What is palm fat?
Palm fat is a solid fat at room temperature that is high in saturated fatty acids. Although these are important for your dog's energy supply, too much can lead to obesity and cardiovascular problems. In addition, palm fat contains hardly any essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6, which your dog needs for healthy skin, a shiny coat and a good immune system.
However, palm fat also has some positive properties. It is very tasty for dogs and is usually well tolerated. In its native form, it also contains many antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin E and coenzyme Q10, which can fight free radicals and thus protect against cancer.
What are the disadvantages of palm fat?
The biggest disadvantage of palm fat is its negative impact on the environment. Large areas of tropical rainforest are cleared for the cultivation of oil palms, which leads to an enormous loss of biodiversity, soil fertility and carbon storage. In addition, human rights are often violated and indigenous peoples displaced. So by buying dog food with palm fat, you are indirectly supporting these practices.
How can you avoid palm fat in dog food?
If you don't want to feed your dog palm fat, you should always read the food label carefully. Sometimes palm fat is also declared under other names such as vegetable oil or vegetable fat. Also look out for the RSPO seal (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil), which guarantees more sustainable palm oil production.
Another option is to cook your dog food yourself or feed it raw (organic, species-appropriate raw feeding). This gives you full control over the ingredients and you can be sure that your dog only gets high-quality fats. However, make sure that you follow a diet plan or seek advice from a vet to ensure that your dog gets all the nutrients it needs.