Can I Add Fat To Kibble To Make It Keto?

Story takeaways:

  • Even if kibble is “high-quality”, it is still going to contain a high amount of carbs, making it impossible for a dog to go into ketosis.

  • The BEST way to feed your dog keto food is to give them real fresh food that is optimized with healthy fats, adequate protein and very low carb.

  • If you’re not ready to completely make the transition to raw food, you can give our supplements a shot! Adding in healthy probiotics, greens, and raw food can give your dog a nutritional BOOST that they aren’t getting from kibble.

Generally speaking, pet parents try to do what is best for their dog. 

Whether it’s picking the best harness, the best toys, or the best running trails, humans have long adored their canine companions and have treated them with love and affection.  

When it comes to picking the best food for our dogs, however, we’ve often times fallen short.  

Pet parents have been fooled (on the whole) into thinking that kibble is a nutrient-rich, biologically-appropriate food for dogs.  

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Today, we’re going to discuss why kibble is so detrimental for dogs’ health and why it’s nearly impossible to get a dog into ketosis (a state of fat-burning) while still eating a high-carb kibble diet.  

 

WHAT’S THE REAL PROBLEM WITH KIBBLE? 

While there are numerous problems with kibble, the main issues are: 

  • Kibble is made from "poor-quality meats, byproducts and synthetic vitamins and minerals” (source) 

  • Kibble contains high amounts of biologically-inappropriate carbs 

  • Kibble contains little-to-no natural “good bacteria” or probiotics  

  • Kibble contains little-to-no intracellular moisture 

Kibble is highly-processed, made from questionable meat sources, contains synthetic vitamins and minerals, and is cooked at extremely high temperatures, killing all good bacteria.   

Even if kibble has the label “grain-free”, kibble is held together by starches (carbs) like tapioca and sweet potato. “Grain-free” does not mean “carb-free”.   

Nutritionally speaking, the problem with kibble is that it isn’t optimal: 

In a dog’s body, carbs are converted into glucose (sugar). When dogs eat carbs regularly, they store their fat instead of using it for energy like they would in ketosis. Over time, dogs who store fat instead of burn fat have to metabolically work overtime to process biologically-inappropriate carbs, leading to increased inflammation and risk for metabolic diseases.

On the other hand, raw, ketogenic food for dogs is optimal: 

When dogs eat metabolically-appropriate ketogenic food, their body can go into an optimal state of fat-burning called ketosis. In this state, dogs are able to metabolically thrive instead of merely survive off of biologically-inappropriate carbs and sugars.

The point is: there is a world of a difference between bone-dry, biologically-inappropriate kibble and metabolically-appropriate ketogenic raw food. “Grain-free” kibble still contains a high amount of carbs, which is difficult for a dog’s body to process.  

 

CAN I MAKE MY DOG’S KIBBLE KETO BY ADDING FAT? 

Even if kibble is “high-quality,” it is still going to contain a high amount of carbs, making it impossible for a dog to go into ketosis.  

By definition, ketogenic food is food that contains high-fat, adequate-protein, and little-to-no carbs. If a lot of carbs are present in the food, that food cannot possibly be ketogenic.  

Remember: Ketogenic food is optimized food to put dogs (or humans) into a state of fat-burning where there are almost zero carbs in the food. If there are carbs in the food, those carbs turn into glucose in the body, making the body go into Glycolysis (glucose-converting) instead of Ketosis (fat-burning).

If you add fat to kibble, the carbs won’t be negated by the fat.  

The only way to feed your dog keto food is...well...to feed real fresh food that is optimized with healthy fats, adequate protein and VERY low carb (like Bones & Co.’s food!).  

 

FEEDING YOUR DOG THE MOST AMOUNT OF RAW, FRESH FOOD 

Even though you cannot make kibble keto by adding fat, that’s not to say that your dog won’t benefit from the most amount of fresh food you can afford to feed them! 

While we absolutely advocate feeding your dog fresh, raw food – we understand if that’s not possible.  

If you’re not ready to completely make the transition to raw food, you can give our supplements a shot! Adding in healthy probiotics, greens, and raw food can give your dog a nutritional BOOST that they aren’t getting from kibble.  

 

BONES & CO. IS HERE TO BE YOUR RAW FOOD GUIDE 

If you’re new to the idea of raw foods and are considering transitioning from kibble, we’re here to help! 

Our mission is to share with you the dangers of kibble and the truth about pet nutrition so that you can make the best, most informed decisions about your dog’s food.  

To keep learning about the raw dog food movement, JOIN OUR TRIBE and get $3 off your first purchase of B&C 6 lb patties! 

For the love of fat, 

Your B&C Tribe  

Have specific questions about your dog’s health? While B&C cannot give medical advice, we recommend seeking advice from a Holistic Veterinarian for your best furry friend (BFF). B&C is here to be a resource for you while you learn more about raw food, Keto, and dog nutrition!

Bones & Co.