Cooking’s Effect on Food

When you stroll down the pet food aisle, you’ll see everything from raw and dehydrated diets to canned and kibble options. One big difference between all these choices? Cooking – or lack of it.

The way pet food is processed can influence everything from nutrient levels to flavor and digestibility. Learn what really happens when pet food is cooked, and why it matters for your pet.

Nutrient Loss Through Cooking

Cooking pet food, especially at high temperatures or for extended periods, can reduce the levels of certain heat-sensitive nutrients.

• Vitamin C – Naturally occurring in fresh fruits and vegetables, but quickly degraded by heat.
• B vitamins – Especially thiamine (B1), which is essential for nerve and muscle function.
• Omega-3 fatty acids – These delicate fats can oxidize or break down under high heat, reducing their benefits for skin, coat, and heart health.

Proteins can also be affected as cooking denatures proteins (changing their structure). While not always a bad thing, excessive cooking can lead to the loss of some amino acids, which are the building blocks pets need for muscle, immune function, and tissue repair.

Processing and Commercial Pet Foods

Commercially cooked pet foods, such as kibble and canned products, often undergo high-heat processing to ensure shelf stability and safety. However, these methods can cause significant nutrient loss.

To compensate, manufacturers add back synthetic vitamins and minerals after cooking. If you look at your pet food label, you may notice a laundry list of vitamins and lengthy words you can’t pronounce. While adding synthetic nutrients ensures minimum nutritional requirements are met, it’s not the same as consuming nutrients from fresh, whole food sources.

Raw Diets: Food in Its Natural Form

Raw diets, like Steve’s Real Food, skip cooking entirely to preserve natural enzymes and heat-sensitive nutrients. All our recipes are formulated entirely with 100% whole food ingredients that offer bioavailable nutrients and NO synthetic vitamins, additives, or fillers.