The Case for Fermented Raw Food

 

We talk a lot about feeding fresh food.

But there’s one version of fresh feeding that deserves a little more attention:

Fermented raw food.

And if you’ve ever looked at the foods from Solutions Pet Products, out of Littleton, Colorado, you’ve probably noticed that fermentation is a big part of what they do.

So why does that matter?

Fermentation Basically Gives Digestion a Head Start

Fermentation begins breaking food down before your dog or cat ever eats it.

Microorganisms and naturally occurring enzymes start transforming parts of the food into smaller, easier-to-use components.

You’ll sometimes hear fermented food described as being partially pre-digested, and that’s a pretty good way to think about it.

Your pet still has to digest the meal, of course, but some of that breakdown process has already started.

That can make nutrients easier for the body to access, absorb, and ultimately use.

Because at the end of the day, nutrition isn’t just about what’s in the food.

It’s about what the animal can actually digest and assimilate from it.

You’re Feeding the Gut Too

Fermentation also introduces another really important piece of the puzzle:

the microbiome.

The digestive tract is home to trillions of microorganisms that play a role in digestion, immune function, stool quality, skin health, and much more.

Fermented foods naturally contain compounds created during fermentation and, depending on the food, beneficial microorganisms as well.

That means you may be getting a combination of:

Probiotics — beneficial microorganisms.

Prebiotics — food for beneficial microorganisms.

Postbiotics — beneficial compounds produced during fermentation.

And enzymes that help break food down.

Instead of just feeding the dog or cat, you’re also helping support the little ecosystem living inside their digestive tract.

And that ecosystem matters.

A lot.

Wild Animals Have Been Eating “Fermented” Food Forever

There’s also an interesting connection to the way wild canids eat.

Wolves and coyotes will often cache food by hiding or burying portions of a kill and returning to it later.

For a long time, people assumed they were simply hiding it from other predators.

But think about what happens to that food while it sits.

It’s exposed to soil, moisture, microorganisms, temperature changes, and time.

It changes.

It ages.

Microbial activity begins.

In other words, nature starts doing what nature does.

Now, we can’t say that a wolf is consciously thinking:

“I better bury this elk so it ferments properly.”

But we can say that wild carnivores have been eating aged, microbially active food for a very, very long time.

Perfectly sterile food is a pretty modern idea.

Nature isn’t sterile.

Why We Like Solutions Pet Products

This is one of the reasons we carry Solutions Pet Products here at Fangs & Fur.

Solutions takes raw feeding a step further by incorporating fermented ingredients throughout many of their recipes.

Depending on the formula, you’ll see things like:

fermented eggs, fermented vegetables, fermented cod liver, raw or cultured milks, sprouted seeds, herbs, organs, bone, connective tissue, and pasture-raised meats.

It’s not just ground meat with a vitamin packet added to it.

It’s a whole-food approach built around the idea that food should be biologically active, nutrient-dense, and recognizable by the body.

And we really like that philosophy.

It’s Not Just About What Goes Into the Bowl

This is probably the biggest takeaway.

A food can look great on paper.

It can have protein.

Fat.

Vitamins.

Minerals.

Perfect percentages.

But none of that matters if the animal can’t efficiently break those nutrients down and use them.

That’s why we spend so much time talking about digestibility, gut health, and nutrient absorption.

Fermentation is another tool that can help us get there.

It starts breaking food down before the meal is eaten.

It creates beneficial fermentation compounds.

It supports the microbial side of digestion.

And it gives us a way to feed food that feels a whole lot closer to biology than manufacturing.

That’s the case for fermented raw.

And it’s one of the reasons Solutions Pet Products has earned a permanent place in our freezers at Fangs & Fur.

If you’re curious about Solutions or want to know whether fermented raw might be a good fit for your dog or cat, stop in and talk with us.

We’ll help you figure out where to start.

Feed fresh. Feed intentionally. Feed the animal in front of you.