# What's worse for dogs: salt or sugar?



## counter (Feb 20, 2009)

I know I've read that both are bad. Are they equally bad? Is one worse than the other? If so, which one? I'm going to add beef broth to the dog's diet, and I need to figure out which one is the best of the three. Here's the breakdown:

1. Natural Beef Broth: 570mg sodium (24% daily value) from sea salt, no sugar added.

2. Organic Beef Broth: 570mg sodium (24% daily value) from sea salt, plus cane sugar added (1g per serving, 4 servings per container).

3. Organic Low Sodium Beef Broth: 140mg sodium (6%) from sea salt, plus cane sugar added (1g per serving, 4 servings per container).

Which one would be the best for a dog? I prefer organic, but both have salt and sugar. So weird. Thanks in advance!


----------



## Pax8 (Apr 8, 2014)

Too much of either is bad in my experience. I would go with the organic low sodium. I try to keep the extra salt to a minimum in my dog' diet, though some extra is normally unavoidable whether it be through food add ons like broth or something like a treat.


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

you may not want the onion powder or caramel colour of option two.
caramel colour possible link to cancer risk (also in option 3) Caramel Coloring in Soda | Artificial Food Coloring | 4-MeI - Consumer Reports

Caramel coloring chemical linked to cancer found in sodas - CBS News

surprised to find caramel colour in dog food? Hill's Ideal Balance Canned Dog Food | Review and Rating

first is best option that -- better yet make your own broth .


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I was going to say ... making broth is easy if you have a crock pot and some time........


----------



## counter (Feb 20, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. I did buy option 1 to start with, but wanted to see if option 2 or 3 might be better. 

As for making it myself...I wouldn't even know where to start. I've been a vegetarian/vegan since 1995; my wife has been since 1988. Funny that our house is full of meat for the pups (we have a separate small fridge for thawing and a full size stand-up freezer just for the meat), but none of the humans eat it. My wife wouldn't stand for the smell of meat broth being made in her kitchen. Ha! So that option is out. Sorry, and thanks again for the help!


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

the benefit of the broth would be the gelly , gelatin and flavour as an appetite initiator .

I like Pacific products , especially their roasted red pepper and tomato soup which was introduced to me by a fellow GSD lover who said it was addictive. Sadly he was right . 
You can get natural , no salt, no nothing extra , straight beef and chicken stock in convenient , easy to store POWDER from Beef Stock Powder | Specialty Seasonings | Spices Etc. -- not the soup base , the meat stock.

I have a chef friend who sends me "care" packages.

how to make gelatin rich broth -- go to butcher , get chicken necks, chicken backs, turkey necks put into large stock pot add water bring to boil , reduce heat and simmer till you have a concentrated broth. Remove bones - put broth into jars and let set . After this you can scoop the gelatine and put into freezer bags so that you have your fridge space back again --- or keep in fridge and spoon out for dog's top dressing of food.
Very nourishing.

This is going to be difficult for a vegan or vegetarian but one of the best sources for gelatine is cows foot , a Caribbean favourite for soups .

see if this helps http://www.traditional-foods.com/bone-broth/


----------



## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

I like the Imagine brand, their low sodium chicken broth is 115mg sodium per serving, they also have beef and it is organic. Its nice to hear that even though you are vegetarians, you let your dogs eat meat products. My sister's college roommate was vegetarian and never gave her dog a fresh meat product, he was a big breed too, a Newfoundland.


----------

