Dried Rosemary

Rosemary is grown as a culinary herb. Its leaves are separated, dried and sometimes ground so food makers can add them to a recipe. The dried leaf retains plant material that a concentrated extract does not.^1,3

1. 01 // Source Rosemary leaves Leaves are harvested from rosemary plants grown for use as an herb.
2. 02 // Process Cleaned In the dog study, harvested leaves were washed to remove soil before drying.
3. 03 // Process Dried and ground The study dried the leaves completely and ground them into a fine powder.
4. 04 // Output Dried rosemary The dry leaf or powder is added to food; the dog trial applied it during kibble coating.

1. 01

   Adds herbal aroma

   The dried leaf brings rosemary's smell and taste to kibble. That does not mean dogs prefer it: the rosemary group in one feeding trial refused more food than controls.¹

2. 02

   Supplies antioxidant compounds

   Rosemary leaves contain compounds associated with antioxidant activity. Preservation studies chiefly assess concentrated extracts, so a dried leaf listing alone does not show that the finished kibble stays fresh longer.^2,4

3. 03

   Uses little recipe space

   A dog trial applied leaf powder at 0.05% of the food. That uses little raw material per batch, though the study did not report a commercial ingredient cost.¹

How much One dog trial applied dried rosemary leaf powder at 0.05% of the diet during kibble coating and fed it for 8 weeks.¹

1. Brands say

   Rosemary antioxidants protect a dog's health

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   In one 8 week study of 45 young Rottweilers, the rosemary group had higher measured antioxidant activity and lower markers of oxidation. Blood markers do not show that rosemary prevents disease or improves lasting health.¹

2. Brands say

   Rosemary lowers a dog's blood sugar

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   In the same trial, dogs fed 0.05% rosemary leaf powder had about 14% lower blood glucose than controls. The dogs were not diabetic, and the study did not test rosemary as a diabetes treatment.¹

3. Brands say

   Dried rosemary keeps kibble fats fresh

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   The kibble preservation evidence tests extracts rather than dried leaf. In one storage study, a 200 ppm blend of rosemary extract and tocopherols did not consistently delay oxidation across fat sources. The dried leaf remains untested for that job.^2,4

4. Brands say

   Rosemary makes kibble taste better

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   The leaf has an aroma, but better acceptance has no support here. In the 45 dog trial, the rosemary group refused more food than controls. One recipe cannot predict every dog's preference.¹

5. Owners say

   Rosemary in dog food triggers seizures

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   ASPCA lists the rosemary plant as non-toxic to dogs, and the cited dog feeding study reports no seizure link. Risks from concentrated essential oils cannot be used as evidence that dried leaf in kibble triggers seizures.^1,5,6