Rating: 
Evanger’s Organic dog food receives the Advisor’s highest rating of five stars.
The Evanger’s Organic product line lists two canned dog foods.
Since we could not locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these products on the Evanger’s website, we’re unable to report specific life stage recommendations.
- Evanger’s 100% Organic Cooked Chicken
- Evanger’s Organic Turkey with Potato and Carrots
Evanger’s Organic Turkey with Potato and Carrots was selected to represent both products in the line for this review.
Evanger's Organic Turkey with Potato and Carrots
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Organic turkey, natural well water, organic potatoes, organic carrots, organic guar gum, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D2 supplement, vitamin E supplement, ascorbic acid, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, thiamin mononitrate, pyriodoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, folic acid, zinc proteinate, calcium iodate and sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 6.8%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is organic turkey. Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”.1
Turkey is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is water… which (of course) adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a common finding in most canned dog foods.
The third ingredient is organic potato. Assuming they’re whole, potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.
The fourth item includes organic carrots. Carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fifth ingredient is organic guar gum… a gelling or thickening agent found in many wet pet foods. Refined from dehusked guar beans, guar gum can add a notable amount of dietary fiber to any product.
This dog food also contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to amino acids. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are generally found in better dog foods.
Evanger’s Organic Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Since Evanger’s Organic contains 100% organic ingredients, we feel compelled to accord this line favored status as we consider its final rating.
That’s because organic ingredients are produced under remarkably strict government standards… standards which greatly restrict the use of any synthetic pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, hormones or antibiotics.
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 36%, a fat level of 18% and estimated carbohydrates of about 37%.
Even though both products in the line report the exact same nutrient numbers, we note an important difference.
One is all meat (the chicken recipe), the other is a mixed dinner with potato and carrots.
We find it odd this 100% chicken product would only contain 36% protein. With nothing but meat in the can, we question where the estimated 37% carbohydrates come from?
In any case the line reveals…
Below-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical canned dog food.
With no sign of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a wet food containing a moderate amount of meat.
But again, it’s difficult to ignore the all organic nature of these products.
Bottom line?
Evanger’s Organic Dog Food is a meat-based canned product using a moderate amount of organic poultry as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for a nice kibble to go with this product may wish to visit our review of Evanger’s dry 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 a specific health benefit 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
03/09/2010 Original review
10/09/2010 Review updated
- Adapted by the Dog Food Advisor and based upon the official definition for chicken published by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, Official Publication, 2008 Edition ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.