Canine Caviar asks.. What is Healthy? Natural? Organic? Holistic?

We recently asked for the definition of what “Holistic” means to our Facebook Fans www.facebook.com/caninecaviar and the answers given prompted us to share what we know at Canine Caviar.

We think it is safe to say that most manufacturers, distributors, stores and pet owners are committed to providing the absolute best nutrition for our pets. We see a lot of media hype and internet marketing, some of which may have confused us more than it has helped. It’s time to get back to helping our customers decipher and understand the different terms being used and what they actually mean.

The most common requests we hear in the stores are “What does Organic, Natural, Holistic or Healthy mean?” The surprising fact is that a large number of people cannot define the differences between them and if they do there are many different answers that are shared. In fact, most people will define one or more of the terms using one or more of the other terms. These terms have been blurred so often and for so long that a significant meaning is rarely found. Therefore, We think it is our duty to help educate on the differences between them so as to eliminate some of the confusion caused by the Marketing of some Pet Food Companies.

Definitions from www.dictionary.com and www.organic.org

HOLISTIC – To Treat something as a WHOLE.

NATURAL – Existing in or formed by Nature – To Mimic what would occur in nature.

ORGANIC – Organic produce and other ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms or ionizing radiation. The Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products are not given antibiotics or growth hormones.

HEALTHY – Conducive to promoting a good condition of the Body.

Only the Term “Organic” is precisely regulated in it’s usage. Each of us must decide how to apply this information. For example, Holistic means “to treat something from the inside out as a whole” By this definition, a pet food is Holistic if it deals with every health issue your pet faces. When using the word “natural” in describing pet food, it is important to remember, that the ingredients MUST come from Nature and that the end product must mimic what the Pet would eat in Nature.

Organic describes the type of ingredients used in producing the pet food; however, there are several classifications of Organic. Less than 70% organic may list organically grown ingredients on their label. Foods containing more than 70% organic ingredients can use the term, “Made with Organic Ingredients” in their labeling. Foods containing 95% or MORE Organic ingredients may call themselves “Organic”.

So, What is Healthy? The holistic pet food market tends to avoid Corn, Wheat and Soy. The overall perception is that these ingredients are not healthy. To be more clear, let’s assume that an Organic Pet Food uses organically grown wheat or soy as part of their ingredient listing. Would you consider that food to be healthy simply because it is “Organic”? What if we are trying to feed our pet a “Natural” food? In Nature, Wild Animals consume Raw Proteins. Can we consider a food to be natural if the proteins have been cooked?

Jeff Baker, Research Scientist and Founder of Canine Caviar was interviewed by Welcome Home TV also adds that “the two least commonly used terms, Holistic and Healthy, seem to work hand in hand in their common goals. A Holistic diet looks to address every health issue your pet faces from the inside out as a Whole.” Again, it is left to us to decide whether or not a food is truly Holistic, regardless of it’s labeling. Skin, Coat, hip, joint and digestives issues are the most commonly discussed health issues in Pet Food. But what about kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, circulatory issues, diabetes, cholesterol, eye sight, etc.? If all of these are not addressed , Would you consider it to be Holistic?

Canine Caviar Pet Foods, Inc products promote whole body health using a True Holistic approach. Nutrition is used to stimulate the body’s own ability to heal and maintain itself. It supports your pet’s health on all levels by using high quality ingredients, herbs and proper formulation to ensure optimal amounts of nutrition are achieved. We know that proper nutrition will quickly settle digestive upsets, reduce itching, scratching, shedding and hotspots, while addressing health concerns like kidney, liver and heart disease as well as diabetes and cancer. We are a complete and balanced diet that is 91% – 93% digestible.

We have a dedicated team of researchers, scientists and nutritionists that are always searching for Breakthroughs in Pet Health. This knowledge allows us to introduce new products to help Pet Parents care for the ever changing health needs of their Pets.