Nature's Diet is a pet food company based in Utah, producing its products in facilities located along the Wasatch Mountain Range. The company emphasizes the use of USDA-approved ingredients, with a focus on grain-free recipes. This review delves into the ingredient quality and safety of Nature's Diet dog food lines, providing an objective assessment based on established criteria.
Is Nature's Diet a Good Choice for Your Dog?
Nature's Diet promotes its foods as grain-free. However, the kibble line contains legumes, which increases the carbohydrate count and the potential for high pesticide residues. While the company aims to use organic and non-GMO ingredients, it's important to note that non-GMO does not guarantee pesticide-free products.
The company produces two distinct types of dog food, which contrast sharply in their assessed risk levels. The freeze-dried line is considered low-risk, while the kibble-based line is categorized as high-risk.
Nature's Diet Freeze-Dried Raw Line: A Closer Look
The freeze-dried raw line undergoes processing in a vacuum chamber, utilizing low heat to evaporate moisture. The company also employs a form of High-Pressure Processing (HPP). The average protein content is 40%, but it loses a point for having higher carbohydrates at 27.5%.
Ingredients and Potential Concerns
Several ingredients in these recipes, such as peas, apples, spinach, and kale, appear on the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Dirty Dozen list, indicating high pesticide residues. The inclusion of added vitamins in minimal amounts suggests better quality ingredients, with adequate minerals derived from whole food ingredients, eliminating the need for supplementation.
Read also: Low-Carb Bread Option
Fish oil is added to the freeze-dried foods, but the specific type of fish oil (e.g., salmon or herring) isn't specified, nor is there an indication of whether it's from wild-caught or farmed fish. Wild-caught fish are generally more nutritious and have a better fatty acid balance than farmed fish. Farmed fish oil may not provide the optimal omega-3 fatty acids that your dog needs.
Benefits and Concerns of Freeze-Dried Line
Benefits:
- Minimally processed
- Includes whole foods
- Minerals obtained from whole foods
- Majority of vitamins from whole foods
- Non-GMO
Concerns:
- High pesticide/herbicide foods in the top ingredients
- High carbohydrate content
- Source of fish oil is unnamed
- No omega 6:omega 3 ratio provided
Nature's Diet Raw Kibble Blends: An In-Depth Analysis
The Raw Kibble Blends line is scored at 3.5 out of 10. The company describes the kibble as raw coated or raw blend, which may give the impression of a healthier product. However, it's still kibble. Freeze-dried raw chicken is added, potentially increasing the average protein content of this line to 30%.
Probiotics and Processing
Probiotics are listed on the ingredient list, but the guaranteed CFU (colony forming units) is not specified. As a general guideline, 3-5 billion CFUs are considered a maintenance dose, while 25-50 billion CFUs may be needed if your dog is sick or fighting an infection. Heat processing can destroy probiotics.
Ingredient Safety and Quality
The line ranks low on the ingredient safety scale due to ultra-processing. The top five ingredients are associated with heavy pesticide/herbicide use. Ingredient quality concerns include high carbohydrates, excessive added vitamins and minerals, and added amino acids. The recipes use canola oil, which can be inflammatory. The addition of nutrients can indicate the use of lower-quality foods.
Nature's Diet does not state the omega-6:omega-3 ratio in their recipes, which is a common concern among pet food companies. AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) allows a very inflammatory ratio of 30:1. Diets rich in omega-6 fats can cause chronic inflammation.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Benefits and Concerns of Dry Food Line
Benefits:
- Contains freeze-dried raw chicken
- Probiotics are added (but CFU not guaranteed)
- Non-GMO
Concerns:
- High carbohydrates
- Excessive added vitamins
- Excessive added minerals
- Added amino acids
- Source of fish is unnamed
- Ultra-processed
- High pesticide/herbicide foods in top ingredients
- Natural flavors
- Does not provide omega-6:omega-3 ratio
- Glam ingredients
Detailed Ingredient List and Analysis: Raw Coated Chicken & Superfoods Recipe
The ingredient list for the Raw Coated Chicken & Superfoods Recipe includes:
Chicken meal, field peas, lentils, chickpeas, freeze-dried raw chicken, turkey meal, freeze-dried raw chicken liver, tapioca starch, canola oil, sweet potato, salmon meal, chicken fat, dried tomato pomace, chicken cartilage (source of chondroitin sulfate), natural flavor, lecithin, salt, dl-methionine, choline chloride, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, taurine, turmeric powder, dried carrots, dried spinach, fructooligosaccharide, yucca schidigera extract, calcium carbonate, vitamin E supplement, l-ascorbyl-2- polyphosphate, mixed tocopherols, niacin supplement, kelp meal, D-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A acetate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, citric acid, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, folic acid, potassium chloride, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper sulfate, zinc oxide, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried lactobacillus reuteri fermentation product.
This dry dog food line is considered high-risk due to its average protein content of 30% and a calculated 36% carbohydrate content. The ingredient quality score is low due to the high carbohydrate content and the addition of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, which suggests the use of lower-quality proteins and ingredients. The type of fish in the fish oil is not specified, and the ingredient safety score is low due to the presence of high pesticide/herbicide ingredients in the top five, as well as the inclusion of natural flavor.
Detailed Ingredient List and Analysis: Beef Recipe (Freeze-Dried)
The ingredient list for the Beef Recipe (Freeze-Dried) includes:
Beef, beef liver, beef bone broth, whole egg, carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, peas, banana, cranberries, purple potatoes, broccoli, apple, flax seed, chia seed, coconut, tricalcium phosphate, brewer’s yeast, kelp, cinnamon, spinach, kale, prebiotic/probiotic blend, omega 3 & 6 from fish oil, ginger, basil, parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary, selenium yeast, vitamin A, vitamin D3, biotin, niacin, folic acid, vitamin B12.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
The Nature’s Diet Freeze-Dried dog food line is considered low risk. It averages 28% protein and 28% carbohydrates as calculated. This is higher than typically expected in a freeze-dried, raw dog food. The carbohydrates come from fruits and vegetables. Several vitamins are added. While it’s not a typical pre-mix, it’s preferred that nutrients come from the ingredients. The type of fish in the fish oil should be named. It loses safety points for the use of foods with higher pesticide/herbicide residues.
Nature's Diet Dog Food Recalls
As of now, Nature’s Diet has not had any recalls or voluntary withdrawals.
Evaluation Criteria for Dog Foods
Dog foods are evaluated and scored based on two primary criteria:
- Ingredient Quality:
- Excessive carbohydrate content
- Unnamed proteins
- Cellulose as a fiber source
- Excessive added vitamins and minerals
- Excessive added amino acids or plant proteins
- Inflammatory processed seed oils
- Ingredient Safety:
- How processed is the food?
- Known genetically modified foods
- Ingredients known to be high in pesticides
- Natural flavor
- Rice (high in arsenic)
Each food is objectively evaluated based on these criteria, and a score is assigned using the average of ingredient quality and safety.
tags: #natures #diet #simply #raw #ingredients