Arrowroot
6 foods contain this ingredient
This is an alphabetical list, not a ranking. Add KL+ to rank foods for your pet in the Food Finder.
About Arrowroot
In pet food, arrowroot is a fine starch milled from the rhizome of the Maranta arundinacea plant and used mainly for its binding and thickening properties.
Arrowroot is a starchy, gluten‑free thickening and binding ingredient used in pet foods and treats to provide easily digestible carbohydrates and improve texture and palatability. It supplies quick energy but offers little protein, fat, or micronutrients, so it’s generally safe for dogs and cats in moderation but should be limited in animals with obesity, diabetes, or other conditions requiring low‑carbohydrate diets.
- Derived from
- Rhizome (underground stem) of Maranta arundinacea
- Primary role
- Starch binder and thickener
Why it's used
Arrowroot's starch granules gel smoothly when heated, so formulators use it to bind kibble, treats, and wet food textures without wheat, corn, or soy. It's often chosen in grain-free or limited-ingredient recipes as an alternative carbohydrate and binding source.
Common concerns
- Grain-free formulation and canine DCM research The FDA investigated a possible link between certain grain-free diets, often high in peas, lentils, other legumes, or potatoes, and non-hereditary dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs; the agency closed public updates without establishing a specific causal ingredient, and arrowroot itself has not been named in that research.
- Low nutrient density As a purified starch, arrowroot contributes carbohydrate energy but negligible protein, fat, vitamins, or minerals, so it functions as a texture and binding agent rather than a nutritional contributor.
- Carbohydrate load in restricted diets Because it is a concentrated starch, arrowroot adds to a food's overall carbohydrate content, which owners managing a pet's weight or blood sugar may want to factor in alongside other carb sources in the formula.
Also relevant
Owners with pets on a low-carbohydrate or veterinarian-prescribed diet plan can ask their vet how a food's total starch content, including arrowroot, fits into that plan.
3 sources cited
- FDA investigated a potential link between certain grain-free diets (commonly containing peas, lentils, other legume seeds, and potatoes) and canine dilated cardiomyopathy, and ended routine public updates without establishing a specific causal ingredient
- Diet-associated DCM research points to pulses (peas, lentils, chickpeas) and potatoes as the ingredients of concern in non-traditional/grain-free diets, with causality still not established as of the article's writing
- Arrowroot starch is derived from the rhizome of Maranta arundinacea and is characterized by high digestibility as a purified starch
Common Questions
What category is Arrowroot?
Arrowroot is categorized as a starch ingredient in the KibbleLab database.
Is Arrowroot part of an allergen group?
No allergen group is linked to Arrowroot in the KibbleLab database.
Which foods contain Arrowroot?
6 foods in the KibbleLab database contain Arrowroot, including Cafe Nara, Caru.
Foods with Arrowroot
Alphabetical by brand. Scores run 0 to 10, higher is better, on published veterinary science.
Find the right food for your pet
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