Health Food or Harmful?
Is soy flour for dogs safe to use in homemade dog treats? The answer to that question has become more complicated in the last few years…
Formerly believed to be a health food, mainly because of extensive marketing in the U.S., soy has reared its ugly head in the last few years, in the form of being a GMO, or genetically modified organism.
What does this mean? Monsanto has modified soybean seeds at the genetic level, to make them resistant to the toxic herbicide Roundup.
The plants are sprayed with Roundup while they are growing in the field.
Normally this herbicide would kill the soybean bushes, but these resistant types continue to grow.
And the pesticide, which is a systemic herbicide (goes all through the plant) remains in the soy.
Soybeans also have the highest residue of pesticides of any crop.
Soybeans growing in the field
In addition:
- Soybeans can interfere with the absorption and use of minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc.
- Soy beans or flour can damage or actually destroy the thyroid.
- Eating soy has been linked to seizures in both cats and dogs.
- Soy can trigger allergies in pets.
- Soy has been linked to gas formation and bloat in dogs—especially true if you have a dog whose breed is susceptible to bloat, like the Weimaraner.
Soy in Dog Treats
Once believed to be a wonder food, soy is now on my list for unhealthy ingredients for homemade dog treats. I think that it is too risky to feed your dog soybeans when new evidence is showing that soy is full of chemicals and can play havoc with your dog’s body!
The only soy flour that is safe and healthy for use in dog treats in small amounts is organic soy flour.
What can you do? Simply exchange the soy for another type of flour in your recipes. Use 1 cup of the alternate flour for every cup of soy.
