Seaweeds have hit the mainstream of American cuisine, moving beyond a tasty wrapping for sushi rolls and entering our diets through seaweed chips, salad dressings, and even as a hot dog topping.

Dieticians tout seaweeds for their protein and fiber content, along with essential nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, iodine, and tyrosine. Seaweeds support gut health, and research points to a possible role in the prevention of heart disease and diabetes.

Seaweeds’ benefits aren’t limited to humans. From years of research into animal diets, it is clear that certain varieties are powerful health boosters for pets.

But not all of the world’s more than 100 seaweed species seaweeds are equal. Many lack enough nutritional research to support health claims, while others have qualities that are not desirable in pet food—such as excessive mineral levels, contamination from pollutants, or low palatability.

Tasco^® is a solution to these concerns. A unique strain of the kelp species Ascophyllum nodosum, Tasco^® has more than two decades of peer-reviewed scientific research behind it, making it the leader in pet-friendly seaweeds.

All natural health booster

Tasco^® grows in the clean, cool waters of Canada’s Bay of Fundy, home to the largest tides on earth. The Ascophyllum nodosum plants live in the tidal zone—which means they spend half the time submerged under water and the other half exposed to the elements. These kelp plants produce numerous protective compounds so they can survive and thrive.

When harvested and added to pet food, Tasco^® passes these protective benefits on to our beloved companion animals. These benefits include:

• improved gut health
• better disease resistance
• healthier skin and coats
• enhanced growth for weaned young pets

From harvesting through packaging and storage, samples are regularly analyzed to ensure Tasco^® is free of hormones, pesticides, insecticides and solvents. It is wild-grown, certified organic, and GMO free—qualities that appeal to a wide spectrum of pet owners and that allow its inclusion in natural and organic pet formulas.

Tasco^® is truly the perfect all-natural addition to any pet food.

Good health starts in the gut

About 70 percent of an animal’s immune system is in the digestive tract, and that’s where the benefits of Tasco^® begin.

Several powerful prebiotics occur naturally in Tasco^®, including several exclusive to marine plants, such as alginate oligosaccharides (AOS), laminarin and fucoidan. Research has verified the beneficial effects of these prebiotics, which work synergistically to boost the balance of helpful bacteria and microbes in the gastrointestinal tract.

Tasco^® also helps animals fight off gastrointestinal infections like Escherichia coli and salmonella. While scientists have not yet identified the exact mechanism behind the reduction in pathogens, one candidate is Tasco^®’s unique combination of tannins and other polyphenols, which are known to have strong antimicrobial properties.

But the advantages of Tasco^® also reach far beyond the gut:

• Its antioxidants clean up cell-damaging free radicals, blocking the havoc they can wreak on the body.
• Animals fed Tasco^® have healthier levels of infection-fighting phagocytes—specialized cells that kill harmful bacteria, viruses and other pathogens.
• Lactating females on a Tasco^®-supplemented diet have higher levels of antibodies in their milk—helping to build the young ones’ immune systems.

Tasco^® benefits all species of companion animals at all life stages and all levels of health, from birth through the senior years.

Choose the Proven Seaweed

Tasco^®’s superior performance is proven through years of research, and only Ascophyllum nodosum that meets the strictest quality and safety standards earn the name Tasco^®. With Tasco^®, you know exactly what you are getting and that it will produce real results that pet owners can observe themselves.

For more information, contact your Trouw sales representative or visit https://www.trouwnutritionusa.com/en/products/catalog/tasco/1563818.