Lentils

Lentils are grown for their dry seeds. Cleaning the harvest also produces broken seeds and surplus lots that sell for less than food-grade lentils. Dog food makers use dried seeds whole or mill them before mixing.^3,7

1. 01 // Source Mature lentil pods Growers harvest lentils when the pods turn yellow and the seeds have matured.
2. 02 // Process Threshed and cleaned Seeds are separated from pods, then cleaned to remove plant material and other debris.
3. 03 // Process Sorted Sorting separates whole seeds from broken seeds and screenings, whose contents vary more.
4. 04 // Process Milled if needed Some seeds are ground into flour so they mix evenly with other kibble ingredients.
5. 05 // Output Dried lentils Whole seeds or flour reach the kibble plant, where extrusion cooks them into the finished food.

1. 01

   Replaces grain starch

   Lentil starch cooks during extrusion and contributes energy to kibble. It gives manufacturers a grain-free starch source while also adding protein.^1,6

2. 02

   Raises plant protein

   Dried lentils average about 27% crude protein. That protein contributes to the food's analysis, though lentils are low in methionine and need other protein sources alongside them.^6,7

3. 03

   Uses sorted crop

   Lentil cleaning produces broken seeds and surplus lots that sell for less than food-grade seeds. They offer feed makers another dry crop to buy.⁷

How much A controlled dog study tested a complete extruded diet containing 44.65% green lentils; that trial does not reveal a usual recipe amount.³

1. Critics say

   Lentils raise protein without adding meat

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   Dried lentils average 26.9% crude protein, so adding them raises a recipe's plant protein. They are low in methionine. The protein figure alone does not tell an owner how much meat the food contains.^6,7

2. Brands say

   Lentils give dogs healthier slow-release energy

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   In an 8-dog crossover, peak glucose was 4.4 mmol/L after the lentil diet and 5.0 after rice. An earlier 36-dog trial found a later glucose response with lentils. Neither showed a health benefit for healthy dogs.^1,2

3. Brands say

   Lentils improve a dog's gut health

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   A 10-dog crossover found more fecal fermentation products on a diet containing 44.65% green lentils than on its control. Stool quality remained good, but the study did not show that the change improved health.³

4. Owners say

   Lentils cause heart disease in dogs

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   FDA reports often involve diets with pulses high on the list but cannot identify a cause. In an 8-dog, 28-day trial, early DCM-like changes appeared with a wrinkled pea diet, not the lentil diet. That cannot settle long-term risk.^4,5,8

5. Critics say

   Lentils are just filler

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   Lentils supply starch and protein. In a 36-dog trial, starch digestibility exceeded 98% across diets, including the lentil diet. That diet's total digestibility was lower than the rice and cassava diets, which is a fairer criticism.^1,6