The term saponins is derived from the Saponaria (soapwort) plant, but many plants have saponins in them including beans, alfalfa, ginseng, spinach, beets, soybeans and oats. Saponins work like soap---they break the surface tension. It is common to use saponin-containing foods such as beets and soybeans in dog food.
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Research
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There are many types of saponins, and some plants containing saponins may cause growth rate delay if fed to certain nonruminant animals. Others, like oats and spinach, are not a problem. Furthermore, mixing saponins with other dietary items may cause some saponins to be a problem.
Bloat
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Beets have saponins. Bloat is a condition of excess gas in the stomach. Saponins may cause frothy bloat, or foamy gas, in ruminants (animals that eat grass and have a cud, such as livestock). Dogs and cats do get simple gas bloat, but not frothy bloat.
Misconceptions
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Robert Abady, who developed a dog food company, claimed that saponins cause bloat and paralysis and are toxic to dogs. No studies have supported his often-quoted theories. A massive bloat study at Tufts University states that the only dietary link in bloat was a large meal of dry food.
Dog Food
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Plants used in dog foods are soaked and cooked, as opposed to livestock, which eat live plants, destroying most of the saponins. The amount of active saponins in dog food is minimal.
Fun Fact
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One saponin is digitalis. Digoxin is made from digitalis and is used for patients with congestive heart failure.
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