Many cat owners go to a store and grab either the first, or the cheapest, cat food there. Dry food is usually the most convenient and least expensive food, so over half of cat owners choose that to feed their cats. However, dry food often has high amounts of carbohydrates, and though there is much scrutiny over what felines should be fed given their natural diet, it is commonly agreed that cats should be fed foods with a high amount of protein and a somewhat low amount of carbohydrates (Forrester and Kirk). Most dry foods, including Purina, Meow Mix, and Taste of the Wild, contain far more carbohydrates than would be consumed by a cat in the wild (Pierson). Because cats are not meant to have so many carbohydrates in their diet, the high amount …show more content…
Obesity is a very serious condition and can cause many health problems like fatty liver disease, diabetes, skin conditions, and urinary tract problems. Currently, over fifty million cats in the United States alone are estimated to be overweight or obese. The two biggest factors that cause obesity are diet and lifestyle. Free-choice feeding is when the food is left out at all times and the cat may eat whenever it wishes. Free-choice feeding alone can be very dangerous, because it encourages overeating, disturbs the cat’s natural biological cycle, and may sometimes lead to an obese or overweight feline. If it is combined with a sedentary lifestyle, it will certainly lead to obesity. Nonetheless, over half of pet owners that feed dry food allow free-choice feeding (Forrester and Kirk). With free-choice feeding, it is impossible to regulate a cat’s caloric intake and owners typically put too much food out. Regulating the amount of calories is essential because with some dry diets, an extra tablespoon of food can cause a cat to become overweight (Heinze). Many experts agree that free-choice feeding is one of the worst things owners can do for their cats’ health (Lindner and …show more content…
Because of this, canned food is an obvious solution to free-choice feeding, but it is not convenient for many cat owners. A big reason why many owners allow free-choice feeding is because they have multiple cats and leaving the food out is the more convenient than trying to feed all of their cats at specific mealtimes. However, this is especially problematic, because in addition to being unable to regulate caloric intake, there is no way to tell if one or more of the cats are not eating (Lauten). The importance of regulating how much the cats eat is increased by the high amount of carbohydrates that are in most dry foods. Dry food has more calories than canned food because dry food has less water and very little actual meat. It is possible that cats eat more when they are fed dry food because they have to struggle to get enough nutrition out of it (Lauten). In addition, cats are meant to get their energy from protein and fat, not carbohydrates. This means that they end up converting the carbohydrates in the dry food to fat instead of energy because they are not used to using such carbohydrates for energy (Hofve). When the food is being converted to only fat, the cat will gain weight. The high carbohydrate load is the biggest problem with dry food. Common canned foods like Friskies, 9 Lives, Fancy Feast, and Wellness,
Canned food is available in 24 x 5.5oz. Dry food is available in 4 pound bags.
After taking a closer look at the American diet, it 's clear to see Americans are in a lot of trouble. The average American diet is filled with lots of greasy fast food, large cuts of meat, salty junk food and sugar-laden sodas. This tradition is then passed on to the children and creates a legacy of ailments, disease and a lower quality of life. To many people, plant-based eating sounds like a death sentence. In reality, it 's all about getting creative with the foods you already like. It also involves intentional meal-planning and organization. However, your health is worth it. The ability to experience a better quality of life should be motivation enough to start changing your eating habits. Consider a few of these simple ways to incorporate plant-based eating into each meal without eliminating delicious taste.
The body breaks down various carbohydrate foods (whether simple or complex) into glucose, which is used easily for energy or saved away in muscles and fat stores for later use. Carbs are the body’s preferred, No. 1 energy source. However, they aren’t the only macronutrient that supplies energy to cells. This is why it’s possible to follow a low-carb diet and still have enough energy, endurance and muscular strength. However, special care should be taken in relation to Refined and processed carbs which release glucose (sugar) into the bloodstream more quickly, leading to symptoms like low energy levels, cravings, overeating, weight gain and brain fog. Eating lots of processed/fast carbs can also increase risk for insulin resistance and diabetes. “Slow carbs” like veggies, whole pieces of fruit, ancient grains and legumes provide a slower release of glucose and better supply of energy for our cells that lasts for
The desire to change one’s body image is very prevalent in today’s society; and in most cases what people want to change is their weight. Companies who market diet programs and miracle diet drugs are very much aware of this commonality among consumers and take advantage of the susceptible nature of those who want to lose the weight and lose it fast. Among the multitude of pills, programs and promises that are offered as cures to the unhappiness of being fat, one new concept has emerged that stretches the boundaries of logic: the catabolic diet.
Both diets largely differ from each other as well as from the USDA recommended meal plan. Carbohydrates, which are chemical compounds such as sugars, starches, and celluloses, are converted by the body into energ...
it can be very hard for those depending on assistance programs to incorporate healthier, whole, and unprocessed food into their diets. For many that have relied on this assistance for years it is a matter of an incorrect assumption. There is a postulation that processed foods are cheaper and more filling alternatives to healthy food. One study recently quoted in “Fruits, Vegetables Cheaper than Unhealthy Snacks” compared...
With the ever-growing population of animal lovers on earth, a more viable, humane solution for food consumption needs to be made, but why make a solution when there has already been one? Meat consumption has been proven time and time again to be unnecessary, but that doesn’t stop the average person from eating a double cheese burger with bacon. Unfortunately, many people are apathetic to what happens to animals in farm factories and continue to support them by buying their products, however, consumers should consider switching to a vegetarian diet because it’s more humane to animals, less farm factories being built can save the planet from deforestation, and with a proper balanced vegetarian diet anyone can maintain a healthy life without the
The low-carbohydrate diet and the low-fat diet take two different approaches to achieve the same goal of weight loss. The fundamental difference between the two diets is found in the comparison of their nutritional recommendations. Nutritional recommendations are the foundation of both diets, although their views on the role carbohydrates, proteins, and fats should play differs greatly. Dieters are told that following these nutritional recommendations will promote weight loss. The amount of weight loss achieved with either diet fluctuates over time and in the end, the results for the two diets are similar.
News articles and internet blogs are saying that Americans are trying becoming more health conscious, but America ranks thirty-three in the healthies country. Bonnie Liebman, Sarah Federman, and Greg Crister are influential writer on the topic on food. They show the readers the freedom that food manufacturers have on labeling, and how it affects the consumers that fall for it. Bonnie Liebman, the author of “Claims Crazy: Which Can You Believe?” is a Director of Nutrition in CSPI. She has an M.S on nutritional sciences from Cornell University. Liebman provides links between health issues with food labeling. Her work talks about the different types of food labeling, and how the FDA fails to regulate on the structure/function claims that food
of the original misnamed Mayo Clinic diet, has gained much attention for both its success and failure as a method of weight loss. Studies show that there is no specific nutrient, including carbohydrates, proteins, and even fats, that directly causes a person to gain or lose weight. The pivotal factor in weight loss is the capability to consume less fuel than the body needs to burn in order to function. However, two large weight loss food corporations, Atkins Nutritionals and the South Beach Company, have successfully marketed their own brand of low carbohydrate diets. These low carbohydrate diets share many similarities, while maintaining distinct modifications between the diet methods.
Carbohydrates provide energy for the body to function. When these carbohydrates are not eaten the body then burns its stored fat for fuel. As the body's supply of fat diminishes one begins to lose weight. Therefore, the Atkins Diet is successful at making one lose weight in the short term because carbohydrate intake is severely restricted to less than 20 grams per day and will eventually climb to about 40 grams after a few weeks. This "translates to no more than three cups of loosely packed salad or two cups of salad with two-thirds cup of certain cooked vegetables each day" (www.webmd.com). However, the body needs a certain amount of these carbohydrates and after a while of recieving them the body does not function properly. According to Gail Frank, a PhD professor of nutrition at California State University in Long Beach, "The body needs a minimum of carbohydrates for efficient and healthy functioning -- about 150 grams daily" (www.webmd.com). She states that less than 150 grams of carbohydrates disrupts the body's normal metabolic activity. Also, "the brain needs glucose to function efficiently, and it takes a long time to break down fat and protein to get to the brain," (www.webmd.com). Glucose results from carbohydrates or sugar broken down into the bloodstream; but also occurs naturally in fruits and honey. Therefore, the body needs a certain amount of good carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables to stay healthy.
The diet of the cat is based on development and they should be fed according to their stage of development towards an adult cat. In the wild, cats eat just about anything they can get their paws on; rats, mice, birds, and reptiles. Kittens have a need for higher levels of protein and calories for proper development until they reach the age of 18 months, when the levels of protein drop to just the right amount of protein to sustain themselves. Another reason why cats need to have a healthy meat-based diet is because they have a shorter digestive system than most omnivores and herbivores. They have to absorb more nutrients in a shorter amount of time, thus the need for a lot of protein because they have a very short time to digest it.
Food is a major part of everyone’s everyday life. It’s hard to imagine life without the chocolate cake on your fingers or a carne asada taco in your mouth. Enjoying delicious desserts and fast food seem extremely magnificent to eat and spend money buying them. Although, there have been many controversies in the United States on how it’s the largest country with the most obesity regarding children, which affects their health, many people are still going throughout their day snacking. Many people in America are having full course meals with thousands of calories in one sitting not knowing the short term or long term side effects that are going to take a huge toll on their lives. Food is delicious, but it comes with a secret behind the savoriness/sweetness.
What is the reason that people feel that cooking at home is the best option for
They are also high in preservatives and additives, which most owners would prefer to avoid. Semi moist food is usually the most expensive food to purchase. As with the dry food, it all varies with each manufacturer; ingredients, nutrition, quality, taste, are all different from brand to brand.