What Is Coconut Glycerin Doing in Your Dog’s Treats?
Why Whole Foods and Herbs — Like Pumpkin, Quinoa & Dandelion Root — Are the Smarter Choice
Take a stroll down any pet store aisle and you’ll find rows of shiny, chewy “moist” dog treats that all look suspiciously the same. Flip one over and you’ll probably see coconut glycerin listed near the top of the ingredients.
It sounds natural — after all, it comes from coconuts — but have you ever wondered what it actually is and why it’s in almost everything?
What Exactly Is Coconut Glycerin?
Coconut glycerin (also called glycerol) is a sugar alcohol made during the industrial processing of coconut oil — often as a byproduct of soap or biodiesel manufacturing.
In pet treats, it’s used as a humectant, meaning it traps moisture to keep chews soft, sticky, and shelf-stable for months (or even years).
That might sound convenient for brands and retailers—but it doesn’t mean it’s healthy for your dog.
Why It’s Everywhere
Glycerin makes mass-produced treats:
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Soft and chewy, even when there’s barely any meat or real food
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Shelf-stable, so they can sit for years without changing texture
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Sweet-tasting, since dogs (like us) can taste sweetness
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Cheap to produce, making it a go-to filler in “natural” or “grain-free” snacks
⚠️ The Hidden Catch
Coconut glycerin isn’t toxic—but it’s not real food. It’s a highly processed filler your dog’s body doesn’t recognize as nourishment.
Some holistic vets and pet nutritionists have raised concerns that it may:
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Disrupt digestion in sensitive dogs
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Contribute to elevated liver enzymes over time
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Spike blood sugar in certain pets
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Replace genuine nutrition with empty bulk
And here’s the part most people don’t realize: there’s no upper limit on how much glycerin a company can add. Some treats contain up to 20% by weight. That’s a fifth of the bag—gone to filler.
Why I Chose Whole Foods & Herbs Instead
When I started creating Tobey Crafted, I wanted treats my allergic dog could actually thrive on — not just tolerate. That’s why I built my recipes around real, functional foods instead of industrial additives.
Every Crunch n’ Care™ tile is hand-made from ingredients your dog’s body understands and benefits from:
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Quinoa + Oat Fiber → Gentle complex carbs that support digestion and steady energy
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Pumpkin Seed Meal → Natural fiber for healthy stools and a happy gut
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Collagen + Gelatin → For joints, skin, and coat health — without greasy residues
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Konjac Root + Dandelion Root → Herbal support for liver, kidney, and detox pathways
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Chamomile, Lemon Balm, or Ginger → Flavor from real plants that calm or aid digestion
No humectants. No “natural flavoring.” No starch, flour, or syrup.
Just herbal-infused, gently baked nutrition designed for sensitive dogs like mine — and made the old-fashioned way, by hand.
💬 Final Thoughts
Soft, shiny treats might look appealing on a store shelf, but the truth is: they stay that way because they’re preserved with chemistry, not care.
Whole-food, herb-based snacks may crunch instead of bend — but that’s the sound of something real.
If you’ve ever wondered whether coconut glycerin belongs in your dog’s treats, here’s the short answer: it doesn’t.
Their body deserves food, not filler.