Research Objective
To conduct a longer‐term feeding trial (4 weeks) with a cross‐over design to compare the ability of a pea‐based kibble diet versus a rice‐based kibble diet to cause weight loss, improve glucose handling and insulin sensitivity in obese laboratory beagle dogs; to determine the effect on gut microflora, fecal metabolomics and fecal/urinary output with longer‐term feeding of a pea‐based versus a rice‐based diet in obese laboratory beagle.
When dogs were fed a single feeding of just pure carbohydrate, peas had the lowest glycemic index (rank order peas < corn < barley < rice). The single feedings of complex carbohydrates, regardless of which one was fed, had no significant effect on blood pressure, cardiac function or vascular function.