When you looked at your pup's dog food label and saw the words "beet pulp" you might have been alarmed, thinking he was eating some cheap filler. Or maybe you heard beet pulp causes bloat in dogs. Beet pulp is from sugar beets, the pulp that remains after sugar is extracted. Rest easy if beet pulp is in your dog's food; it's not dangerous and actually can help his gastrointestinal health.
-
The Benefits of Beet Pulp
-
The beet pulp in dog food contains very little sugar; in fact, if you compare similar sized servings of carrots and beet pulp, the beet pulp has less than 20 percent of the amount of sugar present in the carrots. Opponents of beet pulp point out that it's not digestible fiber, which is true, but it's not in your dog's food to provide him any nutritional value. The nutritional value from beet pulp is for the good bacteria in your pup's gut, which is one of the ingredient's primary purposes. As a mildly fermentable fiber, beet pulp gives the healthy flora in his intestine something to grow on. The other purpose of beet pulp is to add bulk and moisture to his poop, allowing it to pass through his digestive tract. Claims that beet pulp causes bloat or will turn your dog's coat red are urban legends.
-