Sweet Potato Treats | 3 Important Factors To Choosing Quality Treats

sweet potato cut into large chunks

Canine Caviar always focuses on making dog treats that are both healthy and natural as possible. This philosophy has sprung our line of Dehydrated Buffalo Treats, Synergy Vegetable Mix, Sun-Dried Kelp Supplement, and our top selling Dried Sweet Potato treats. Our sweet potato in particular is a fan favorite for dogs and owners alike. What makes our sweet potato treats so delicious? How does it stick out to other sweet potato treats?

Today, we will answer these questions by comparing Canine Caviar’s sweet potato treats to other competitors. We’ll look at the quality of our treats and how we set ourselves apart.

Softness & Pliability

The biggest difference between our sweet potatoes and competitors is just how soft and flexible they are. You can bend and rip Canine Caviar’s sweet potato treats with ease making it an easy treat for any owner to handle. This is especially great for dogs with sensitive teeth. But how do we keep our treats so soft?

It all has to do with dehydration. How much you dehydrate a product matters. Canine Caviar dehydrates their sweet potato slightly but not too much. We take out the moisture while retaining the deliciousness of the treat. This keeps the slices pliable and soft.

Have you experienced a slice of sweet potato that was hard and brittle? This is usually due to over dehydration. When you dehydrate too much, sweet potato starts to get hard because all the moisture is being taken. For comparison, Canine Caviar’s sweet potato treats contain 8% moisture can stay flexible.

Sweet Potato Treats & Beta Carotene

Another difference between our treats and those of competitors is the color of the treats. As we know, sweet potato is very orange due to its high concentration of beta carotene. Beta Carotene is good for producing Vitamin A which helps with skin health, vision, and supporting the immune system. Canine Caviar’s sweet potatoes are very orange because we prioritize maintaining all that good beta carotene.

If you look at a competitor’s sweet potato you might find that it’s discolored. This is due to over dehydration or low-quality product which results in diminished beta carotene. If you want to ensure your dog receives the proper amount of beta carotene for his skin, coat, immune system, and eyes, look for sweet potato treats that have a great orange color like ours. Make sure you check the packaging for any added dyes or coloring though. Dyes and coloring are sometimes used to mask the quality of the product.

The Perfect Cut

Dried sweet potato slices lined up

The last important difference between our sweet potato treats and the competitors is the cut of our slices. People may be surprised but the cut does a play a role in the quality of the treat. You want to be able to give your dog a treat that’s just right. You don’t want to give a small dog a big thick treat; It will be too difficult for them to enjoy. Canine Caviar cuts our treats for all dogs to love. But why does thickness matter?

The thickness of a slice will affect the dehydration process. That’s because the thicker something is, the longer it takes to dehydrate properly. The process is like cooking meat. The thicker the cut, the longer you have to cook the meat unless you like some pink. Really thick cuts are not only hard to dehydrate but they make the product hard to chew and enjoy. That is why it is important to have well sized cuts that aren’t too thick but thick enough to give the treats texture and flavor.

Final Thoughts

Even with a treat as simple as a slice of sweet potato, there are important factors to consider. Softness, nutrients such as Beta Carotene, and the cut all play a role in this delicious low-calorie treat. Whether making treats at home or looking or a quality product, sweet potato is always a great treat for our four-legged friends!

Check out the Canine Caviar Blog for more great articles such as The Benefits of Sweet Potato or buy some right here.