For cat owners who care about what they are feeding to their feline friends. Our cats do not have to eat food containing chemical preservatives, “by-products”, processed grains, poorly digestible cereals, or artificial flavourings and colourings. They claims to have created a food without all this – NUTRAGold Holistic Formulas.
NUTRAGold Holistic Formulas use only natural and wholesome ingredients - fresh meats, low GI whole grains, fruits and vegetables to make a great food that will address the lifelong good health of your pet.
NUTRAGold Holistic Formulas use only natural and wholesome ingredients - fresh meats, low GI whole grains, fruits and vegetables to make a great food that will address the lifelong good health of your pet.
- More Meat
- No by-products
- No corn, wheat, gluten or soy
- No chemical preservatives
- Balanced Omega-6/Omega-3 fatty acids
- Rich in antioxidants & phytonutrients
It’s whats inside that counts! Great food starts with the right ingredients. To sustain your pet, manufacturers of pet foods need to provide the following nutrients:
- Protein
- Fat
- Carbohydrates
- Vitamins & Minerals
- Natural antioxidants from fruits, vegetables & wholegrains.
- Essential vitamins & minerals
- Carbohydrates
- High energy fats
- Great tasting fresh meats
- Protein
To provide protein most pet food manufacturers use meat (e.g. chicken), meal (e.g. chicken or fish), plant products (e.g. corn, soy, wheat – often as gluten) and/or “by-products”.
Meat = best
Critics consider fresh meat the best source of protein for pets because it is complete with all the essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein) and is highly digestible and palatable. Meat is the natural way that carnivores obtain protein. However pet food manufacturers do not always use meat as the primary protein source in a bag of food. They may substitute or bolster meat with other ingredients for economic and convenience reasons. For example you may see ingredients such as by-product meal, and/or a plant product (e.g. corn, soy or wheat) listed. Some foods may not contain any meat at all using only plant and/or “by products” to provide protein.
Plants = compromise
Critics consider the use of plant proteins in pet food as a compromise. Firstly plant protein does not contain all of the essential amino acids needed by a cat. Secondly plant gluten can be less digestible than their meat meal counterparts. Plant protein is typically used because it is considerably less expensive and easier to handle than meat.
No compromises
Use up to 2x as much meat as some other foods!
- Do NOT use plant products as a meat protein substitute
- Do NOT contain any animal or chicken by-products.
By-product meal = economical
‘Chicken By-Product Meal’ is defined as “the dry, ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines - exclusive of feathers except in such amounts as might occur unavoidably in good processing practices”. “By-products” are typically used because they are cheaper to purchase than meats. While you may find the thought of “by-products” unpleasant, it is an adequate protein source. However nutritional consistency and digestability may vary depending on the proportions of by-product (necks, feet, etc) used in each batch. Genuine Super Premium NUTRAGold makes no compromises by providing protein via 4 fresh meats - chicken, turkey, salmon and duck.
Fats & Essential Fatty Acids: Pets need the right fats in the right balance
Cats and dogs use fat as their primary energy source. Fat is also important for reproductive efficiency, kidney function and the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K. Fats are the key source of Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). Essential to life, EFA’s can only be obtained from food. EFA’s are vital for normal growth and functioning of cells, muscles, nerves, and organs and the production of prostaglandins.
EFA’s are divided into two groups, Omega-3 and Omega-6. For good health and well-being these must be kept in balance.
Chicken fat = best
Pet foods generally contain one of three main sources of fats; “beef tallow, “animal fat” or “chicken fat”. Pet food critics consider chicken fat as the best fat source because it has excellent digestibility and contains less saturated fatty acids, and trans fats, than animal fats or beef tallow. Importantly chicken fat has high levels of Omega-6 fatty acids. Beef tallow and animal fat are higher in saturated fat and contain almost no Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. They are slightly less digestible than chicken fat. Some animal fats are less palatable than tallow and chicken fat. Fats are unstable, and therefore need to be preserved. Some pet food manufacturers choose to preserve fats with powerful chemical antioxidants such as BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin. NUTRAGold only uses naturally occuring Vitamin E.
The right balance
Use only chicken fat, which is naturally preserved with Vitamin E. - No chemical preservatives are used.
- Correctly balanced ratios of Omega-6/Omega-3
Note: Fish meal is a commonly used ingredient that is often preserved with ethoxyquin by the suppliers to pet food manufacturers. This may not be indicated on pet food labels. The salmon meals and fresh meats used in NUTRAGold are NOT preserved with ethoxyquin, or any chemical preservatives. Not all pet foods balance Omega-3/Omega-6. Research supports a greater consumption of Omega-3 and Omega-6 by cats for the management of inflammatory diseases and neurological development8 and with improving skin and coat condition. Many pet foods are high in Omega-6 fatty acids. However, these need to be balanced with the correct amount of Omega-3 to avoid health conditions ranging from joint and organ inflammation and heart disease to diabetes and obesity. The correct ratio of Omega-6: Omega-3 is considered to be between 5:1 and 10:110. NUTRAGold correctly balance the Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio by using flaxseed as the source of Omega-3 fatty acids.
Note: As well as Omega-3, flaxseed is a source of fibre and ligans. The mix of fibres in flaxseed encourages proper gastrointestinal health. High concentrations of ligans in flaxseed may help to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.
Uses 100% whole-grains (i.e. unprocessed) to provide pets with a range of low and medium GI carbohydrates.
- No wheat
- No corn
- No soy
Wholegrains = good
Almost all dry food diets contain an abundance of grains and cereals containing carbohydrates. Typically pet food manufacturers use whole or ground corn, corn meal, corn gluten meal, ground wheat, soybean meal, ground sorghum and brewers rice as the main grain/cereal ingredients. Because of their widespread use it shouldn’t be surprising that wheat, corn, gluten and soy are amongst the leading causes of food allergies in pets 11,12. The processing or refining of these grains removes part of the bran (outer layer) and germ, depleting beneficial nutrients, antioxidants and fibre, therefore lowering the nutritional value of the ingredient. It may also raise their glycaemic index (GI). High levels of carbohydrates mean high levels of calories - which has obvious implications with obesity. High GI carbohydrates can also cause marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels which can have health implications, as well as increasing hunger/begging behaviour.
NUTRAGold only
Uses unprocessed low to medium GI whole-grains which are not commonly associated with allergies, and which provide sustained energy throughout the day; secondly because we use more meat, there are less grains in NUTRAGold.
Vitamins and minerals like calcium, vitamin A, D, and E are important to a dog’s overall nutrition as they are involved in virtually every bodily function. Vitamins and minerals are key elements in providing beneficial antioxidants, protecting cells from free radical damage, enhancing the immune system, and promoting bone development and strengthening of surrounding ligaments.
Low Ash = best
All pet food manufacturers add vitamins and mineral salts to their food at levels established to meet the needs of your pet. While these levels will meet minimum dietary requirements some foods may over supply or incorrectly balance various minerals. An example is calcium and phosphorus – more commonly associated with the term “Ash”. Some diets contain 2 - 3 times the levels of calcium and phosphorous needed by dogs. The ratio between calcium and phosphorous is also very important. This must be balanced in a ratio of 1.1:1 – 2:1 5. Excessive phosphorous is harmful to kidneys. More than 70% of kidney function must be lost before a dog or cat shows signs of kidney disease so a high phosphorous diet may be damaging kidney health without the owner’s knowledge.
Natural phytonutrients and antioxidants
Incorporate fruits and vegetables – potatoes, carrots, peas, apples, cranberry, tomatoes – natural sources of
vitamins, dietary minerals and also antioxidants. Vegetables and fruits are also high in fibre to help keep the
digestive system healthy.
- Correctly balanced levels of Calcium and Phosphorous
- Low ash
Antioxidants = good
Critics raise the question about whether the inclusion of vitamins and minerals to meet AAFCO guidelines are really ALL the micronutrients an animal needs. At Diamond we believe there to be beneficial effects from the many phytonutrients, antioxidants, and micronutrients contained in fruits and vegetables. Therefore we include them in NUTRAGold Holistic Formulas.
All the benefits you’d expect
With NUTRAGold Holistic Formulas we’ve taken a bit of extra care to get the meat, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals right by using the best ingredient choices. Being leaders in pet food technology for over 25 years, you also get the added “benefits” that you expect from a super premium food. Joint and cartilage health Leading levels (up to 1200mg of glucosamine and 300mg of chondroitin)14 promote healthy joints and cartilage.
- Healthy skin and coat
- High levels of properly balanced Omega-6/Omega-3 fatty acids.
- Sensitive stomach
- Ingredients with high digestibility to aid digestion. No wheat, corn, dairy or beef – ingredients that can cause stomach
- upset in some dogs.
- Heart and vision
- Extra taurine in all cat formulas and large breed dog formula to maintain eye health and help promote heart health.
- Hairball control
- Break-through fibre formula using dried chicory root and cellulose helps pass swallowed hair.
- Odour control
- Dried chicory root and yucca shidigera work to reduce stool odour.
