ARE YOU ADDING A SOURCE OF OMEGA-3 TO YOUR PET’S DIET? HERE’S WHY BRINGING COCONUT OIL INTO THE MIX IS A ROCKSTAR IDEA!
Omega-3s are a super important addition to any pet’s diet! Omega-3 fatty acids control cellular metabolic functions that help reduce inflammation in the body. They are essential fatty acids that your dog’s body cannot readily produce, so they must come from dietary sources.
Therefore, if you do not have a proper balance or enough omega-3s in the diet, you may start seeing some of the following symptoms develop in your pet: a dry coat, dry/flaky/itchy skin, brittle nails, joint pain and even fatigue.
SO HOW MUCH OMEGA-3 DOES YOUR DOG NEED?
The doses of omega-3s needed are around 150mg of EPA and DHA combined per 10lbs of body weight daily.
Ok great! But why the heck is there mention of coconut oil in the title?
Well, for starters:
“Coconut oil is one of the few foods that can be classified as a "superfood." Its unique combination of fatty acids can have profound positive effects on health, including fat loss, better brain function and many other remarkable benefits.” – ScienceDaily
“A growing number of cell, animal, human and population-based studies reveal that coconut consumption may provide a natural solution to a growing global epidemic that pharmaceutical drugs have been shown to do nothing to mitigate.” – GreenMedInfo.com
With over 13 evidence-based medicinal properties, and ranked in the top 10 most important food medicines, coconut oil is not only a must-add to yours and your dog’s diet but evidence is now pointing towards the marriage of coconut oil and omega-3’s.
Here’s why:
“Research has shown that regular MCT consumption in dogs with "age-related mental decline" increases the phospholipid and omega-3 fatty acid (EPA & DHA) content in the parietal cortex of the brain.” – NaturalNews.com (Taha et al., 2009)
WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN?
It means it will make your smart pup even smarter!
By adding the MCTs (Medium Chain Triglycerides) aka coconut oil to your dog’s diet, it helps the body use essential omega-3 fatty acids more efficiently and increases omega-3 concentrations in the brain.
This brain-boosting duo will help your dog (and you) think better, become sharper, more aware, and even enhance perception, reasoning, and judgment as well!
For senior dogs, this is a great idea because this combo can improve age-related cognitive decline by providing some brain food energy!
Have you read somewhere on the Internet that coconut oil was bad for dogs?
DON’T WORRY!
Studies in dogs show that coconut oil fed as 10% or less of a dog’s diet poses no digestive or other health issues. (Aldrich, 2009)
The recommended dosage for feeding coconut oil is:
• ½ teaspoon for every 10lbs of body weight daily
DO THESE TWO FUNCTIONAL FOODS NEED TO MIXED TOGETHER BEFORE SERVING?
No, the point is to have them both in the diet to help them feed off each other.
HOWEVER A WORD OF CAUTION:
When sourcing coconut oil, be careful. Some manufacturers can extract the coconut oil using hexane, a petroleum product made of crude oil, which is super toxic!
FYI - Hexane evaporates during processing and the FDA doesn't require it to be listed on food labels. Source organic and look for expeller pressed products.
Please make sure, when using a source of omega-3s, that it is a clean source as research is showing most products on the market are full of toxins! http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/fish-oil-omega-3-dogs-safe/
Rodney Habib - Pet Nutrition Blogger
For more info on the awesomeness of coconut oil? http://ow.ly/Js0LX
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