A Colourful Diet Ensures Important Polyphenols for Dogs

A Colourful Diet Ensures Important Polyphenols for Dogs

Polyphenols also provide many wellbeing-supporting compounds for a dog's body

Polyphenols are a group of substances found in plants. They are not nutrients like vitamins or trace elements, but rather plants' "secret weapons." Most often, polyphenols are plant pigments or aromatic compounds produced by plants, such as flavonoids, antioxidants, phenolic acids, and lignans. Polyphenols are not essential to the body in the same way as actual nutrients, but their importance for health and wellbeing may be far greater than we currently know. Knowledge is constantly increasing, and research on polyphenols is ongoing all the time.

Polyphenols in berries, vegetables, seeds

Plants produce polyphenols mainly to defend themselves and to protect against external threats such as various diseases and microbes, pests, UV radiation, or frost. Coloured compounds also attract pollinators to plants. Polyphenols are abundant, among other things, in colourful berries, fruits, vegetables, seeds, grains, legumes, green tea, and the skin of grapes. The darker the colour of a vegetable or berry, the richer it is in polyphenolic compounds. In particular, the amount of health-associated anthocyanins is highest in dark berries.

At present, tens of thousands of different polyphenolic compounds are already known, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes, lignans, anthocyanins, tannins, and polymeric lignans. Researchers believe there are many more undiscovered polyphenols in the plant kingdom. The most common dietary polyphenols are flavonoids, of which more than 4,000 different ones are known. The wellbeing-supporting effect of flavonoids is based on their ability to act as antioxidants—meaning they prevent the formation of harmful oxidative reactions, in some cases even more effectively than vitamins. In addition, they may increase the activity of certain enzymes that are favourable for wellbeing and protect nerve cells. Antioxidants also help the body maintain immune defence.

Antioxidants are important for active and hard-training dogs

The antioxidant effect is often of particular interest to owners of sporting dogs. Oxidative stress caused by exertion may, among other things, damage tissues and weaken immune defence, and according to preliminary studies it may be reduced with antioxidants. Oxidative stress also slows recovery from exertion. Among vitamins, the best-known antioxidant effects come from vitamins E and C, and as noted, many plant polyphenols contain abundant antioxidant compounds.

The best-known "anti-oxidation agent" for dogs that exercise a lot is vitamin E. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that is important, among other things, for the normal function of muscles, the immune system, and the nervous system. Vitamin E is usually obtained as an additive in feed. However, for example competing, heavy training, and stress increase the need for antioxidants that combat oxidative stress. Vitamin E is also important for pregnant and growing animals.

Another vitamin known for its antioxidant function is vitamin C. It works together with vitamin E to reduce the amount of free radicals in the body. Normally, the animal body produces enough vitamin C, but once again—stress and hard, active training can reduce the level of sufficient vitamin C in plasma, and then vitamin C should be increased to support immune function. Vitamin C also participates in the formation of the body's own collagen, which is essential, among other things, for joint wellbeing.

Various wellbeing benefits from polyphenols

Several biologically active and beneficial properties have been identified in polyphenols, such as antioxidant, anti-allergenic, anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-proliferative, anti-mutagenic, and anti-carcinogenic effects. Polyphenols are therefore believed, among other things, to prevent inflammation and bacterial growth. They may also activate the body's own antioxidant enzymes. For example, birch leaves can reduce inflammation, and lingonberry and cranberry appear to support urinary tract wellbeing. A study has been conducted on curcumin from brightly coloured turmeric, showing various benefits such as joint health and immune support.

Ageing dogs

Studies conducted in animals suggest that polyphenols such as curcumin may help combat inflammation and the natural ageing process.

As an animal ages, low-grade inflammation becomes more common in the body, which contributes to the development of chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis. Many experts believe that adding polyphenols to the diet could improve overall wellbeing and reduce inflammatory conditions. Adding polyphenols for older animals could potentially reduce the need for anti-inflammatory pain medication and thus reduce the risk of medication side effects such as diarrhoea, kidney disease, and gastric ulcers.

Gut microbes

Recent studies have shown that polyphenols, in addition to fibres, may have effects on the wellbeing and composition of gut microbes. Polyphenols enter the body via fibres, and there is a suspicion that part of the health benefits of fibre may in fact be based on polyphenols. The effects of polyphenols on the gut have, however, been studied considerably less than fibres themselves, and therefore their effects are not yet known as precisely. Most likely, fibres and polyphenols have synergistic benefits—meaning that together they are more than separately.

Carbohydrate metabolism and blood sugar

Some of the metabolic products of polyphenols are absorbed in the colon, and therefore polyphenols are considered to possibly have an effect also on carbohydrate metabolism and insulin resistance. Altered breakdown and absorption of carbohydrates are the most important factors behind excessively high blood sugar, i.e., hyperglycaemia. Recently, research has begun into the role of polyphenols in the treatment of high blood sugar, because they have no side effects and are effective and safe. Promising studies have been conducted in animals and in clinical studies in humans. Long-term studies do not yet exist. It has been estimated that the blood-sugar-lowering effect of polyphenols is due to reduced carbohydrate absorption and increased insulin secretion, as well as polyphenols' inflammation-reducing and antioxidant effects. According to some studies, polyphenols also inhibit the growth of fat cells. This is worth considering, for example, in the management and nutrition of dogs suffering from metabolic issues and Cushing's disease.

Dietary variety also ensures polyphenols

Polyphenols are absorbed differently in different animals. Some polyphenols are absorbed as such, while others are absorbed via gut bacteria. The bloodstream and tissues often receive different compounds than what the animal originally ate in its diet.

Among berries, blackcurrant is number one in nutritional value. It contains more vitamin C than strawberry, raspberry, redcurrant, blueberry, and lingonberry combined. In fibre and anthocyanins, it ranks second only to blueberry. Vegetables and fruits of different colours (beetroot, carrot, apple), berries (blackcurrant, sea buckthorn, cranberry, rosehip), seeds (chia, hemp, pumpkin, fenugreek), and other plant parts (dandelion leaf, blackcurrant leaf, yarrow, calendula, spirulina) diversify polyphenols broadly in a dog's diet as well.

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