Gone are the days of buying just any pet food off the shelf without considering about the ingredients. Today, pet guardians are as concerned about what goes into their pet’s body as they are about what goes into their own. If we need super foods like quinoa, kale and blueberries to heal and supercharge our bodies from the inside out, then our pets must need them, too.
We know that fiber is important because it promotes the movement of food through the digestive system. However, new research shows that having a variety and blend of carefully selected fiber sources can produce an environment in the digestive tract that will help lead to an optimal balance in the gut. Prebiotics and probiotics are gaining a lot of attention as the “power duo,” the keys to a healthy gut, supporting intestinal health and the duties of the intestinal tract. So, what’s the difference between those two?
Prebiotics are a form of fiber that serves as “food” for probiotics. These are fermentable fibers, like dried kelp, dried chicory root and beet pulp, and resistant starches like legumes, such as peas and other beans.
Prebiotics are shown to reduce the duration of infectious and antibiotic-induced diarrhea, reduce inflammation and symptoms of certain diseases, optimize mineral absorption, and support weight loss.
Probiotics are the “good” bacteria and yeasts that help keep the digestive system healthy. These are live bacteria naturally found in the body but also found in some dairy products and fermented foods. Probiotics also promote weight loss, and they support digestive health and immune function.
“Until recently, the importance of the gut in overall health wasn’t fully understood,” says Joey Herrick, founder and president of Lucy Pet Products. “The latest nutritional advancements now show that the digestive tract goes far beyond just processing the food your pet eats. Just like in humans, it is very important to create a healthy environment in the gut, because it plays a key role in strengthening your pet’s immunity to chronic diseases.”
Digestive health is key to many other bodily processes, and the digestive system does more than process the food we eat or feed our animals. The gut is the largest immune organ of the body and affects every aspect of animal metabolism, as well as behavior, mood, and cognition. Thousands of bacteria live in the gut and each has a unique role.
Your pet’s intestinal tract handles challenges every day, so it is important to ensure that your pet’s diet supports the digestive system based on the latest nutritional advancements that exist today. A diverse blend of dietary fibers provides optimal nourishment for the large bowel bacteria. These bacteria ferment the fibers to short-chain fatty acids that vary in concentration and molar proportions and serve many positive functions, not only in the large bowel but also throughout the body.
Lucy Pet Products founder Joey Herrick has partnered with Dr. George C. Fahey, who has conducted extensive research for over 40 years on gastrointestinal tract health and the role of macronutrients in digestive physiology and health of the gut.
Dr. Fahey has pioneered research on companion animal health and nutrition. He discovered the optimal sources and concentrations of dietary fibers in pet food, including identification of the relationship between fiber ferment ability, nutrient digestibility, and digestive tract upset, and prebiotic efficacy in dogs and cats.
Dr. Fahey’s extensive fiber research and findings are the basis of Lucy Pet’s P.B.F. Prebiotic Balanced Fiber™ technology. These industry-leading formulas for dogs and cats promote good gut health, which helps the body absorb nutrients more efficiently and plays a key role in natural immunity.
“Our foods are made with truth in labeling, honesty in formulations, the latest in scientific research, and attention to detail,” added Herrick. “I love all my animals, and I would never want to be in a position where they weren’t healthy because I wasn’t feeding them the best food possible. And that is the driving force behind everything that we do here at Lucy Pet Products.”
Lucy Pet Formulas for Life™ with P.B.F. Prebiotic Balanced Fiber are created using high-quality proteins, a unique blend of quinoa, pumpkin, and chickpeas, for an ideal balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Herrick sources high-quality ingredients, like duck and wild-caught Alaskan salmon globally from trusted suppliers, and Lucy Pet products are always manufactured in the United States with absolutely no ingredients coming from China.
