# Opinions on legumes in grain free diets



## bobulldog8 (Nov 14, 2012)

What is everyone's feeling on legumes? It seems like a bunch of the companies, like orijen and zignature, are going to them instead of sweet potatoes and white potatoes in grain-free kibble diets. Someone told me that foods with a lot of legumes can cause a loose stool and diarrhea and that companies are using them to pump the protein up so that it appears that the diet has more meat than it actually has. Anyone know if this true?


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## InkedMarie (Sep 9, 2011)

I don't have an opinion on them in dog good but I do wonder if there's going to be a whole bunch of dogs having allergic reactions to them.


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## FarminaND (May 23, 2013)

bobulldog8 said:


> What is everyone's feeling on legumes? It seems like a bunch of the companies, like orijen and zignature, are going to them instead of sweet potatoes and white potatoes in grain-free kibble diets. Someone told me that foods with a lot of legumes can cause a loose stool and diarrhea and that companies are using them to pump the protein up so that it appears that the diet has more meat than it actually has. Anyone know if this true?


This is true and there are some companies that actually take it to another level by using concentrated legume protein better known as "pea protein" on the bags. Concentrated legume protein like 'pea protein' can have over 5 times the protein per gram as the pea itself.

Foods with high legume content like various type of lentils and chickpeas also have higher fiber which can lead to gas, loose stools and food that transits too quickly.

In grain-free foods we believe simple white potato is best and for foods with grains we prefer spelt and oats.


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## bobulldog8 (Nov 14, 2012)

FarminaND said:


> This is true and there are some companies that actually take it to another level by using concentrated legume protein better known as "pea protein" on the bags. Concentrated legume protein like 'pea protein' can have over 5 times the protein per gram as the pea itself.
> 
> Foods with high legume content like various type of lentils and chickpeas also have higher fiber which can lead to gas, loose stools and food that transits too quickly.
> 
> In grain-free foods we believe simple white potato is best and for foods with grains we prefer spelt and oats.


why white potatoes over sweet potatoes? I have always heard sweet potatoes are much better.


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## FarminaND (May 23, 2013)

bobulldog8 said:


> why white potatoes over sweet potatoes? I have always heard sweet potatoes are much better.


Because when part of food with other ingredients it is easier to balance things like fiber, oxalates, certain vitamins and you look for a more neutral source of carbohydrate. Sweet potatoes have good points but so do white potatoes. 

Compared on their own, sweet potatoes are "better" but when making a dry food with other components there are other considerations like balance, color, changes to palatibilty, etc.

There is quite a bit of discussion about glycemic response but again white potato is just one part of a diet with 37% protein and 18% fat, so it has very little impact on this. If you ate just a plain baked potato for dinner it would have a much different glycemic response than that same baked potato eaten with chicken, a green vegetable, a glass of milk and a salad.


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## Georgiapeach (Jan 24, 2011)

My late boxer couldn't eat a kibble with peas in it. Yup - he had terribly loose stools when fed such a kibble, along with lots of poos during the day. On the other hand, I have another dog with terrible allergies who can't tolerate potatoes, white or sweet, nor any grains, and can only eat grain/potato free kibbles (never mind several other things she can't tolerate - lol!), and her poos are fine. Thank goodness there's a choice!


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## Shamrockmommy (Sep 10, 2009)

Acana used to be made with potato before they "improved" it with legumes. My dogs were horribly constipated and itchy after that I stopped feeding it. Such a shame because it really was the best food my dogs were on.


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## bett (Mar 15, 2012)

so far the peas haven't presented a problem with my dogs that eat kibble. 
i even add peas to rex's home cooked, as part of his veggie package, sometimes.i try and use organic sweet potatoes and organic kale, spinach , and his medley of other veggies. so far, no issues, knock on wood.


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