❓Why do we use lentils in Butternut meals?
Lentils are a nutritional powerhouse. We include them as a natural source of protein, folate, and potassium to support heart health. They also provide essential B vitamins that fuel enzyme activity, nervous system health, and immune function. Additionally, the high iron content in lentils ensures healthy red blood cells can efficiently transport oxygen throughout the body.
Lentils are naturally high in fibre and low in starch, helping dogs feel satiated for longer. This makes them particularly effective for weight management in breeds prone to obesity. Additionally, lentils have a low glycemic index (GI), providing a stable carbohydrate source for diabetic dogs by preventing rapid spikes in blood glucose levels.
❓Is it normal to see lentils in my dog's poo?
It's quite normal for some of the lentils, carrots, and peas to come out the other end looking just the same as how they went in! This is often because our furry friends don't chew their food in quite the same way as we humans do, so the initial stage of mechanical digestion is skipped and most of the food is often swallowed whole.
❓Does this mean my dog is not absorbing nutrients?
As dogs have a shorter digestive tract than humans, this means there's less of a journey for the vegetables and so there's less time for it to be broken down in the gut. But don't worry - once in the gut, all the useful vitamins and minerals will still be absorbed. Think of it like a sponge - even after all the water (nutrients) has been squeezed out, the sponge is still the same shape.
The bit left over is the insoluble fibre. This is what helps to provide bulk to your dog's poo and keeps everything moving through their gut. It also provides the colon with lots of friendly bacteria.
So rest assured, these bits aren't just passing through without offering any nutritional value, it's all providing lots of the good stuff. Most pet parents do notice an improvement the longer their dog eats Butternut, as the gut flora begins to adapt.
❓Why are there black dots in my dog's meal, are they supposed to be there?
You might have noticed that sometimes the lentils in our meals can look a little darker - even appearing slightly black through the pouch, and sometimes not. We wanted to reassure you that this is totally safe and just a natural result of how lentils respond to cooking, freezing, and defrosting.
Some examples of how these may appear in the unopened pouch and in your dog's bowl:
Here’s what’s going on behind the scenes:
🫛 1. A Bit of Science: Oxygen and Natural Reactions
Lentils contain natural plant compounds (like antioxidants and enzymes) that can react when they come into contact with oxygen - a bit like how a sliced apple goes brown. Even though our meals are vacuum-sealed to keep things fresh, tiny differences in how much air is left inside each pouch can mean that lentils sometimes change colour more in one meal than another. It’s purely cosmetic, and it doesn’t affect the quality or safety of the food at all.
🧑🍳 2. How Lentils Are Prepped
Before we mix them into our meals, lentils are soaked to help them cook evenly and be gentle on tummies. If they spend a little longer exposed to the air during this step (even just a few minutes more), it can trigger a bit of natural darkening. Think of it like steeping a teabag - the longer it sits, the deeper the colour.
🌱 3. Lectins
You may have heard of lectins, which are naturally occurring proteins found in nearly all plants, including legumes like lentils. While raw or undercooked lentils contain higher lectin levels, proper preparation is key to safety. We use traditional methods, carefully soaking and thoroughly cooking our lentils, to significantly reduce lectin activity. This process ensures the lentils are safe, gentle, and easy for your dog to digest.
❄️ 4. Freezing and Defrosting
All our meals are cooked, sealed, then frozen to lock in goodness. When they’re defrosted at home, different temperatures or defrosting speeds can sometimes highlight the lentils’ colour changes. If defrosted quickly or unevenly (like half in the fridge, half on the countertop), those natural changes can become more noticeable. In short, if you spot some darker lentils, it’s nothing to worry about - just part of how natural ingredients behave. And rest assured, every meal is carefully cooked and frozen to Butternut’s usual high standards.
Any questions? Drop us a line 👉 here