With so many choices of pet food on the market today, it can be overwhelming to evaluate and compare brands. When Lucy Pet set out to develop our formulas, we took great care in choosing our ingredients, and the sources of each ingredient. Our new Lucy Pet Formulas for Life™ contain a Superfood blend of ingredients designed to help support healthy systems of dogs and cats. One of the ingredients that we use is a particular variety of sea kelp. Kelp is an excellent natural source of iodine and provides beneficial fiber.
However not all kelp is the same. The kelp we use in our P.B.F. Prebiotic Balanced Fiber™ blend grows naturally off the shores of Nova Scotia, Canada and is manually harvested to guarantee the sustainability of this valuable marine resource and protect its ecosystem. We use the specific kelp species called “Ascophyllum nodosum” because it has consistent nutrient qualities, is safe, free of contaminates, and is non-toxic. It naturally contains polysaccharides, which help pets maintain gastrointestinal tract health and helps when their system is challenged or stressed. The kelp we source for our foods naturally contains phlorotannins and polyphenolic compounds, which scientists believe have antioxidant benefits. Part of what makes this specific variety special is the way it uniquely grows, and is harvested, then processed to retain all of the constituents and nutrients. The temperatures of the waters, along with the tides, and limited exposure to the sun during low tide, naturally produces benefits of this kelp unlike other more common sources of kelp often used by other pet foods.
This variety of kelp provides multiple benefits to pets by helping maintain intestinal health, supporting the immune system and scientists believe may help pets become more resistant to stress. It is part of our P.B.F. Prebiotic Balanced Fiber™ because it has a unique combination of prebiotic fibers, antioxidants, and protective compounds which work inside the body to help with digestion and cell function and support the immune system. Perhaps even more interesting is that it has been shown to help provide resistance to various environmental stresses, such as travel, and heat.
The prebiotic value of kelp is that it supports a variety of microflora in the digestive tract system for health. Recent nutritional studies have found that a dog or cat’s immune system is affected by its GI tract health, which is why Lucy Pet’s Formulas for Life™ focus on improving gut health.
The kelp’s molecules help support a pet’s digestive health, metabolism and help maintain a strong immune system. These very unique compounds naturally help a dog or cat’s digestion and prebiotic activity. It is no wonder why we source this particular variety of kelp for our formulas. It truly is a “Superfood from the Sea”. Click here to learn more about Lucy Pet Formulas for Life™.
