Whether it's food for humans or dogs, ingredient lists can sometimes be complex and seem unnecessarily long. Alvar Pet's core philosophy in product development is need-based — we don’t want to put anything unnecessary into our kibbles.
In this article, we explain what our ingredients are and why we use them.
🌱 Pea Starch
Starch extracted and dried from peas. The low moisture content of the starch ensures uniform composition and a standardized concentration of nutrients, purity, and hygiene. Naturally gluten-free, it is a tasty, easily digestible carbohydrate source that also helps maintain the kibble's form. It also contains some protein.
🐟 Fish Meal
Fish meal is made by grinding, drying, and heating whole fresh wild-caught fish (like herring and sprat) that don't make it to human food tables. The low moisture content ensures uniform composition and nutrient consistency. Analysis confirms the nutrient content and digestibility of the raw material.
Fish meal is an excellent source of protein and amino acids and also provides essential fatty acids and minerals.
🐠 Salmon Oil
Salmon oil is a valuable source of omega-3 fatty acids. The long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), found in salmon oil are particularly important. These fatty acids are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties and play a crucial role in maintaining the health of the skin, joints, intestines, and brain.
🐔 Chicken
Chicken Meal
This ingredient is made by grinding, drying, and heating the parts of chickens (like organs, bones, and cartilage) that are not suitable for human consumption.
The low moisture content ensures uniform composition, nutrient consistency, and high hygiene standards. The nutrient content, including amino acids and minerals, as well as digestibility, is verified through lab analysis before use. This ensures that the final dry food contains the right balance of nutrients in an easily digestible form.
Chicken meal is an excellent source of protein and essential amino acids and also provides some fats, fat-soluble vitamins, and minerals.
Chicken Fat
This is the fat separated during the production of chicken meal, which adds calories and essential omega-fatty acids to the food. It also improves the taste of the food when added separately to the recipe.
Chicken Broth and Chicken Liver
These ingredients, rich in fats and proteins, add flavor and enhance the palatability of the kibble.
🌾 Oats
Oats are a gentle source of easily digestible carbohydrates and provide fiber, fatty acids, and some protein to the food.
Oats contain soluble fiber, particularly beta-glucan, which is believed to have beneficial effects on gut health, blood sugar regulation, and immune function. The omega-6 fatty acid, linoleic acid, found in oats is an essential fatty acid for dogs.
Rolled Oats
Rolled oats are an easily digestible carbohydrate source with a higher energy, fat, and protein content compared to whole oats. The fiber content is lower in rolled oats, but they still contain beneficial beta-glucan. The higher fat content also increases the omega-6 fatty acid levels.
🌾 Barley
Barley is a slowly digestible carbohydrate source that also provides fiber. The beta-glucan in barley has similar beneficial effects as in oats, including supporting blood sugar regulation and immune health. Barley is a good carbohydrate source for weight management.
🍺 Brewer’s Yeast
A byproduct of the brewing process, dried brewer’s yeast is a natural source of B-vitamins and is rich in choline, which is important for cell membrane integrity and various metabolic processes. Brewer’s yeast is also very palatable. The yeast used in dry food is inactive, so it does not cause fermentation.
🌿 Flaxseed
Flaxseed is an important source of omega-3 fatty acids, especially alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is an essential fatty acid for dogs, meaning it must be obtained through their diet. ALA is converted into longer-chain fatty acids in the body and plays a critical role in skin and brain health. Flaxseed also contains fiber beneficial for the digestive system and some protein.
🥔 Potato Starch
Starch extracted and dried from potatoes. Like pea starch, it has low moisture content, ensuring uniform composition and standardized nutrient concentrations. Naturally gluten-free, hypoallergenic, and a tasty, easily digestible carbohydrate source that helps maintain the kibble’s form.
🦠 Prebiotics
Unlike probiotics, prebiotics are not living bacteria but instead serve as essential nutrients for beneficial gut bacteria.
Prebiotics stimulate a fermentation reaction that produces short-chain fatty acids, which nourish the intestinal lining, promoting gut health.
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)
An indigestible sugar extracted from plant sources, FOS is a prebiotic that supports the development of a balanced gut microbiota.
Beet Pulp
A prebiotic, fermentable fiber derived from sugar beet processing byproducts that supports gut health.
Mannanoligosaccharides (MOS)
A prebiotic extracted from yeast cell walls that supports gut health. MOS has also been shown to support immune function, particularly in the gut.
💦 Rapeseed Oil
Rapeseed oil is an important source of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which are essential for dogs. These fatty acids are necessary for the body to produce longer-chain fatty acids and play various crucial roles in the body.
🦆 Poultry Protein
The poultry protein used in Alvar Pet kibbles includes turkey, duck, and chicken. This ingredient is made by grinding, drying, and heating the inedible parts of poultry (such as organs, bones, and cartilage).
With low moisture content, poultry protein ensures uniform composition and nutrient consistency. Lab analysis ensures that nutrient levels, such as amino acids and minerals, as well as digestibility, are verified.
Poultry protein is an excellent source of protein and essential amino acids. It has a lower mineral content compared to chicken meal, making it a good choice for products where lower mineral levels are desired.
🌱 Soy Protein
Soy protein is obtained from soybeans after removing the husks, oil, and most of the carbohydrates. This process makes soy protein highly digestible and a protein-rich ingredient. Soy protein has a higher total protein content than other commonly used plant protein sources, such as corn, pea, or potato protein. Soy protein also contains all the essential amino acids required by dogs.
