Thehorse.com - Full Article
By Kristen M. Janicki, MS, PAS
Mar 7, 2016
Although we frequently warn against the consequences of feeding these carbohydrates, horses do need them in their diets.
Owners are more carb-conscious than ever—and with good reason. It’s a fact that carbohydrates, particularly sugar and starch, can exacerbate equine muscle conditions such as polysaccharide storage myopathy, which is commonly known as tying-up. And scientists have linked dietary sugar and starch with colic and the hoof disease laminitis—especially when a horse consumes large quantities in a single meal. Excess carbohydrate intake can lead to other conditions, as well, including obesity and insulin resistance, where cells become resistant to the hormone insulin and require more to signal glucose uptake from the blood after a meal. Some horses even experience a “sugar rush” post-carb consumption that can lead to undesirable behaviors.
Like it or not, horses do need sugar and starch in their diets and cannot thrive without them. How can you make peace with these carbs and find room for them in your horse’s feed bucket? Let’s take a closer look at sugar and starch and uncover how they help keep your horse healthy...
- See more at: http://www.thehorse.com/articles/37223/sugars-and-starches-theyre-not-all-bad?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=nutrition&utm_campaign=03-07-2016#sthash.hkaRKNZX.dpuf
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