Why is beet pulp regarded as a controversial ingredient in commercial dog food?

While there are many reported benefits to using beet pulp in animal foods, there is also some controversy concerning its use.

Beet pulp is the isolated fibrous material from sugar beets. It has long been a popular feed additive for horses and other livestock, but more recently, has also been added to many dog and cat foods. It is a very gentle, beneficial source of fiber that has specific properties that make it suitable as a source of nutrition for the beneficial bacteria that reside in the intestinal tract.

Beet pulp is an excellent source of fiber that adds bulk to the dog’s stool. Beet pulp is also a good source of energy that promotes colon health, adding bulk to the dog’s stool, promoting colon health and being a great source of energy.

The sugar is almost completely removed, so what is left in the pulp is only a fraction of the amount of sugar that you would find in a serving of carrots of equal size. It is also colorless and does not turn a dog’s coat turn red, like urban legends claim.

Some people feel that beet pulp is unnatural. This may be due to the fact that beet pulp, like soybeans, are used as fillers and are a low-cost source of protein. Both contain saponins, harmful substances that can be found in a lot of plant matter. When you think of it, however, processing also isn’t natural so, like anything, the key lies in moderation. Beet pulp is included in very minimal amounts in dog food.
Here has been some research pointing to problems such as stomach swelling, villi plugging and lack of palatability. However, the studies refer to the feeding of beet pulp to horses so we can assume it’s related to the large quantities that were fed. However, the amount of beet pulp fed to horses when the studies were conducted was much higher than ever would be fed to a dog.