When we read labels on industrial food bags, we often find promises such as “rich in vitamins and minerals” or “nutritionally balanced according to standards.”
But physiologically, most dry food is not truly rich. It is simply fortified.
Where do the additives in processed food come from?
The vitamins and minerals added during dry-food production are generally isolated, synthetic supplements manufactured in a laboratory.
- Biological value: many appear on the label to meet a standard, but are not biologically available in a form that nourishes the body’s cells.
- Why are they added? high-heat treatment and industrial processing destroy the natural nutrients in the original raw materials, if they were there to begin with.
But the dog’s body recognizes the difference. It knows when it is being nourished with whole, living ingredients and when its appetite is merely being filled with processed food.