GREEN MEAL

Dogs are omnivores and one of the first things that dogs eat when it kills an animal is the contents of the stomach and intestine of its prey. The Green Meal mimics this food by pulverising vegetables (and fruit) as though chewed by the herbivore, breaking down the structure of the cells and releasing the nutrients for the dog to digest. They also provide all the soluble and insoluble fibre the dog needs in its diet.

Green Meals are a substantial part of the BARF diet and as well as keeping the dogs fit and well, their low calorific value and high fibre content makes them ideal for dogs who need to loose weight.

INGREDIENTS

Either use a liquidiser, mincer, or juice extractor to crush a VARIETY (in small quantities) of any of the following RAW ingredients together -

• A small amount of 1 of the cabbage family (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, spinach) Too much from this group can cause thyroid disfunction.
• Root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, swede etc) but not raw potatoes.
• Mushrooms · Lettuce · Marrow family (courgettes, cucumbers, pumpkin, marrows etc)
• Celery, tomatoes, peas, beans, avocado
• Red or green peppers (de-seeded)
• Orchard fruit (apples, pears, plums, apricots, cherries (de-stoned)
• Exotic fruit (kiwis, oranges, bananas, mango)
• Avoid the onion family (leeks, onions etc) but a little clove of garlic is OK. Garlic is one of the most useful herbs you can feed a dog as a clove or two a day (depending on the dog's size) stabilises blood pressure, gives a good solid boost to the immune system, and keeps infections at bay (particularly those of the upper respiratory tract). Garlic is also useful for deterring fleas. If you do not like the smell of garlic you can give your dog capsules of fermented and aged "kyolic" garlic, which is kinder to the dog's stomach.
• Anything else that is in season, is ripe and needs using up!

THE GREATER THE VARIETY OF VEGETABLES THE BETTER

Visit your local greengrocer and ask for the unwanted scraps of over ripe fruit and vegetables and use these to make up a Green Meal. Do not cook (or peel) any of ingredients beforehand - they will loose their nutritional value. Also use the pulp immediately - it will not store and quickly looses its nutritional value. The mixture can be made even more appetising for the dog by stirring in very small amounts of either grated cheese (or cottage cheese), tinned fish, or raw egg etc.

BENEFITS OF THE GREEN MEAL

• FIBRE has a unique set of health promoting properties - prevents and treats diseases of the digestive tract (eg obesity; most diseases involving the lining of the intestines; diseases involving the failure of food absorbtion including diseases of the pancreas, sugar diabetes and pancreatitis)
• Significant quantities of Omega 3, which promotes healthy skin, growth, reproduction and hinders degeneration.
• Vitamins - A, B2, B3, B5, B6, Biotin, Folacin, C, E, K and Carotenoids (but lacks vitamin B12 which is present in Brewers Yeast).
• Vitamin A is essential for every process in a dog's body.
• Carotenoids are an anti-oxidant that helps prevent and treat cancer and plays a valuable role in female aspects of reproduction.
• Beta Carotene is converted into Vitamin A in a dog's intestine and is then absorbed.
• Vitamin C is an anti-stress, pro immune system vitamin.
• Adding about half a teaspoon of Brewers Yeast (which is rich in vitamin B1, Potassium, Phosphorous, Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium and Iron) to a Green Meal is recommended. Brewers Yeast consists of the dead bodies of yeast organisms from the brewery trade. It has the richest, most concentrated source of nutrients known to man and has high-class protein, is high in carbohydrates while very low in fats.
• It also contains Selenium, which is an anti-oxidant that slows down the aging process and retains a dog's youthful elasticity in its tissues, while also producing antibodies. Selenium (which is destroyed by cooking) is essential for optimal male sexual function in dogs and is also found in celery, onions, radishes, broccoli, cucumbers, garlic, eggs, mushrooms, seafood, liver, meat, kidneys, and whole grain.
• Brewers Yeast also contains a chromium compound called Glucose Tolerance Factor, which is vital in preventing adult onset diabetes and by adding the yeast can reduce the dog's need for insulin.
• Other foods with this compound include chicken, shellfish, meat, mushrooms, whole grain, beer and corn oil. If Brewers Yeast powder is not available, 300mg tablets can be given instead. When given regularly, Brewers Yeast can help prevent dogs eating faeces, as they no longer crave the nutrients.
• Another ingredient that can be added to a Green Meal is Kelp. It is a valuable source for a number of minerals, particularly Iodine, and has 15% Sodium, 13% Potassium and 3% Calcium. Kelp also has trace amounts of Manganese, Magnesium, Copper, Phosphorous, Zinc, Cobalt, Chronium and Molybdenum.
• By adding Vegetable Oil (eg. Safflower, cold pressed linseed or soyabean oil) it provides energy for the dog in the form of essential fatty acids and anti-oxidants.
• Cider vinegar provides acidity and other healthy properties.
• Natural Yogurt is an excellent food for dogs as it contains living cultures (like faeces with living and dead bacteria in it) - these bacteria live in the dog's bowel and keep it healthy. Yogurt contains a high-class protein and is an excellent source of Calcium, Vitamins A & B, and enzymes. It provides energy as carbohydrates, protein and fat but is not a good source of essential fatty acids. You can give a dog yogurt at any time but it is particularly good when a dog has diarrhoea, or to prevent diarrhoea when given antibiotics as it protects the killing effect of normal bowel bacteria.
• Raw egg is one of the cheapest sources of high quality protein and essential fatty acids you can buy. Like Raw Meaty Bones, it is a whole food. Raw eggs contain all the nutrients needed for growth of a new chicken and is unprocessed. It has a full compliment of minerals (with very good levels of Calcium); all the Vitamins apart from Vitamin C; a range of high quality saturated and unsaturated fatty acids; the nutrient Lecithin; a whole range of enzymes; and if its shell is crushed it provides more Calcium. Some people have asked if it is all right to feed dogs egg whites - my answer is that dogs have eaten eggs for thousands of years! However, egg white contains an enzyme inhibitor that can make it difficult to digest for a very young puppy, sick or old dog, or a dog with pancreas problems. - some dogs have allergies to the egg white but apart from these groups whole eggs are an ideal way of adding protein to a meal as they combine so easily with other foods (eg. Green Meal, Milk Meal, or whole by themselves).
• Additional supplements which can be occasionally added to any of the "bowl meals" such as the Green Meal, Starchy Meal etc, are - 410mg Cod liver oil tablet (or liquid); Vitamin C & E tablets (Holland & Barrett sell a combined capsule which has 500mg of Vitamin C & 400IU of Vitamin E)

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