Research Confirms:
Insects are muscle-building

Just like us, our pets have an essential requirement for high-quality protein to be provided in their diet. Protein is considered a macronutrient; a food component required in large amounts in the diet. Protein is a vital dietary component as it provides the building blocks for growth and repair of healthy muscles, tissues, and organs. Hence, getting adequate amounts of high-quality dietary protein is crucial for optimal health and well-being for our pets. Insect protein from the larvae of the Black Soldier Fly (BSFL) contains around 56% crude protein, meaning that BSFL is an incredibly protein-rich pet food ingredient, providing high levels of this muscle-building macronutrient.

Let’s take a deeper look at the importance of dietary proteins. A protein is composed of smaller units known as amino acids. The amounts of these individual amino acids contained within a particular protein are known as the “amino acid profile” of that protein. This amino acid profile helps to classify the protein quality as well as its functionality in relation to muscle and body tissue growth and development. Our pets require certain levels of particular amino acids, known as essential amino acids, which must be provided through their diet as the body cannot synthesise them from other molecules. BSFL protein is rich in essential amino acids, and the Petgood diets have complete and balanced amino acid profiles providing the essential amino acids required for building and maintaining strong and healthy muscles. Research has repeatedly demonstrated the rich amino acid profile of BSFL makes this ingredient particularly suitable for use in pet feeds (McCusker et al 2014; Bosch et al 2014; Do et al 2020; Do, 2021; Sutton and Costa, 2023).

But the protein story does not end here! The next critical step in providing a high-quality dietary protein is ensuring the vital macronutrient protein can be digested and absorbed by the stomach and intestines of the pet. Digestibility is a measure of how much of a dietary nutrient the animal can absorb. The higher the digestibility, the more of the protein the animal’s body can absorb. In the case of protein digestibility, “good” digestibility is over 80%. The digestibility of BSFL protein has been demonstrated to be high, ranging from 85-90% (Bosch et al 2024). The rich amino acid profile + the high digestibility of BSFL protein mean that the Petgood diets deliver a premium, muscle-building source of protein for your pets.