Nutritional Analysis of TOPs

[Teddscau]

I was interested in figuring out the potential nutrition value of Totally Organic Pellets, so I calculated the nutrition of a 12 oz bag, assuming the following ingredients: Brown rice, millet hulled, barley, alfalfa leaf (the following ingredients comprise no more than 5% of total volume each] sunflower seed hulled, sesame seeds unhulled, quinoa whole, buckwheat hulled, dandelion leaf powder, carrot powder, spinach leaf powder, seaweeds (purple dulse & kelp), rose hips powder, rose hips crushed, orange peel powder, lemon peel powder, rosemary whole leaf, cayenne ground, crushed red chili peppers, and nettle leaf.

I assumed that each of the ingredients which are stated to comprise no more than 5% of total volume each are equal to 5% of the weight each, or 17 grams each (I know this isn't necessarily the case, but we're going to calculate the values for such a bag of pellets). That meant that they account for 289 grams, or 17 grams x 17 ingredients. That means the brown rice, millet, barley, and alfalfa leaf would account for 51 grams. I assumed that the remaining 51 grams were split evenly four ways, or 12.75 grams per remaining ingredient. Just a heads up, I couldn't figure out the nutritional value of alfalfa leaf, and as such, the following values do not reflect the nutrition added by the alfalfa.

Assuming your a parrot is fed nothing but TOPs, here are the following percentages they'll receive daily (excluding the nutritional value of alfalfa and assuming a 5% weight for 17 of the ingredients):

MACRONUTRIENTS
Carbohydrate— 64%
Protein— 128%
Fat— 171%

VITAMINS
Vitamin A— 744%
B6— 108%
B12— 7% (it should be noted that it is debated as to whether or not dulse contains actual B12, so this value might actually be equal to 0%)
Folate— 131%
Niacin— 58%
Pantothenic Acid— 27%
Riboflavin— 53%
Thiamin— 58%
Vitamin C— 21,337%
Vitamin D— 0%
Vitamin E— 65%
Vitamin K— 114,801%
Choline— 84%

MINERALS
Calcium— 97%
Copper— 103%
Iron— 145%
Magnesium— 491%
Manganese— 34%
Phosphorus— 87% (assuming a 2:1 desired ratio of calcium to phosphorus)
Potassium— 443%
Selenium— 94%
Sodium— 185%
Zinc— 61%

 

[chris-md]

You don't clarify of this is a single serving or the whole bag. If single serving, you need to define exactly how much that is.

Additionally, this assumption of equal distribution is leading to some pretty outrageous conclusions, such as vitamin c, vitamin k. The macros seem pretty suspect as well. For something containing lots of grains and seeds those carbs look pretty low, and the carb to protein values appear to be way off. I would double check your assumptions on this one.

Nice attempt!

 

[SailBoat]

Great review!

Ingredients as listed on the packaging are commonly listed by volume with the item of greatest volume listed first and the item of lowest volume listed last. That listing by itself is very telling and will likely have a large enough effect on your percentages to change the values (percentages).

It would be worth trying to reflect those volumes and then run your numbers again. It is not unusual that the first and possible the first several items are commonly referred to as 'Fillers.' And, can make-up as much as and sometimes more than half of the overall volume.

 

[Teddscau]

I calculated it for a diet of a parrot fed solely TOPs. Whether a parrot consumes a total weight of 7g, 23g, or 100g of food per day, if they were fed solely these pellets, 744% of their daily requirement of vitamin A, for example, would be met. Well, there is slight variances in the nutritional requirements for different species and individuals, not to mention the different requirements while molting, etc.

I will tell you, however, that regardless of the distribution, the amounts of vitamins C and K are always extremely high because parrots need such a small amount of those two vitamins. As for carb to protein values, those are typically out of whack for any variety of diet. I assumed that, ideally, 85% of the weight would be carbs (or 289g), and protein of 10% (or 34g). However, they weren't.

For example, iceberg lettuce, one of the most nutrient poor foods out there, 7 grams of it contains 0.20mg of vitamin C, or 285% of the daily requirement of vitamin C for a single budgie, given a recommendation of 10mg of vitamin C per 1kg of dry food (pellets). 7g of iceberg is equal to 1.71mcg of vitamin K, or 3,053% of the daily requirement of vitamin K for a single budgie. The recommended dosing is 8 mcg/kg of dry feed.

As you said, SailBoat, it'd be interesting to see what the values would be like if I reflected the relative amount of each ingredient based on the order they're listed in. I think that'd definitely be a project for another day, though .

Okay, so the entire bag is, in terms of weight (i.e., grams), is ~13% protein, ~9% fat, and ~54% carbs.

 

[Flboy]

One point, my baby loves tops!

 

[SailBoat]

I calculated it for a diet of a parrot fed solely TOPs. Whether a parrot consumes a total weight of 7g, 23g, or 100g of food per day, if they were fed solely these pellets, 744% of their daily requirement of vitamin A, for example, would be met. Well, there is slight variances in the nutritional requirements for different species and individuals, not to mention the different requirements while molting, etc.

I will tell you, however, that regardless of the distribution, the amounts of vitamins C and K are always extremely high because parrots need such a small amount of those two vitamins. As for carb to protein values, those are typically out of whack for any variety of diet. I assumed that, ideally, 85% of the weight would be carbs (or 289g), and protein of 10% (or 34g). However, they weren't.

For example, iceberg lettuce, one of the most nutrient poor foods out there, 7 grams of it contains 0.20mg of vitamin C, or 285% of the daily requirement of vitamin C for a single budgie, given a recommendation of 10mg of vitamin C per 1kg of dry food (pellets). 7g of iceberg is equal to 1.71mcg of vitamin K, or 3,053% of the daily requirement of vitamin K for a single budgie. The recommended dosing is 8 mcg/kg of dry feed.

As you said, SailBoat, it'd be interesting to see what the values would be like if I reflected the relative amount of each ingredient based on the order they're listed in. I think that'd definitely be a project for another day, though .

Okay, so the entire bag is, in terms of weight (i.e., grams), is ~13% protein, ~9% fat, and ~54% carbs.

Please Understand that I Great Enjoy this Type of Thread. A Thread that forces one to think in place of simply taking things at face valve. Looking a bit deeper is something that I enjoy.

However as a Thread, Great Care needs to be taken when undertaking and then providing a 'Nutritional Analysis' of a specific Product Brand. In this case, without the underlining details of that product's specific ingredient quality and percentages, as the Reader could be miss-lead in many unintended ways.

IMOB, I know that yourself and the other (including myself) Posters, to this Thread mean /meant no harm or disrespect of TOPs. A quality product known and used by many of the members of the Parrot Forum.


DISCLAIMER: The Analysis provided is not based on factual and/or specific manufacturers' stated ingredient quality and/or volume of each of the ingredients, which if it was, would greatly change the percentages and likely present a far more balanced diet. If you are currently using or considering using TOPs, PLEASE continue its use!

 

[Anansi]

Any members or guests reading this thread should keep in mind that the purpose of this thread, as more or less stated by the OP, is that of a speculative analysis and not representative of the position of Parrot Forums on the matter.

That said, like Steven (SailBoat) I both enjoy and greatly appreciate threads in which such care and effort is put into a topic for the purposes of furthering our knowledge. The OP's initial post, as well as Chris and Steven's follow up reviews of that analysis, I've found very interesting.

 

[Teddscau]

What I posted is by no means the true nutritional value of this product. This is just a hypothetical analysis based on "unlikely" assumptions. I tried to convey this fact with my original post, but I often have trouble conveying my thoughts in writing. I was interested in seeing what sort of nutrition a parrot would be getting from these pellets, given the assumptions accepted as being true (which they definitely aren't) in calculating the nutrition.

If this were the actual distribution of nutrition and all that, I would give this product an A+. I know many of you aren't likely to be impressed with the amount of B-complex vitamins or manganese in this hypothetical analysis, but from the hours of mucking around in my nutrition app I set for parrot nutrition, these values are impressive. The B-complex vitamins are a nightmare when trying to make sure your parrot is getting enough in their diet, especially pantothenic acid.

Plus, you have to remember that there is debate as to the required nutrition of parrots. When setting up my nutrition app for parrots, I examined three separate studies into parrot nutrition. Based on those three and their intentions and birds studied in each, I came up with a tentative requirement for each nutrient. For example, if we input for the minimum requirement of pantothenic acid (0.012mg/gram), then this hypothetical distribution of ingredients gives us 91% (3.72mg of pantothenic acid in 340g of feed) of the minimum requirement of pantothenic acid. Now remember, if a budgie, for example, were to eat nothing but this hypothetical pellet composition, they'd still be getting 91% of their minimum pantothenic acid requirement (0.077mg of pantothenic acid in 7g of feed).

 

[Teddscau]

Oh, I forgot to mention that parrots actually produce their own vitamin C, so unless there's something wrong with them, they don't really need any vitamin C in what they eat.

 

[plumsmum2005]

What I posted is by no means the true nutritional value of this product. This is just a hypothetical analysis based on "unlikely" assumptions. I tried to convey this fact with my original post, but I often have trouble conveying my thoughts in writing. I was interested in seeing what sort of nutrition a parrot would be getting from these pellets, given the assumptions accepted as being true (which they definitely aren't) in calculating the nutrition.

If this were the actual distribution of nutrition and all that, I would give this product an A+. I know many of you aren't likely to be impressed with the amount of B-complex vitamins or manganese in this hypothetical analysis, but from the hours of mucking around in my nutrition app I set for parrot nutrition, these values are impressive. The B-complex vitamins are a nightmare when trying to make sure your parrot is getting enough in their diet, especially pantothenic acid.

Plus, you have to remember that there is debate as to the required nutrition of parrots. When setting up my nutrition app for parrots, I examined three separate studies into parrot nutrition. Based on those three and their intentions and birds studied in each, I came up with a tentative requirement for each nutrient. For example, if we input for the minimum requirement of pantothenic acid (0.012mg/gram), then this hypothetical distribution of ingredients gives us 91% (3.72mg of pantothenic acid in 340g of feed) of the minimum requirement of pantothenic acid. Now remember, if a budgie, for example, were to eat nothing but this hypothetical pellet composition, they'd still be getting 91% of their minimum pantothenic acid requirement (0.077mg of pantothenic acid in 7g of feed).

Sorry bit off base but dyk that rainwater contains Vit B12 along with the pollution of course

 

[Teddscau]

Yeah, ain't nobody drinking that stuff in this household . We are on well water though, although we only use RO for drinking and cooking. Really, the only natural way for anyone to get B12 in their diet is by ingesting soil. I mean, my dogs can eat dirt if they want to, but my birds aren't allowed, with all those pathogens present in soil (dogs are strong and mighty, while birds have wimpy immune systems).

 

[macawluv]

Yeah, ain't nobody drinking that stuff in this household . We are on well water though, although we only use RO for drinking and cooking. Really, the only natural way for anyone to get B12 in their diet is by ingesting soil. I mean, my dogs can eat dirt if they want to, but my birds aren't allowed, with all those pathogens present in soil (dogs are strong and mighty, while birds have wimpy immune systems).

Many probiotic bacteria make vitamins- Propionibacterium freudenreichii ssp. shermanii is well know to make B12
I LOVE it for other species and humans- but I am unsure about it for birds. While it is not in the probiotic I feed my birds(Equa Holistics avian probiotics) I could bring P. freudenreichii concentrate home from work and feed it. Maybe someday I'll try it but I know the species in that product are geared towards birds so I don't want to alter it.