What is Dietary Fibre? What is Dietary Fiber?

Dietary fibre, also known as roughage, refers to the indigestible portion of plant-based foods. Sounds a bit weird, but it doesn't mean it's useless to animals, on the contrary, it is very important! Fibre mainly helps to absorb nutrients and facilitate the smooth excretion of metabolic waste. Fibre increases the volume of faeces, helping it to form, making the movement of food in the intestines smoother, preventing constipation and diarrhoea, and ensuring that waste can be effectively eliminated from the body.

1. Soluble Fibre

As the name suggests, soluble fibre dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance. This type of fibre is particularly helpful in softening stools and preventing constipation, and is especially helpful for dogs with indigestion. Main sources of soluble fibre include:

• Seaweed
• Whole grains (oats, barley, brown rice)
• Legumes and pulses
• Fruits (apples, oranges, pears)

2. Insoluble Fibre

Unlike soluble fibre, insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water. But it can still absorb water, increasing the volume of faeces, thereby stimulating intestinal contractions and helping with defecation. This type of fibre is especially helpful for dogs who frequently have diarrhoea or difficulty passing stools. Main sources of insoluble fibre include:

• Vegetables (broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, green beans)
• Whole grains (wheat bran, brown rice)
• Seeds and nuts

What are the Benefits of Dietary Fibre?

To maintain good digestive health, the ideal is to provide your furkid with both soluble and insoluble fibre at the same time.

What are the benefits of dietary fibre for furkids?
Now that everyone is clear on what dietary fibre is and what its types are, let's take a look at what benefits dietary fibre has for our furkids:

1. Lower Cholesterol
   Like humans, dietary fibre can help dogs lower their cholesterol levels, especially combating bad cholesterol. Soluble fibre can wrap cholesterol in the intestines, preventing it from being absorbed into the blood, effectively reducing the risk of heart disease and other cholesterol-related diseases.
2. Increase Satiety
   Have you noticed that dogs often ask for food again soon after eating? If your pet never seems full, try adding more dietary fibre, as fibre increases the volume in the stomach, making it easier for furkids to feel full, avoiding overeating.
3. Prevent Obesity
   A high-fibre diet can help regulate weight and prevent furkids from becoming overweight. In addition to making furkids feel full, fibre also requires more energy to digest, so it can reduce the calories absorbed. Soluble fibre can also help stabilize blood sugar levels, preventing them from fluctuating wildly, leading to overeating.
4. Stabilize Blood Sugar (Especially Useful for Furkids with Diabetes)
   If your furkid unfortunately suffers from diabetes, dietary fibre is particularly useful. Soluble fibre can slow down the absorption of glucose by the body, effectively stabilizing blood sugar levels, avoiding sudden fluctuations, thereby reducing the risk of complications and making diabetes easier to manage.
5. Improve the Digestive System
   Fibre is very important for maintaining a healthy digestive system for dogs. It can promote regular bowel movements, prevent constipation or diarrhoea, ensure that waste is effectively eliminated from the body, and reduce the risk of blockages or other digestive system problems.
6. Provide Quality Food for the Gut Flora
   As mentioned earlier, dietary fibre can provide food for beneficial gut flora. A healthy gut flora is important for all aspects of a dog, including immunity, nutrient absorption, and even emotions and behaviour.

Practical Tips to Increase Your Furkid's Fibre Intake

After reading the above, I believe everyone understands the significant benefits of a high-fibre diet for furkids' health. Now let's learn some practical tips to teach you how to greatly increase dietary fibre for your furkid:

1. Recommended Daily Fibre Intake
   Generally speaking, dogs should consume 2 to 4g of dietary fibre per day. However, it should be noted that specific needs will vary depending on the dog's age, size, and overall health. Ideally, consult a veterinarian to find out the appropriate daily fibre intake for your furkid.
2. Gradually Increase Fibre Intake
   If your furkid is used to eating a low-fibre diet, remember to gradually increase fibre intake to avoid sudden changes that can cause digestive discomfort. You can start by adding a small amount of high-fibre foods to the diet, and then gradually increase the amount, allowing the furkid's body to slowly get used to it.
3. Raw Fruits and Vegetables Have Higher Fibre Content
   Although cooked vegetables still have some fibre content, fresh raw fruits and vegetables are undoubtedly more ideal, maintaining a higher fibre content. So to greatly increase fibre for your furkid, it is best to use more fresh fruits and vegetables. Wash them thoroughly before eating and remove inedible parts.
4. Consult a Veterinarian to Match Individual Needs
   If your furkid has any underlying health problems or is taking medication, it is even more important to consult a veterinarian before making major dietary changes. Veterinarians can recommend a suitable high-fibre diet based on the furkid's individual situation to ensure that it does not affect any treatment.

Furry Green dog fresh food packs are carefully mixed with a variety of nutritious, fibre-rich ingredients, including broccoli, carrots, apples and oats. We firmly believe that feeding furkids with whole plant-based foods can comprehensively improve their health, from the digestive system to weight management, all aspects will benefit greatly.

Are Vegetable Fibres Really Suitable for Dogs?

Although a high-fibre diet has great benefits for a dog's health, some furkid owners may still worry whether relying solely on vegetable fibre is suitable for them. After all, it is generally believed that dogs are best suited to a meat-based diet.

However, the fact is that dogs are omnivores, meaning they can obtain nutrients from both plant and animal-based foods. Experts point out that a balanced plant-based diet can not only provide dogs with enough fibre, but also help them get nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Of course, the most important thing is to ensure that the dog's diet is nutritionally balanced, including the required protein, fat, etc., and cannot rely solely on vegetable fibre. No matter how you change your furkid's eating habits, you must first consult a veterinarian to assess the individual situation and health status, and make appropriate adjustments.