Lentil Fiber
Our ingredient score: 2 / 5 · Processed fiber · How We Score
Lentil fiber is a fiber obtained from the outer hull of lentils. It helps keep stool regular and creates a feeling of fullness. It has almost no nutritional value. No harm is known from it, and what it adds for the cat is limited to fiber.
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Common Questions
Where does lentil fiber come from?
It is obtained from the outer hull of lentils.
Is lentil fiber safe for cats?
Lentil fiber is fiber taken from the outer hull of lentils, a by-product of lentil processing. It adds bulk and can help keep stools regular, with very little other nutrition. The Merck Veterinary Manual states that dogs and cats have no dietary requirement for fiber. For a cat with a digestive or other medical condition, ask your veterinarian about fiber in the diet.
Source: merckvetmanual.com
Why is lentil fiber in cat food?
Lentil fiber is added to firm up stool and help a cat feel full. It shows up mostly in grain-free recipes that already use lentils, since it comes from the same crop. It has very little nutritional value of its own. Its contribution to the food is the fiber it provides, and nothing more.
Is lentil fiber the same as lentils?
No. Whole lentils are mostly starch with a fair amount of protein. Lentil fiber is only the hull fraction, so it is mostly fiber with little starch or protein. A label can list both, and each counts separately in the order by weight. Pettings scores lentils as a legume and lentil fiber as a processed fiber, both at 2 out of 5.
Does lentil fiber count toward crude fiber on the label?
Mostly, yes. The guaranteed analysis shows maximum crude fiber, a lab measure that captures mainly insoluble fiber. Tufts veterinary nutritionists point out that crude fiber does not include soluble fiber and, as a maximum, may be well above the actual amount. Hull fibers like lentil fiber are largely insoluble, so much of it shows up in that number.
Source: sites.tufts.edu
How does Pettings score lentil fiber?
Pettings gives lentil fiber 2 out of 5 and lists it as a processed fiber. It appears on 5 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. Its benefit to the cat is limited to the fiber it provides. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.
How Foods With Lentil Fiber Compare
Lentil Fiber is on the label of 5 of the 149 dry cat foods we list.