Open FarmKind Earth: Premium Plant-Based Dog Food

A cereal grain used as a slow-digesting carbohydrate. It is high in soluble fiber, especially beta-glucan, and has a lower glycemic effect than rice, which is why it turns up in weight-control and diabetic foods. Pearled barley has had the hull removed, which lowers the fiber somewhat. Barley grass is a different ingredient, a young green shoot used as a vegetable.

A whole grain used as a carbohydrate and fiber source. Oats are well digested, higher in protein than rice, and contain beta-glucan, a soluble fiber linked to steadier blood sugar. They are a common choice in sensitive-stomach and weight-control foods. Oat fiber is the hull, which is mostly insoluble fiber; oat flour and oatmeal are the whole grain milled. Grain allergy is rare in pets.

The dried cells of yeast, often a by-product of brewing. It is rich in B vitamins, protein and minerals, improves flavor, and contains compounds that may support gut bacteria. Despite a persistent myth, there is no evidence it repels fleas. Yeast is an uncommon allergen in pets. Yeast culture is a slightly different product, a fermented feed that supplies similar nutrients.