Expected Nutrient Gaps
Certain nutrients will consistently show gaps in whole-food raw recipes. This is not a flaw in the recipe or the system - it reflects the reality of what nutrients are commonly measured and reported in food databases. Understanding which gaps are expected helps distinguish between data limitations and actual nutritional deficiencies.
How It Works
- 1
NRC Requires More Than USDA Measures
NRC 2006 defines requirements for nutrients that aren't routinely analyzed in food databases. Some minerals and vitamins are expensive or difficult to measure.
- 2
Whole Foods Have Limited Nutrient Profiles
A chicken breast might have 30 nutrients measured; NRC tracks 40+ nutrients. The unmeasured 10+ will always show as gaps.
- 3
Supplements Fill Data Gaps
Branded supplements typically have complete labels for the nutrients they contain. Adding a multi-vitamin often resolves many "gaps" that are actually just missing data.
Commonly Expected Gaps
| Nutrient | Why It's Often Missing |
|---|---|
| Iodine | Rarely measured in meat/organs; variable in seafood |
| Vitamin D | Low in most foods; often not analyzed |
| Vitamin E | Multiple forms exist; not all measured |
| Choline | Newer requirement; older datasets lack it |
| Specific Amino Acids | Individual aminos require separate analysis |
| Omega Fatty Acid Breakdown | EPA/DHA often measured; ALA/GLA less common |
Why This Exists
Food databases like USDA FoodData Central are built for human nutrition research and food labeling compliance. They measure what's required for human food labels, not necessarily what's required for canine nutrition. This mismatch is unavoidable when using government food databases for pet nutrition analysis. The alternative - estimating values - would introduce errors that compound across recipes.
Common Misinterpretations
"My recipe is deficient because it shows gaps"
A gap means "not measured in source data," not "not present in food." Beef liver contains iodine even if the USDA entry doesn't list it.
"I need to supplement every gap"
Some gaps are data gaps, not actual deficiencies. Focus on nutrients known to be limiting in raw diets (like iodine and vitamin D) rather than every gap shown.
"Other calculators don't show these gaps"
Other systems may estimate or hide missing data. RawPawIQ shows gaps transparently so you can make informed decisions rather than assuming completeness.