Everything you thought you knew about corn is WRONG

Southpaw

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#1
I subscribe to Veterinary Technician e-magazine and this month's issue had this informative article about corn in pet food.

Pet food myths abound among consumers, especially myths concerning the nutritional value and digestibility of corn as an ingredient in pet food. Corn is commonly thought to be a low-quality food ingredient (i.e., a filler) that has minimal nutritional value. This article addresses common nutrition myths regarding corn in pet food and explains why this diverse grain is valuable as an excellent source of protein, carbohydrate, and essential fatty acids.
Myth 1

Myth 1: The primary ingredient in many dry commercial pet foods is not protein, but cereal. Corn and wheat are the most commonly used grains, but as with meat sources, the nutritious parts of the grain are generally present only in trace amounts.

Protein quality is based on the bioavailability (digestibility) of protein, the content of essential amino acids, and the amino acid requirement of the animal consuming the protein.1,2 Based on these criteria, corn has a high protein value. The digestibility of corn is discussed in myth 2 below. Cells of the body use amino acids from multiple sources, including food proteins, single amino acids, and amino acids synthesized in the body.

There are two groups of amino acids:

• Essential amino acids cannot be synthesized by the body in sufficient quantities and, therefore, must be supplied in the diet.

• Nonessential amino acids are synthesized by the body if sufficient “building material†is available, which is usually the case if a pet receives a balanced diet.

The amino acid requirement for dogs and cats includes arginine, methionine, histidine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, threonine, leucine, tryptophan, lysine, and valine. In addition, cats need taurine.

Corn has been determined to have a protein content of 16.1%, with respectable levels of essential amino acids. According to Kemmerer and Acosta,3 corn is “approximately optimum in histidine, leucine, phenylalanine, and valine.†In comparison, broccoli has a 29.4% protein content, cauliflower has 24.3%, and carrots have 6%. The authors state that “carrot protein is deficient in all the essential amino acids.â€3

Cells cannot distinguish between amino acids obtained from plant or animal protein. Combining animal and plant proteins in the diet can provide a complete source of essential amino acids. Therefore, protein sources that have a low biologic value alone can be combined with other protein sources, resulting in a high biologic value.4,5 This process is called protein complementation. Quality pet foods complement highly digestible animal protein with a natural plant protein source, such as corn, to deliver all the essential amino acids that pets need4,5

Myth 2

Myth 2: Plant-based proteins (e.g., soy, corn, by-products) are difficult to digest.

This statement can be valid if grains are not processed properly. However, plant protein sources that are properly processed can provide highly digestible, high-quality dietary protein for dogs and cats. For example, using a wet milling process for corn maintains its protein quality. In this process, the corn kernel is separated into starch, fiber, and protein. The protein component becomes corn gluten meal—a source of highly digestible protein for dogs and cats.

In a balanced diet, the digestibility of nutrients is as important as appropriate nutrient levels; therefore, the processing of ingredients can be the rate-limiting factor in the total bioavailability of a food.1,2 TABLE 1 indicates the superior digestibility of corn gluten meal compared with meat products. Therefore, corn is an excellent source of digestible energy.

The nutrient and energy needs of dogs and cats must be met completely through their daily food intake. Because cats are obligate carnivores, they have greater protein needs per body weight than dogs. A cat requires approximately 2 g/lb/d of protein, whereas a dog requires approximately 1 g/lb/d. It is important for the ingredients in canine and feline diets to be balanced to provide an optimal amount of nutrients in the daily ration. Corn contributes a wide range of nutrients while offering balanced energy. In addition, corn has highly digestible (>90%) protein and a moderate amount of fat.

Myth 3

Myth 3: Corn causes many allergy problems.

Corn has been thought to be highly antigenic and to cause food allergies. However, in a study6 that examined the frequency with which specific food ingredients cause a reappearance of pruritus during a food elimination trial, corn had the lowest frequency among the ingredients evaluated

Myth 4

Myth 4: The corn gluten meal and soybean meal added to pet foods have little nutritional value because they are leftovers from processing grain for human use.

Corn gluten is the protein portion of corn. Corn gluten meal (the dried form) provides protein that is complementary to many meat sources of protein. The digestibility of corn gluten meal is as high as that of many meat meals (TABLE 1).1,2 Corn gluten meal has an amino acid profile that is quite different from those of meat-based protein sources. Corn gluten meal is especially high in the amino acids cystine and methionine, which are particularly important for skin and haircoat health.

In addition to providing energy and protein, corn provides other essential nutrients, including vitamins (B complex, E, and A), minerals, and insoluble fiber, which are important to digestive and immune health. Corn also provides fatty acids (e.g., linoleic acid) and antioxidants (e.g., β carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin), which protect the entire body from oxidative cellular damage and support eye health.

A particular benefit of using corn in pet food is that it is the only commonly used grain that contains linoleic acid—an omega-6 essential fatty acid required for healthy skin and hair in dogs and cats.

Antioxidants help to reduce cell damage. Vitamin E is a major fat-soluble antioxidant, and corn oil, a common ingredient in pet food, is a major source of vitamin E. In a human study conducted by the Institute of Nutritional Science at the University of Vienna, Austria, a diet containing corn oil was found to reduce DNA damage more effectively than a diet containing an olive/sunflower oil combination.

It is commonly thought that processed ingredients have a lower nutritional value than fresh ingredients. However, a study conducted by Cornell University found that cooking corn at 150°C (302°F) for 50 minutes increased its antioxidant levels by as much as 53%.8

Energy requirements can be met with carbohydrate, fat, or protein; therefore, providing a portion of the energy from a carbohydrate such as corn permits the overall diet formula to be lower in fat and/or protein. Corn is a very useful ingredient in pet food because it is a high-quality source of carbohydrate and protein. Cornmeal, a major source of carbohydrate in pet food, contains approximately 75% carbohydrate

Conclusion

Many pet food myths circulate among consumers every day. Do not be misled by myths about corn in pet diets. Good nutrition involves not only the list of ingredients but also the right balance of nutrients. Corn has proven to be a very useful ingredient because of its high digestibility, low allergenic tendency, and excellent nutrient content, including antioxidants, protein, carbohydrate, and essential fatty acids. When properly processed and provided in a balanced manner, corn is healthy for pets.
This nifty chart was included as well, showing some high quality proteins... :)


Here's the link to the article, I don't know whether or not you can read it without being signed in https://www.vetlearn.com/_preview?_...602-0050568d3693&WT.mc_id=newsletter;VT112111


So yes this is the information that your veterinary personnel is learning.
 

Emily

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#3
Corn has proven to be a very useful ingredient because of its high digestibility, low allergenic tendency, and excellent nutrient content
:rofl1::rofl1::rofl1: I think I just peed myself. :rofl1::rofl1::rofl1:

Aaaaanyway, I don't know if anybody here is a fan of Michael Pollan, but in his book, In Defense of Food, he talks about how food is greater than the sum of its parts, and that you can't just combine this or that nutrient and replicate a whole food. (He used concrete examples to back this up, not just opinion. Great book.)

I can't help but feel he would have a field day with this. :D What a ridiculous notion. You cannot expect that a carnivore's body will receive amino acids from corn the same way it does from meat, because carnivores are not biologically equipped to eat corn - no matter how you slice it.
 

Dekka

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#4
There is some interesting science pointing out that if we ate less carbs we wouldn't need so many anti oxidants. Cultures that eat very low carb have very low cancer rates.... So um yay for corns anti oxidants? lol.
 

Dekka

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#6
Well it might, when you render down bones and meat.. bones aren't high in protein. I like how they put chicken by product in there... I wonder how corn stands up against actual meat meal. Not rendered down scraps.
 

Emily

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Well it might, when you render down bones and meat.. bones aren't high in protein. I like how they put chicken by product in there... I wonder how corn stands up against actual meat meal. Not rendered down scraps.
I know, I like how it's crap vs. crap vs. more crap. Which crap is crappiest? Let's find out, and then feed it to our dogs. LOL
 

Dekka

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I know, I like how it's crap vs. crap vs. more crap. Which crap is crappiest? Let's find out, and then feed it to our dogs. LOL
LOL Exactly. I was thinking I wouldn't feed any of those three. So even if corn was the best of a crappy bunch its not going to impress me.
 

Southpaw

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I know, I like how it's crap vs. crap vs. more crap. Which crap is crappiest? Let's find out, and then feed it to our dogs. LOL
That's what made me nearly pee my pants LOL they're just letting us know how crap stacks up against one another. :rofl1:

But you know, if you want to prove that corn is a God-like ingredient in dog food, then I suppose you have no other option but to compare it to (other) poor ingredients.
 

JacksonsMom

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I don't think corn is as evil as some make it out to be. But I also don't think it's a necessary ingredient in dog food, let alone the main source of protein. But I don't see how it's terribly worse than some of the other grains used even in 'high quality' pet foods. It's hard for me to say. I stay away from corn personally (for my dog). But my dogs food DOES contain oatmeal, barley and brown rice. What makes those superior to corn?
 

Saeleofu

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Corn has been determined to have a protein content of 16.1%, with respectable levels of essential amino acids. According to Kemmerer and Acosta,3 corn is “approximately optimum in histidine, leucine, phenylalanine, and valine.†In comparison, broccoli has a 29.4% protein content, cauliflower has 24.3%, and carrots have 6%. The authors state that “carrot protein is deficient in all the essential amino acids.â€3
Soooo...let's comapre corn to broccoli and carrots and cauliflower, since those are what we all feed our dogs as their primary source of protein?

Because cats are obligate carnivores, they have greater protein needs per body weight than dogs. A cat requires approximately 2 g/lb/d of protein, whereas a dog requires approximately 1 g/lb/d. It is important for the ingredients in canine and feline diets to be balanced to provide an optimal amount of nutrients in the daily ration. Corn contributes a wide range of nutrients while offering balanced energy. In addition, corn has highly digestible (>90%) protein and a moderate amount of fat.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but this basically says "Cats are obligate carnivores. So let's feed them corn." :rofl1:


I stay away from corn personally (for my dog). But my dogs food DOES contain oatmeal, barley and brown rice. What makes those superior to corn?
I stay away from all grains. But I have lately been thinking what makes potato and sweet potato so special - they're still carb-loaded (I think I'd prefer sweet potato to potato for fiber among other things, but still) and honestly, are they nutritionally all that different from grain? I got a couple bags of Nature's Variety Instinct (on sale for $38 a bag, woohoo!) and realized there are no carb-heavy ingredients, really. There's meat, and there's vegetables, and some added nutrients, but no potatoes or grains or anything. And it has 42% protein, which is awesome (Logan's butt doesn't seem too fond of the food so far, though).
 

Emily

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Soooo...let's comapre corn to broccoli and carrots and cauliflower, since those are what we all feed our dogs as their primary source of protein?
I know, WTF?! And ugh, um hello? Just because the amino acids are THERE doesn't mean the dog can digest those foods well enough to access them! That's WHY I spend all that time grinding down my dogs' veggies... so they can get some benefit from them.
 

Saeleofu

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Ms. Holloway is a veterinary sales consultant for Nestlé Purina PetCare.
I missed that too, but I was going to ask who sponsored the article. I figured it had to be either Hills or Purina. At the clinic the doctor calls Hills ofr a nutrition consult on every freaking thing. Gee, I wonder what food they'll recommend...probably Hills! Ugh.

We had someone come in with a dog today that was diagnsoed with diabetes. They currently feed a grain-free food with 30ish% protein. And he recommended they switch to W/D (18% protein and frekaing 51% carbs!). Ew. (Thankfully, they decided to stick with their current food!)
 

Southpaw

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Best part of the whole article lol.......

about the author
Hahah I forgot to include that gem!

I don't think corn is as evil as some make it out to be. But I also don't think it's a necessary ingredient in dog food, let alone the main source of protein. But I don't see how it's terribly worse than some of the other grains used even in 'high quality' pet foods. It's hard for me to say. I stay away from corn personally (for my dog). But my dogs food DOES contain oatmeal, barley and brown rice. What makes those superior to corn?
While I prefer to go grain-free, I do not think all grains are equal. Some are worse than others. With corn being at the bottom--it's not easily digestible, it has a high glycemic index, it just doesn't need to be in dog food when there are much better ingredients out there. It's just something cheap to throw in there.
 

Dekka

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I know, WTF?! And ugh, um hello? Just because the amino acids are THERE doesn't mean the dog can digest those foods well enough to access them! That's WHY I spend all that time grinding down my dogs' veggies... so they can get some benefit from them.
To be fair this is very ground down, and grinding veggies isn't to make amino acids more available. Its because dogs don't grind when they eat they way herbivores and ominvores do. So we have to do it for them. I personally don't feed my dogs veggies.
 

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