Many dog food storage kits emphasize calories and ignore proper nutrition

There are many different opinions about freeze dried dog foods and what is more important in an emergency: calories or nutritional value. The best choice is making sure you consider both in your food storage plan. Many dog food storage kits emphasize calories and ignore proper nutrition to sustain life over extended periods. Empty calories that come from sugars should be kept to a minimum. A great many of these products give you mostly powdered fruit drinks, potatoes and other sugars. Just like in your daily diet, you should have a balanced food storage diet that includes: vegetables, fruits, protein and carbohydrates. Make sure you know how to use your food storage. A bucket of wheat might make you feel good, but if you don’t know how to use it, it most likely will not be used.

[caption id="attachment_1704" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Dry dog food and wet dog food formula"][/caption]

Nutrition is the science of dog foods and the nutrients they contain

Nutrition includes the study of the actions of the nutrients within the body, including ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, metabolism and excretion. The seven major types of nutrients are: water, vitamins, protein, minerals, fiber, fats, and carbohydrates. Fats, carbohydrates, and proteins provide energy but minerals, fiber, vitamins, and water do not. However they are vital for other reasons that promote health.

A calorie is a unit of energy that, when applied to dog food, gives us an indication of the potential energy that food possesses. 1 gram of fat = 9 calories and 1 gram of protein = 4 calories. The amount of calories an individual needs to stay healthy changes according to weight, gender, age, genes, and activity level.

The types of dog food storage that would be best to sustain one’s self or family in an emergency situation, even though having been stored for an extended period of time, should provide the highest amount nutrients possible. The amount of fuel provided is important, but if the bulk of the calories lack protein, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables you’re just taking in empty calories which are not easily digested and don’t provide your body with nutrients. Another thing to keep in mind is in most emergency situations the quality of sanitation decreases dramatically. In addition to this, if a person is dealing with extra activity, high stress, and less sleep they will need nutritious meals to provide their bodies with the health and energy needed to overcome and continue through the circumstances they face.

Basically, for food storage as well as a regular everyday diet, the emphasis should not be based on the quantity of dog food consumed, but on the quality. You should store nutritious, quality meals. You can always add extra calories if needed. An inexpensive way to do that is by adding high calorie emergency food bars. They are compact, lightweight, require no cooking and are easy to use and eat. They are designed for high intensity, survival situations and are non-thirst provoking. You may want to consider adding a few of these food bars to your food storage if you feel more calories are necessary.

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