A pet food composition, comprising: protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and at least 6 distinct metabolites including 2 distinct metabolites for modulating each one of cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, and low-density lipoproteins in a companion animal; wherein the metabolite that modulates cholesterol is selected from the group consisting of palmitoyl sphingomyelin, 1-stearoylglycerol (1-monostearin), alpha-tocopherol, 7-alpha-hydroxycholesterol, 1-palmitoylglycerol (1-monopalmitin), 7-beta-hydroxycholesterol, glycerophosphorylcholine, 2-linoleoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine, caproate (6:0), 1-linoleoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, glycerol 3-phosphate (G3P), 2-arachidonoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, glycerol 2-phosphate, dihydrocholesterol, pelargonate (9:0), stearamide, 2-palmitoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, malate, heptanoate (7:0), and mixtures thereof; wherein the metabolite that modulates high-density lipoproteins is selected from the group consisting of palmitoyl sphingomyelin, alpha-tocopherol, 1-stearoylglycerol (1-monostearin), 7-alpha-hydroxycholesterol, 1-arachidonoylglycerophosphocholine, 2-docosapentaenoylglycerophosphocholine, 7-beta-hydroxycholesterol, 1-palmitoylglycerol (1-monopalmitin), 1-docosapentaenoylglycerophosphocholine, caproate (6:0), arachidonate (20:4n6), 3-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), 2-arachidonoylglycerophosphocholine, pelargonate (9:0), stearamide, N2,N2-dimethylguanosine, 1-linoleoylglycerophosphocholine, dihydrocholesterol, 1-stearoylglycerophosphocholine, glycerate, heptanoate (7:0), 1-docosahexaenoylglycerophosphocholine, dihomo-linoleate (20:2n6), 2-linoleoylglycerophosphocholine, 2-palmitoylglycerophosphocholine, and mixtures thereof; wherein the metabolite that modulates low-density lipoproteins is selected from the group consisting of 1-stearoylglycerol (1-monostearin), palmitoyl sphingomyelin, alpha-tocopherol, 7-alpha-hydroxycholesterol, 2-linoleoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, glycerophosphorylcholine, 7-beta-hydroxycholesterol, 1-linoleoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, 2-palmitoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, 1-palmitoylglycerol (1-monopalmitin), caproate (6:0), 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine, 2-arachidonoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, malate, glycerol 2-phosphate, glycerol 3-phosphate (G3P), 2-oleoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, N2,N2-dimethylguanosine, and mixtures thereof, wherein the metabolites are present in amounts from 0.01 weight% to 10 weight% of the food composition. protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and at least 6 distinct metabolites including 2 distinct metabolites for modulating each one of cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, and low-density lipoproteins in a companion animal; wherein the metabolite that modulates cholesterol is selected from the group consisting of palmitoyl sphingomyelin, 1-stearoylglycerol (1-monostearin), alpha-tocopherol, 7-alpha-hydroxycholesterol, 1-palmitoylglycerol (1-monopalmitin), 7-beta-hydroxycholesterol, glycerophosphorylcholine, 2-linoleoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine, caproate (6:0), 1-linoleoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, glycerol 3-phosphate (G3P), 2-arachidonoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, glycerol 2-phosphate, dihydrocholesterol, pelargonate (9:0), stearamide, 2-palmitoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, malate, heptanoate (7:0), and mixtures thereof; wherein the metabolite that modulates high-density lipoproteins is selected from the group consisting of palmitoyl sphingomyelin, alpha-tocopherol, 1-stearoylglycerol (1-monostearin), 7-alpha-hydroxycholesterol, 1-arachidonoylglycerophosphocholine, 2-docosapentaenoylglycerophosphocholine, 7-beta-hydroxycholesterol, 1-palmitoylglycerol (1-monopalmitin), 1-docosapentaenoylglycerophosphocholine, caproate (6:0), arachidonate (20:4n6), 3-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), 2-arachidonoylglycerophosphocholine, pelargonate (9:0), stearamide, N2,N2-dimethylguanosine, 1-linoleoylglycerophosphocholine, dihydrocholesterol, 1-stearoylglycerophosphocholine, glycerate, heptanoate (7:0), 1-docosahexaenoylglycerophosphocholine, dihomo-linoleate (20:2n6), 2-linoleoylglycerophosphocholine, 2-palmitoylglycerophosphocholine, and mixtures thereof; wherein the metabolite that modulates low-density lipoproteins is selected from the group consisting of 1-stearoylglycerol (1-monostearin), palmitoyl sphingomyelin, alpha-tocopherol, 7-alpha-hydroxycholesterol, 2-linoleoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, glycerophosphorylcholine, 7-beta-hydroxycholesterol, 1-linoleoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, 2-palmitoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, 1-palmitoylglycerol (1-monopalmitin), caproate (6:0), 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine, 2-arachidonoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, malate, glycerol 2-phosphate, glycerol 3-phosphate (G3P), 2-oleoylglycerophosphoethanolamine, N2,N2-dimethylguanosine, and mixtures thereof, wherein the metabolites are present in amounts from 0.01 weight% to 10 weight% of the food composition.