A vet nutritionist argues that carbohydrates in pet food are not “fillers” and are often misunderstood. She says dogs and cats can digest and use carbs, that fiber has real gut benefits, and that concerns like rice arsenic, corn, or processing are usually overblown when ingredients are sourced and manufactured properly.
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This transcript is a two-person interview centered on carbohydrates in pet food, especially rebutting the common claim that carbs are harmful “fillers.” The host opens by saying this follow-up to a prior protein discussion is meant to address carb fear, misinformation, and the anxiety it creates among pet owners. Dr. Lindsey Bolen responds by framing carbohydrates as a broad class that includes grains, starches, fruits, vegetables, and fibers, and emphasizes that the word “filler” is usually a marketing term rather than a nutritional one. Her core thesis is that carbohydrates can absolutely serve useful nutritional functions in dogs and cats. She argues that pets need glucose, that the body can make it via gluconeogenesis but doing so is metabolically expensive, and that carbs can provide an easier source of glucose. …
Near term, the setup is a rebuttal to anti-carb pet-food content: the tactical risk is misinformation spreading faster than nuance. The immediate watchpoint is whether the follow-up part deepens the science or turns into more branding and audience coaching.
Over the next few weeks, the likely path is continued debate over carbs, rice, and “fillers,” but the transcript’s base case is that balanced formulations and contaminant testing will look more important than ingredient fear. The view would weaken if credible evidence emerged that common carb sources are causing systemic quality issues in commercial diets.
Structurally, this is a thesis that pet nutrition is about nutrient adequacy, processing, and manufacturing control, not ingredient demonization. Over time, the more durable market regime would favor transparent formulation and science-led guidance over simplistic label narratives.
Carbohydrates in pet food are not automatically fillers; many have nutritive and functional value.
The guest defines filler narrowly and argues most carb ingredients provide nutrients or functions.
Dogs and cats can digest and use carbohydrates, including glucose from starches, when ingredients are processed correctly.
She explains amylases, glucose transporters, and the need for mechanical grinding and cooking.
Fiber from ingredients like corn can support colon health by feeding beneficial bacteria and colon cells.
She ties fiber to microbiome support and colonocyte health.
When you hear claims that carbs are just cheap fillers, what's your response as a board-certified nutritionist?
Dr. Bolen explains that 'filler' is a marketing term, not a nutritional one. A true filler would be something like cardboard or shoe leather that provides no nutrition. Carbohydrates like corn provide fiber, starch for energy, essential fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. When used together with meat, they complement each other.
What is your answer to the claim that rice is full of arsenic, terrible, and animals can't utilize it?
The guest explains that every ingredient gets a bad rap, and that dogs and cats have amylase enzymes designed to break down carbohydrates. Regarding rice specifically, she notes that while rice can absorb arsenic from soil, the amount in commercial pet food is typically negligible and she has never seen arsenic poisoning in thousands of patients over two decades. She recommends mitigating concerns by rinsing/soaking rice, choosing white over brown rice, and selecting jasmine or basmati rice from lower-arsenic regions.
Is AAFCO a bureaucratic organization with intentionally vague definitions?
The guest partially disagrees. She says she doesn't know enough about AAFCO's meetings to call it bureaucratic. She appreciates the model regulations exist — without them, every state would set their own standards, which would be chaos. She thinks the definitions are very clear but very scientific, which makes them hard for pet parents to understand. She also notes that state agriculture agents sometimes reach out to her for pet food expertise because they don't have it themselves.
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