Millet protein is rich in the indispensable amino acid methionine and provides more lysine than corn.<\/p>\n<p>Millet also contains more fat (4 to 7 percent) than most of the other cereal grains, which increases its energy contribution to the diet. Linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, accounts for about 40 percent of the total fatty acids in millet. To offset the higher fat level, millet\u2019s starch content is slightly lower than other seeds. Total dietary fiber, at about 17 percent, is high and consists of equal amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber.<\/p>\n<h3>What this means for your working or sporting dog<\/h3>\n<p>When choosing a dog food for your sporting or working dog, you\u2019ll want to consider his or her energy needs. Dogs who participate in endurance activities will require more energy given the longer distances that they travel. These athletic dogs benefit from higher proportions of fat in their diet such as those found in performance and high-energy diets. Ancient grains in the ingredient mix can help deliver increased energy from fat, carbohydrates and proteins.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>RELATED POST: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/blog\/nutrition\/performance\/nutrients-ingredients\/\">Nutrients and Ingredients: Not Necessarily the Same<\/a><\/p>\n<p>RELATED POST: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/blog\/nutrition\/performance\/fueling-athletic-dogs-performance\/\">Fueling Your Athletic Dog\u2019s Performance<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome back to \u201cGoing Pro,\u201d our recurring column that\u2019s dedicated to the nutrition and performance of working and sporting dogs. You put a lot of thought and care into selecting an appropriate food for your high-performing canine athlete. And not any ol\u2019 dog food will do. You want your dog eating food that provides the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":8294,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"Ancient Grains in Dog Food: Fueling High-Performing Canines","_seopress_titles_desc":"Read on as we explore the benefits of ancient grains as an ingredient in dog food. Discover how these nutrient-rich ingredients boost energy and performance!","_seopress_robots_index":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[347,350,354,10,79,320,355,356,348,345],"class_list":["post-8289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nutrition","tag-active-dogs","tag-ancient-grains","tag-chia","tag-dog","tag-nutrition","tag-pro89","tag-quinoa","tag-sorghum","tag-sporting-dogs","tag-working-dogs"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8289","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8289"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8289\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}