Rating: 
American Natural Premium Dog Food earns the Advisor’s above-average rating of 4 stars.
The American Natural Premium product line includes seven dry dog foods, each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
- American Natural Premium Original
- American Natural Premium Basic Formula
- American Natural Premium Sensitive Care
- American Natural Premium Exhibitor’s Choice
- American Natural Premium Endurance Formula
- American Natural Premium Grain Free Duck and Pork
- American Natural Premium Grain Free Ocean Fish and Potato
American Natural Premium Exhibitor’s Choice was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
American Natural Premium Exhibitor's Choice
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken meal, pearled barley, oatmeal, whole dried eggs, chicken, whole ground oats, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potato, brown rice, tomato pomace, salmon oil, cheese, flaxseed, alfalfa meal, carrots, lettuce, celery, chicken cartilage, monocalcium phosphate, salt, potassium chloride, dl-methionine, chicory root extract, Yucca schidigera extract, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus plantarum, Enterococcous faecium, vitamin A, D3, E, B12 supplements, choline chloride, niacin, pantothenic acid, ascorbic acid, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, biotin, zinc sulfate, iron carbonate, manganous oxide, copper oxide, cobalt carbonate, calcium iodate, sorbic acid, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.9%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The second ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs.
The third ingredient is oatmeal,a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, fiber and is also (unlike many other grains) gluten-free.
The fourth item is dried eggs, a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary greatly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries — from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The fifth ingredient is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The sixth item lists whole oats, an ingredient with benefits similar to oatmeal (already discussed).
The seventh ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The eighth item includes potato. Assuming they’re whole, potatoes are another good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.
The ninth item is brown rice. Brown rice is a quality ingredient, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) is fairly easy to digest.
Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient, a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.
With three notable exceptions…
First, the manufacturer appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
Next, chicory root is naturally rich in a substance called inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
And lastly, this food also contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
American Natural Premium
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, American Natural Premium Dog Food appears to be an above-average kibble.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 28%, a fat level of 19% and estimated carbohydrates of about 45%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 28% and a mean fat level of 17%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 46% for the overall product line.
Average protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.
Bottom line?
American Natural Premium is a plant-based dry dog food using a moderate amount of chicken meal as its main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.
Highly recommended.
Those looking for a comparable kibble may wish to visit our review of Fromm Gold Nutritionals Dog Food.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food? Or maybe the review itself? Please know we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
05/22/2010 Original review
12/22/2010 Review updated
01/10/2012 Review updated (added new grain free recipes)
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.