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The Artemis fresh mix brand is one of the many cat food brands available today. The chicken formula is one of the many under the fresh mix brand. According to the manufacturer, this formula is a robust meal for any cat. It is claimed to contain all the ingredients required for healthy growth in cats.
Does the Artemis fresh mix wet chicken formula live up to its billing, or it is another case of false advertising? Find out below.
Ingredients in Artemis Fresh Mix Wet Chicken Formula
Chicken, Chicken Broth, Salmon, Brewers Dried Yeast, Guar Gum, Taurine, vitamin/mineral premix, Vitamin/Mineral Premix: Vitamins (Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate [Source of Vitamin B1], L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate [Source of Vitamin C], Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Source of Vitamin B6], Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement [Source of Vitamin B2], Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin D2 Supplement), Minerals (Iron Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Selenium Yeast, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide).
An Overview Of The First Five Ingredients
Chicken
Chicken is a very popular ingredient for pet food and in this case, they are referring to whole chicken. This is a very high quality meat source and we are pleased to see it listed. However, whole chicken loses about 80% of its content during the cooking process since the majority of whole chicken is water. After the cooking process is complete, the amount of whole chicken remaining is substantially reduced. Therefor, while whole chicken is a great source of meat protein, this ingredient alone is not enough to provide sufficient levels of meat protein in a cats diet.
Chicken Broth
While chicken broth does not add much nutritional value to the food, it does add flavor and is considered to be a better alternative to water. The main reason for adding this ingredient is simply to add moisture.
Salmon
Salmon is an excellent source of high quality proteins for cats and is extremely rich in healthy Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. Some people worry about mercury levels in fish. It’s true that all fish contains some degree of mercury, the level in salmon is much lower than other types of fish and the FDA doesn’t believe it is cause for concern. Most salmon in cat food is farmed salmon, but higher end cat food (especially those labeled “natural”) can often times be fished from natural lakes and streams. The biggest problem with fish ingredients, including salmon, is if the fish includes an antioxidant called ethoxyquin (EMQ). It is believe that ethoxyquin could be very harmful to cats and other animals. Always make sure you are using “Ethoxyquin free” cat food blends when they include fish ingredients. When in doubt, call the customer service number and ask.
Brewers Dried Yeast
Brewers dried yeast is made from a single-celled fungus, called Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is a very rich source of B vitamins and supplies minerals and amino acids. It is known to support a normal healthy coat. This is also an old remedy for flea and tick protection. This ingredient is generally a by-product of alcohol production and there are no major health risks associated with this ingredient.
Guar Gum
This ingredient is also sometimes called guaran. It is primarily the ground endosperm of guar beans. The guar seeds are dehusked, milled and screened to obtain the guar gum. It is typically produced as a free-flowing, off-white powder. This ingredient is mostly used to thicken the food and give it more texture. It is an FDA-approved, all natural GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) ingredient used by the food and cosmetic industries. It also is used to improve the shelf life of the food and helps lower the glycemic index of food. Many cat food companies claim this ingredient also aids in digestion and weight loss. There is some minor debate about the benefits of this ingredient with some claiming negative impacts, but in general, this is thought to be a relatively non-nutritious yet safe ingredient.
Additional Ingredients Of Interest In Artemis Fresh Mix Wet Chicken Cat Food
Taurine
Taurine is an essential amino acid that is critical for normal heart muscle function, vision, and reproduction in cats. Since cats are unable to create proper levels of taurine in their body naturally, it must be supplemented in their food. That’s why you’ll see this ingredient listed for so many different cat food blends. For cat foods that contain enough high quality animal based proteins, a taurine supplement may not be needed. However, most cat foods will need to add in additional taurine in the form of a supplement to the food. Even when included as a supplement instead, there is very low to almost zero health risk associated with this ingredient. In fact, a lack of taurine can cause a slew of issues, so it’s very important to make sure your cat is receiving enough taurine in his or her diet.
Riboflavin supplement
Riboflavin is found in various foods, including milk and dairy products, fish, meats, green leafy vegetables, and whole grain and enriched cereals and bread. It is a source of Vitamin B2. Due to the cooking process, most cat foods do not include enough vitamins and minerals. In order to meet AFFCO standards, most cat food will contain supplemental vitamins or minerals, such as is the case with this ingredient. We are not aware of any major medical issues related to this ingredient and in fact, a lack of vitamin B can be very serious for your cat.
Selenium yeast
A cats body needs certain elements in very small amounts and these elements are called “trace elements.” Selenium is an example of a trace element. In high doses, selenium can actually be toxic to both humans and cats, but this is also a needed ingredient for good health, so sometimes you will see this ingredient supplemented in cat food.
Folic acid
This is a vitamin of the B complex, found especially in leafy green vegetables, liver, and kidney. It is vital for red blood cells and for many other cells in the body. There are no known issues concerning this ingredient adversely effecting cats.
Can this formula cause allergic reactions?
The Artemis fresh mix wet chicken formula contains brewers dried yeast, which is a known allergen. You should be very wary if you choose to feed your cat on this formula. You might want to seek the opinion of a vet. You should also go through the ingredients list to ensure there are no other ingredients your cat could be allergic to.
Common Allergens Found In Cat Food
Gluten – This ingredient is associated with causing allergies in cats. It is also known to raise sugar levels in cats. Over time, this can lead to diabetes. Gluten refers to the proteins found in wheat endosperm which is a type of tissue produced in seeds that’s ground to make flour. Many pet food manufactures will use this ingredient to help boost the protein percentage of the food.
Animal by products – One of the worst meat ingredients found in pet food today is animal by product. It’s true that this ingredient provides a very high amount of meat protein that cats need to thrive. However, animal by products are considered to be the lowest form of meat and it isn’t even approved for human consumption. Animal by-products are carcasses and parts of carcasses from slaughterhouses, animal shelters, zoos and veterinarians, and products of animal origin not intended for human consumption, including catering waste. Legally, this ingredient can even contain roadkill or euthanized animals. This ingredient may also contain what is called “4D meat” which is what the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) calls cattle that is dead, dying, disabled or diseased. This meat is considered unfit for human consumption, but is typically found in many pet food products. This is not something we recommend you feed your cat or any other pet.
BHT and BHA – Both BHA & BHT are preservatives that have been banned in human foods in many countries due to cancer risks. However, they remain approved for use in pet foods. A growing number of pet owners are becoming aware of the potential dangers these ingredients bring and are shunning all foods containing BHA and BHT. BHA and BHT are extremely controversial ingredients in all forms of pet food.
Artificial coloring – We find it quite irresponsible to include artificial coloring in pet food since the health concerns about these added colors are so controversial. Your cat does not care what color their food is and the only reason artificial coloring is added to this product is for marketing purposes. It makes the food look better to you YOU, the human consumer. Of course, many cat food brands are very defensive about their use of food coloring. Here is an example of how the Purina brand defends their use of fool coloring. Notice how even in their explanation, there is no perceived benefit to these ingredients other than changing the color. There is also a growing amount of evidence to suggest food coloring may be linked to cancer in not just dogs and cats, but also humans. Here is an article that explains a bit further. In short, since there is some controversy surrounding this ingredient, we find it a bit strange that cat food companies would spend money adding this ingredient into a product when at best, it has zero nutritional value for your cat and only has marketing value. At worse, it could pose health risks. It just doesn’t seem like the risk of including this ingredient is worth it.
Fortunately, none of these harmful ingredients are present in the fresh mix chicken formula.
Conclusion
While the Artemis Fresh Mix Chicken formula is a protein rich formula, it contains brewers dried yeast. It is a known allergen and, therefore, negates all the nutritional benefits this formula provides.
