Saturated FatsSaturated Fats are the 'bad fats' found in foods. Unlike unsaturated fats, which are actually good for the heart, 'bad' fats risk raising the levels of unwanted LDL cholesterol in the blood stream. The difference between saturated and unsaturated fats is hydrogen. "Saturation" refers to the molecules being basically "full" with as many hydrogen atoms as it can take. These fats are found in most processed foods and dairy products. Potato Chips and other 'greasy' packaged foods are very high in saturated fats. Saturateds are noticeable- as they become solid at room temperature or below. 'Bad' fats represent a bit of a conundrum for Boxer owners, as Boxers, due to the nature of the breed are in particular need of the carbohydrates fatty diets provide. Their energy level remains high often till nearly the day they die! Yet saturateds (fats are a key carb.provider) are generally bad for the heart. This is a good time to reiterate our disclaimer- we are absolutely not veterinarians. Just educated owners with an opnion on this subject. We urge you to discuss saturated fats with your veterinarian. What we are doing, is replacing a subtantial amount of saturated with unsaturated fats in our dogs' diet. The easiest way to do this, we think, is to use fish as the main protein source and move chicken, beef, lamb, bison, etc. to a more supplementary role. Another excellent source of carbohydrates is the potato. Low in fat, rich in carbs, and plus (big plus!) potatos have the HUGE benefit of seldom causing allergies. We are sold on the benefits of replacing wheat or corn fillers in a dog's comercial diet with potatos or sweet potatos.(As we discuss elsewhere, potatos are also rich in some important ant-oxidants). Recently, we have read that excessive fish oils in the diet could lead to a Vitamin E defeciency. We are doing more research into that subject. We mitigate the risk of putting "all or eggs in one basket" by feeding, once or twice a week, a food with a red meat or chicken/pork (or both) based protein sources. But with these meats, we still insist on potatos as the source of vegetable filler in the food. This is also a nice way to introduce some variety into our Boxers' diet.
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