How Fresher Pet Food Improves Digestion and Reduces Waste
Bioavailability is crucial to understanding how well your pet can absorb and utilise nutrients from their food. It refers to the proportion of nutrients actually absorbed by the body, which can be compromised by factors like food processing that degrade amino acids, vitamins, and fatty acids essential for your pet’s health. BOM BOM's approach to pet nutrition prioritises bioavailability, ensuring that every ingredient and processing method supports optimal nutrient absorption.
Comparison of Bioavailability: Bones, Offals, and Meat vs Processed Meat and Supplements
Fresh meat offers superior bioavailability compared to processed, dehydrated, or freeze-dried meat because it retains its natural amino acid structure and nutrient content. Processing methods like dehydration or freeze-drying expose meat to heat and oxygen, degrading essential amino acids, vitamins, and fatty acids. This often leads to partial oxidation of fats and proteins, reducing their quality and making them harder for pets to digest and absorb. In contrast, fresh meat provides these nutrients in their most bioavailable, unaltered form, enabling pets to access high-quality proteins and fats essential for muscle development, energy production, and overall health.
Calcium from bone, in the form of hydroxyapatite, is highly bioavailable due to its integration with phosphorus, magnesium, and trace elements that enhance absorption and support bone and dental health. Calcium supplements using calcium carbonate or eggshell powder are less readily absorbed without these complementary minerals.
Liver is one of nature’s most nutrient-dense foods, offering a rich and bioavailable source of essential vitamins, including A, B-complex (especially B12 and folate), D, and K, as well as minerals like iron, copper, and zinc. These nutrients are present in forms that the body readily recognizes and absorbs, thanks to natural cofactors—substances that enhance the vitamins' absorption and effectiveness. For example, liver's natural vitamin A (retinol) is paired with essential fats and proteins that aid its transport and metabolism, which synthetic forms may lack. In comparison, synthetic supplements lack the natural matrix of cofactors that aids digestion and absorption, resulting in lower bioavailability.
How Bioavailability Impacts Digestion and Reduces Waste
The advantage of high bioavailability in BOM BOM’s fresh food extends beyond immediate nutrient absorption as it also enhances your pet’s overall digestion and stool quality. When pets consume diets with optimal bioavailability, they absorb nutrients more effectively, resulting in less waste. This means their bodies can utilise a greater proportion of the nutrients in each meal, leaving less material to be expelled as waste.
Notably, many BOM BOM clients report that their pets produce significantly less stool after transitioning to our fresh food or switching from processed diets or diets high in vegetable/plant ingredients. It is also important to note that dogs and cats, as facultative and obligate carnivores, lack the enzyme cellulase, which digests higher vegetable/plant ingredients effectively. This reduction in stool volume indicates that your pet’s body is maximising nutrient absorption.
Moreover, less waste means your pet’s digestive system is working more efficiently, reducing strain on their gastrointestinal tract and potentially improving overall health. This can be particularly beneficial for pets with sensitive stomachs or digestive issues, as a diet rich in bioavailable nutrients can minimise discomfort and promote better gut health.
Less bioavailable diets often lead to the production of phenols and indoles—byproducts in the gut that contribute to the foul odour of pet stools. These compounds result from microbial fermentation when proteins are poorly digested or inadequately absorbed in the small intestine. Undigested protein reaching the large intestine becomes a substrate for bacterial fermentation, producing metabolites like phenols and indoles, which can cause gastrointestinal discomfort and unpleasant odours in stool.
BOM BOM’s commitment to freshness and minimal processing through raw and sous vide meals preserve the natural nutritional integrity of each ingredient. This high bioavailability allows pets to absorb and use nutrients more effectively, promoting better health and vitality. By prioritising nutrient retention, BOM BOM’s meals are not only nutrient-rich but also designed to support your pet's overall well-being.