Carb #s not on list

[Ann & Tess GA]

Recently I've found several canned foods that look like the ingredients are good, but I can't find them on Janet and Binky's List. Before I call the companies I'd like to know if anyone else has gotten the metabolized energy profile (% by kcal of protein, fat and carbohydrates) for them. The foods I'm looking at are: Taste of the Wild, Instinct grain free 95% meat, Avoderm, By NatureOrganics or Goldleaf Selects.

 

[Terri & Tananda]

Hi Ann,

Figuring out the carb content is very easy. Just add the Protien, Fat, Fibre, Moisture and Ash (if any) subtract that from 100 and you have you answer.

Terri

 

[squeem3]

Hi Ann,

Figuring out the carb content is very easy. Just add the Protien, Fat, Fibre, Moisture and Ash (if any) subtract that from 100 and you have you answer.

Actually, you can't do that. The numbers listed on the food label are only guaranteed minimum/maximum numbers which are useless. You can't determine exactly how much of, say, protein there is in the food if the label says guaranteed minimum of 50%. Binky's food FAQ page has more about this: http://binkyspage.tripod.com/foodfaq.htm

You need "as fed" numbers to calculate out the exact carb, protein, fat, etc content. You can only get those numbers by contacting the pet food company be aware that some companies will not give you "as fed" numbers, just guaranteed numbers or nothing at all.

l

Recently I've found several canned foods that look like the ingredients are good, but I can't find them on Janet and Binky's List. Before I call the companies I'd like to know if anyone else has gotten the metabolized energy profile (% by kcal of protein, fat and carbohydrates) for them. The foods I'm looking at are: Taste of the Wild, Instinct grain free 95% meat, Avoderm, By NatureOrganics or Goldleaf Selects.

Avoderm Select Cuts are low carb. Not sure how much but I'm sure the post is somewhere on the old board. See http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=si ... =&aql=&oq= for related posts.

Nature's Variety Instinct are low carb and on the canned food chart (old one, I think) under just "Nature's Variety". http://www.naturesvariety.com/instinct_cat

By Nature Organics in the cans are low carb. The pouch ones are in gravy which likely contains starches. This has been discussed on the old board: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=si ... =&aql=&oq=

I don't know about Taste of the Wild. As a general rule, if the food does not contain grains or sources of carbs (potatos, starches, etc) then it's probably low in carbs.

 

[Terri & Tananda]

Squeem is absoulutly right, "As Fed" values are of course best, I neglected to mention that in my first post, my bad, but the formula above will give you a number when as fed values are unavalible, such as if you are standing in the pet food asle, looking at a can trying to decide if it is worth considering. I found that formula when I first began my reasearch, I don't remember the web address, but it is a good guideline when as fed values are not immediatly avalible.
At first I would walk around pet food stores carrying Janet & Binky's list and a calculator, checking the carb content provided on the list against the afore mentioned formula, the difference between the answer obtained using this method and the information on Binky's list was as little as .5% and as high as 2% . Please feel free to verify this for yourself.
Terri

 

[Jayne & Sweety]

Hi Ann,

Figuring out the carb content is very easy. Just add the Protien, Fat, Fibre, Moisture and Ash (if any) subtract that from 100 and you have you answer.

Actually, you can't do that. The numbers listed on the food label are only guaranteed minimum/maximum numbers which are useless.

You need "as fed" numbers to calculate out the exact carb, protein, fat, etc content. You can only get those numbers by contacting the pet food company be aware that some companies will not give you "as fed" numbers, just guaranteed numbers or nothing at all.

.

According to Dr. Lisa's page - calculating the Carbs in canned food - http://catinfo.org/commercialcannedfood ... bohydrates:
You can use the Min & Max's as a rough estimate-
"Even though the GA values are not terribly accurate, they can provide a rough guesstimation of the contained nutrients. However, whenever possible, try to obtain the actually measured values."

http://catinfo.org/index.htm#Learn_How_ ... ient_Label
"The "guaranteed analysis" numbers that you find on a can of food simply gives a wide range of the levels of water, protein, fat, etc. that are contained in the food. You can get a rough idea of what is in the food but, ideally, it should be mandatory to put the more accurate 'as fed' values on the can."

Take a look at those pages Ann about what to look out for in the labels, and to finish the estimated carb value - there's a couple more steps other than adding all the GA %'s.
If the law would change and they would MAKE them put the values in print, it would be great...but...a rough estimate...is better than nothing, right? I also read somewhere (sorry, I can't find it now) that the "as fed" values are from one (a singlular) batch and that the percentages can vary widely from batch to batch since there is no law (yet) stating that they have to keep it consitent, or provide it to the consumer, unfortunately.

 

[Nicole & Baby]

(((Thank you))) for the links to the old board - currently my girls are on NV Raw & Wellness - Wellness seems awfully high in fat & I wonder if I change diet a bit - if Baby's #s will come down? I am going to try the Natures Organic I think.

 

[Maggies Mom Debby]

I feed Avoderm Select Cuts Chicken Chunks. There is really nothing in it that is high carb.

Select Ingredients
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Guar Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate. Vitamins: (Vitamin E Supplement Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Biotin ,Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12) Minerals: (Ferrous Sulfate Monohydrate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate Monohydrate, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Carrageenan, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Taurine.

 

[Ann & Tess GA]

I've read Dr. Lisa's articles and thats why I was asking if anyone had gotten the ME values for those foods. I understood that "as fed" includes water content and is the least accurate, "dry matter - DMB" removes the water from the equation and "metabolized energy - ME" is calculated from the actual values from the manufacturer and is most accurate.

I've done the rough estimates of a food (Taste of the Wild) and got 4.5%. After Tess had a food spike with it I reread the article and recalculated by DMB, result 21.6%. However, I did the same thing with Wellness Turkey which I know from J&B's list is 4%, the rough estimate was 4.05% and DMB was 16%. Both those calculations start off with the Guaranteed Analysis numbers, in other words you have no idea of what the carb% actually is.

So, I was just wondering if anyone had the ME values from the manufacturers before I start calling.